Bookmark these bars – including Asia’s #1 – for a Hong Kong drinking and dining extravaganza like no other
If ever you needed an excuse to hit up Hong Kong’s legendary nightlife, then the recent announcement of Asia’s 50 Best Bars should have you booking flights as we speak. As the world’s largest and most populous continent, it’s fair to say that there are more than a few contenders to the throne in Asia, but a humble neighbourhood Hong Kong joint called Bar Leone beat them all.
Not only that, the win marked the fourth year running that a Hong Kong bar has taken the top spot. So, what’s the city’s secret? Rest assured that we spent 48 very well lubricated hours trying to find out.
Starting with where to lay your head, there are few more iconic hotels anywhere in Asia than Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, a legend since 1963. The Beatles, Princess Diana, Beyoncé, Andy Warhol and David Bowie have been among their legions of A-list guests over the years, but the beauty is that they make everyone feel special. There’s no better location than in the heart of the city’s Central district, overlooking the junk boats, yachts and ferries of Victoria Harbour, with the dazzling sea of skyscrapers beyond.
Ultra-comfortable and warmly luxurious rooms may mean you won’t ever want to leave, but when you do, some of Hong Kong’s finest drinking and dining is on your doorstep – literally. The MO, as locals call it, features two restaurants holding a Michelin star; the only Krug Room in the world serving brilliant tasting menus paired with the largest selection of Krug champagnes outside France, and a take on a Japanese izakaya bar called The Aubrey, which was itself named in tenth spot on the prestigious list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. But when you can drag yourself away from the hotel – and especially the insanely blissful Mandarin Spa with their range of treatments to help knock out the jet lag – you’re perfectly located to enter the dragon.
For lunch on day one, head out and walk 20 minutes or so to Mora, a beautiful one Michelin-starred restaurant from Chef Vicky Lau. On the way, you can ride the world’s largest outdoor escalator and wander through some of the local food markets filled with intriguing produce and fascinating characters.
Mora’s menu is defined by the versatility of soy, but if you’re thinking it risks being a bit one-note, you couldn’t be further from the truth. This crucial ingredient in Asian cookery is celebrated to brilliant effect in dishes like scallop ravioli made with soybean flour and udon noodles in soy milk with lobster. Afterwards, wander the local streets dotted with antique and vintage stores, then discover the shops of Sheung Wan selling dried seafood, ginseng and traditional Chinese medicines, before a cheeky siesta back at the MO.
You’re going to need it because dinner starts with a feast at Basehall 2, an upscale food court that features some of Hong Kong’s most iconic local dishes all under one roof. They’re crafted by OG restaurants like Kamcentre Roast Goose, a contender for purveyor of Hong Kong’s best barbecued meats, a beloved Cantonese staple. Don’t miss Ah Chun Shandong Dumplings for age-old family recipe handmade dumplings and On Lee Noodle Shop for classic HK dishes like fish ball noodles and condensed milk toast.
Duly fortified, head out on a bar crawl starting at the cheekily named Lockdown, which celebrates Prohibition with inventive cocktails with Asian twists. We loved the Blood Meridian with salted Campari, clarified blood orange, passionfruit and lime juice. It’s then barely a three-minute walk to Kinsman, where journalist and bar hero Gavin Yeung has championed locally produced Hong Kong and Cantonese spirits and crafted them into delicious libations. Papaya Van Winkle combines Cantonese papaya wine, N.I.P Gin and local amaro brand Magnolia Lab’s Roselle liqueur. The Kowloon Dairy is a proudly Hong Kong take on a classic milk punch with roselle, ma yun (hemp seed) syrup and pu’er tea, all clarified and topped off with salted cream.
This being Hong Kong you can crack on all night, so maybe wander over to mezcal specialist and Mexican-inspired craft cocktail bar COA, which gave owner Jay Khan #1 spot on Asia’s 50 Best Bars from 2021-2023. Then hit up Bar 42 in Soho, which never seems to close.
Start the next day in style with a tram ride up Victoria Peak, the extinct volcano that offers jaw-dropping views over the city. Our tip to shake off any hangovers is to walk 45 minutes back down to Central along the jungle clad, pedestrian-only Old Peak Road, then hit the Star Ferry for another iconic Hong Kong moment as you chug across the harbour in an original 1950s beauty, where a one-way ticket will set you back all of 35p.
Wander the Kowloon waterfront for more knockout vistas and serious retail therapy options at the super-swank shopping paradise K11 Art Mall, where hundreds of stores and restaurants include lunch options at every price point and every cuisine imaginable.
After a hard-earned massage back at The Mandarin Oriental, you’ll be prepped for another storming night out. Aperitifs at Argo at Four Seasons Hong Kong are an elegant way to kick things off, especially the signature welcome drink of Champagne garnished with a floating gummy bear.
Next comes dinner at Wing from Chef Vicki Cheng, a talent with few equals when it coms to redrawing the paradigms for Chinese cuisine. Be sure to get a seat at the counter to watch his team in action as they prepare tasting menu dishes like a stunning spring roll with sea cucumber and charred scallion, and fragrant chilli Alaskan king crab with crispy cheung fun.
Save the best drinks experience until last with a visit to Bar Leone, the humble local spot that’s had a truly stratospheric rise – not only did it take the title of the best bar in all of Asia, it was also a new entry on the top 50 list. Such success is largely thanks to owner Lorenzo Antinori, a seriously affable Italian who crafts brilliant drinks and dispenses genuine hospitality like few others. Sip on his peerless Negroni or Olive Oil Sour and raise a toast to a city with a nightlife scene like few others. And If hunger strikes, reach for the rightly-famous smoked olives and mortadella sandwich.
