If you’re in search of a party, these might not be the places for you.
If you’re looking to conclude the night on a high note, however, the quest ends here. Our favourite spots to cap off an evening in Hong Kong are modest yet ambitious; stylish, but always warm and welcoming.
This speakeasy in Central may be tiny but it’s a mighty one, earning this year’s Asia’s Best Bar following a No. 5 debut in 2018 — not at all shabby for a bar that opened only in 2017. Its imaginative drinks are named after Hemingway novels such as The Moveable Feast, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Hills Like White Elephants, and Garden of Eden. Also worth checking out is The Sea, founders Agung Prabowo, James Tamang, and Roman Ghale's follow-up, which completes the tribute to the Hemingway volume The Old Man and the Sea.
Lower G/F, 37-39 Aberdeen Street, Soho, Central
There’s no shortage of spots from which to enjoy Hong Kong’s iconic skyline, but the terrace of Rosewood Hong Kong’s DarkSide poses some healthy competition for all the others. With specialty cocktails, vintage cigars, and a comprehensive offering of wine and spirits that befits its five-star location, the live jazz bar offers a sophisticated refuge from party central.
Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
A nondescript red door along an unassuming street in Sai Ying Pun leads to a surprisingly roomy space, the likes of which are few and far between in this densely populated city with a reputation for compact restaurants and watering holes. The cavernous bar, as its name suggests, focuses on an extensive selection of gin, complemented by Spanish tapas.
129 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun
Frank’s Library
From the same group that brought us the fun concepts of Mrs. Pound and Dr. Fern’s Gin Parlour is an intimate den within chic tavern Foxglove: Frank’s Library, another establishment inspired by a figure of mystery. This time it’s an English gentleman named Frank Minza, who supposedly loved whiskies, cognacs, travel, and literature — hence the name — all of which we can certainly get behind. The bartenders' warm hospitality and exacting techniques will have you wanting to return again and again.
18 Ice House Street, 6 Duddell Street, Central, Hong Kong
Here's yet another reason to visit Tai Kwun, if you haven't yet made this centre steeped in history (and style) your default spot for business meetings and casual dates. Named after the street on which it’s located, Old Bailey is a showcase of Jiangnan cuisine by executive chef Wong Kwan Man. Come for the food, its happy hour deal, or a drink to end the evening, all in a captivating space designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.
2/F JC Contemporary, Tai Kwun, Central
