ATLAS holds Asia’s head high at World’s 50 Best Bars 2019

Singapore’s grand lobby bar ATLAS emerged as Asia’s leading bar at the World’s 50 Best Bars 2019, spearheading a strong showing from bars in Asia.

In a list that saw bars from New York and London largely dominate the top spots – with New York’s casual Italian-style aperitivo bar Dante taking top honours –  the recently announced World’s 50 Best Bars also revealed that bars in Asia are starting to pull their weight on the global cocktail bar scene. This year a total of 13 bars from Asia entered the top 50, from just nine in last year’s list.

The 13 Asia bars that entered into World’s 50 Best Bars 2019 list (vs 2018) are:

• ATLAS, Singapore (No.8)/(No.8)
• The Old Man, Hong Kong (No.9)/(No.10)
• Manhattan, Singapore (No.11)/(No.3)
• Native, Singapore (No.12)/(No.13)
• Bar High Five, Tokyo (No.18)/(No.12)
• Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei (No.21)/(No.38)
• The SG Club, Tokyo (No.24) (new entry)
• Jigger & Pony, Singapore (No.29) (new entry)
• Operation Dagger, Singapore (No.30)/(No.23)
• Speak Low, Shanghai (No.35)/(No.20)
• The Old Man, Singapore (No.38) (new entry)
• Sober Company Shanghai (No.45)/(No.51)
• COA, Hong Kong (No.49) (new entry)

Singapore’s grandiose grand lobby bar ATLAS at Parkview Square – with its sprawling gin and champagne collection – was revealed as Asia’s best bar this year at No.8, the same position it held last year. Regent Hotel Singapore’s Manhattan – which held that honour in 2018 – disappointingly dropped from No.3 last year to the No.11 spot, while Operation Dagger dropped seven places to No.30.

Popular local bar NATIVE clawed up one spot higher to No.12, and also picked up the “Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award” for its focus on using foraged ingredients in its innovative cocktails; which is no mean feat in urban Singapore.

Jigger & Pony and The Old Man Singapore also debuted on World’s 50 Best Bars this year. Jigger & Pony, which has been pioneering Singapore’s cocktail bar scene since 2014 with its  focus on modern twists on cocktail classics, looks to have benefited from its move last year from Amoy Street to a new home at Amara Singapore and landed at the No.29 spot; it also won “Bar of the Year” at the recently-concluded The Bar Awards Singapore 2019.

On the other hand, The Old Man Singapore – an offshoot of its namesake in Hong Kong, and has a similar Hemingway-themed cocktail list – has only officially opened in May this year, is No.38 this year. Its original Hong Kong outlet also did well to land at No.9, up one spot from last year.

28 HongKong Street, which was No.34 last year, falls off this year’s top 50 list to No.61.

“We are humbled and honoured to represent for Singapore and all of Asia on the world stage for World’s 50 Best Bars,” said Jesse Vida, head bartender at ATLAS. “We’re excited for the recognition but more than anything inspired to be better and do everything we can to keep on improving. Thank you to everyone for the support!”

“To have our flagship brand Jigger & Pony recognised not just locally, but also regionally and now, globally, is an incredible honour,” shared Indra Kantono, co-founder of The Jigger & Pony Group. “It’s been a big year for us, having also climbed 33 spots up to the top 10 bars in Asia, and simultaneously earning the title of 2019’s Highest Climber on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019 list.”

“To attain a position on the list this soon has given our team a lot of encouragement and we are grateful to all our guests and partners who helped us get here,” says Andrew Yap, head bartender and managing partner of The Old Man Singapore.