On October 4, some of the finest cocktail makers in the world gathered in Barcelona, Spain, for the unveiling of the World’s Best Bars 2022 list.
Paradiso, a watering hole just blocks from Barcelona’s most popular beach, took home the first prize, while several Asian entries also made the final cut, including two from Hong Kong.
The best bar in Asia and the 17th-best bar (out of 100 winners) in the world, Coa serves agave-forward cocktails containing tequila and mezcal. Founded by F&B visionary Jay Khan in 2017 after an inspiring trip to Mexico, the bar has evidently made quite an impression in Hong Kong’s competitive cocktail scene.
Boasting a unique vibe with a raw industrial interior and Mexican-accented furniture and textiles, Coa is a welcoming and humble space for cocktail lovers to gather and learn about the rich liquor traditions of Mexico.
Khan’s bar, which has racked up several international awards, expanded to Shanghai’s central Jing’an District in March 2022, opening its second location just weeks before the citywide lockdown.
The second bar in Hong Kong to make this year’s prestigious list, Argo holds the 28th spot. Located in the Four Seasons Hotel and offering spectacular views of the city, the bar is managed by the hotel’s beverage ambassador, Lorenzo Antinori, and revolves around the concept of ‘evolution.’
Seeing as some popular ingredients might become luxury items due to climate change, Argo serves two versions of each cocktail: one explores the concept of ‘origins’ while the other looks to the ‘future.’
Besides the two Hong Kong entries, it is worth noting that New York City’s Double Chicken Please (DCP), a cocktail bar run by legendary Taiwanese mixologist Faye Cheng and her best friend GN Chan, is sixth on the list.
DCP is known for deconstructing iconic dishes and turning them into cocktails; think mango sticky rice, Japanese cold noodles, and everyone’s favorite guilty pleasure: cold pizza. The bar occasionally offers an exclusive cocktail-tasting experience inside a vintage Volkswagen minibus.
Curious about new, creative approaches to cocktail-making, or wonder what’s available in your city? Then check out the complete list of winners on the World’s 50 Best organization’s official website.
Cover image via Argo (@barargos)’s Instagram
