Jigger & Pony, a cocktail bar in Singapore, earned the top spot in the 2020 edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. Inspired by the 19th century cocktail scene, Jigger & Pony has garnered acclaim since it opened in 2012. The bar rose from last year’s #9 to this year’s #1.
Last year’s best bar The Old Man placed #2 in the 2020 edition, while the bar’s sister venue in Singapore debuted at #22 this year. Agung Prabowo is also the winner of this year’s Industry Icon award. Jay Khan’s mezcal bar COA rose to #3 this year. The visionary behind Hong Kong’s celebrated mezcal haven is also winner of this year’s Altos Bartender’s Bartender award. Quinary claim a spot at #16. Sandeep Kumar’s The Wise King placed #18 this year, while Otto e Mezzo earned a spot at #28. Previous winners The Pontiac placed #35, while Island Shangri-La’s Lobster Bar placed 44th, maintaining their spots within the 50.
Five of Bangkok’s bars also made it to the list: the Mandarin Oriental’s famed Bamboo Bar, which was crowned best bar in Thailand at #7 overall; Vesper at #11; and Tropic City, Rabbit Hole and Backstage Cocktail Bar at #24, 31 and 33, respectively.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020
* denotes new entry
- Jigger And Pony (Singapore)
- The Old Man (Hong Kong) Best Bar in China
- Coa (Hong Kong)
- Indulge Experimental Bistro (Taipei) Best Bar in Taiwan
- Atlas (Singapore)
- Native (Singapore)
- The Bamboo Bar (Bangkok) Best Bar in Thailand
- Manhattan (Singapore)
- The SG Club (Tokyo) Best Bar in Japan
- Aha Saloon (Taipei)
- Vesper (Bangkok)
- Sober Company (Shanghai)
- Bar Mood (Taipei)
- Bar Trigona (Kuala Lumpur)
- Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo)
- Quinary (Hong Kong)
- Tippling Club (Singapore)
- The Wise King (Hong Kong)
- Speak Low (Shanghai)
- Bar High Five (Tokyo)
- Bee’s Knees (Kyoto)*
- The Old Man (Singapore)*
- D.Bespoke (Singapore)
- Tropic City (Bangkok)
- Gibson (Singapore)
- Draftland (Taipei)
- Room By Le Kief (Taipei)*
- Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Hong Kong)
- Charles H (Seoul)
- 28 Hongkong Street (Singapore)
- Rabbit Hole (Bangkok)
- Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
- Backstage Cocktail Bar (Bangkok)
- Caprice Bar (Hong Kong)*
- The Pontiac (Hong Kong)
- Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou)
- Junglebird (Kuala Lumpur)
- The Odd Couple (Shanghai)*
- Bar Trench (Tokyo)
- Sidecar (New Delhi)* Best Bar in India
- Bar Orchard Ginza (Tokyo)
- The Curator (Manila)
- Union Brasserie Bakery And Bar (Jakarta) Best bar in Indonesia
- Lobster Bar And Grill (Hong Kong)
- The Back Room (Manila)
- MO Bar (Singapore)*
- Alice (Seoul)
- Coley (Kuala Lumpur)
- Le Chamber (Seoul)
- Bar Cham (Seoul)*
*Additional reporting by Mika Apichatsakol