14 China Bars Named in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2018

By That's, May 4, 2018

Asia's 50 Best Bars list is officially out, and several bars from around China have made the cut.

Moving down one spot from last year to #3 was Shanghai's Speak Low (pictured at top), the brainchild of mixologist and proprietor Shingo Gokan. Speak Low was the highest-ranked bar from Greater China on this year's list.

Gokan's other bar, Sober Company, moved up five spots to earn a #14 ranking in 2018.

Speak Low
Gokan at Sober Company

Meanwhile, Yao Lu's Union Trading Company made the list for its third year running, coming in at #28 in 2018. It moved down from its #9 spot in 2017.

Union Trading Company

Also making its third consecutive appearance on the list was Beijing's Janes & Hooch — run by Warren Pang (of Shanghai's Bitter) — which came in at #30, moving up three spots from last year's list.

Janes + Hooch
Janes & Hooch

Elsewhere around Greater China, Hong Kong saw seven of its bars make the list, while two Taiwanese venues clinched spots. Indulge Experimental Bistro in Taipei earned major recognition this year, moving up to #2 following its fifth place showing in 2017. A single Macau bar, the Ritz Carlton Bar and Lounge, also made the cut at #48.

Here's the full list:

1. Manhattan, Singapore
2. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei
3. Speak Low, Shanghai
4. Atlas, Singapore
5. The Old Man, Hong Kong
6. High Five, Tokyo
7. Tippling Club, Singapore
8. Native, Singapore
9. Bamboo Bar, Bangkok
10. Lobster Bar and Grill, Hong Kong
11. Stockton, Hong Kong
12. 28HKS, Singapore
13. Backstage, Bangkok
14. Sober Company, Shanghai
15. Quinary, Hong Kong
16. Bar Trench, Tokyo
17. Le Chamber, Seoul
18. Zuma, Hong Kong
19. Operation Dagger, Singapore
20. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
21. Charles H, Seoul
22. Gibson, Singapore
23. Employees Only, Singapore
24. 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong
25. The Curator, Philippines
26. Alice, Seoul
27. Vesper, Bangkok
28. Union Trading Company, Shanghai
29. Smalls, Bangkok
30. Janes & Hooch, Beijing
31. The Pontiac, Hong Kong
32. D.Bespoke, Singapore
33. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
34. Gen Yamamoto, Tokyo
35. TCRC, Taiwan
36. Potato Head Beach Club, Bali
37. Bar Orchard Ginza, Tokyo
38. Junglebird, Kuala Lumpur
39. Loewy, Jakarta
40. Mixology Salon, Tokyo
41. Union Brasserie Baker and Bar, Jakarta
42. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
43. Star Bar, Tokyo
44. Teens of Thailand, Bangkok
45. Lamp Bar, Nara
46. Coley, Kuala Lumpur
47. Keepers, Seoul
48. Ritz Carlton Bar and Lounge, Macau
49. Ku Bar, Bangkok
50. The Other Room, Singapore