Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026: Hope & Sesame No. 1, Shanghai’s Pony Up Rises

Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026 was announced on July 28 at Wynn Palace, Macau, which included 14 new entries and two re-entries from 22 cities, and a record seven bars from mainland China. This is proof, if anyone needed it, that Asia’s cocktail scene keeps expanding. 

Number One: Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou

Hope & Sesame took the No. 1 spot this year, and honestly, it’s been a long time coming.

Tucked behind a traditional Cantonese shopfront in Guangzhou’s Dongshankou district, the bar has built the most influential cocktail operation in mainland China, not just through its own bar but through founders Bastien Ciocca and Andrew Ho’s consulting projects across the country, from standalone bars to hotel programs.

Running a great bar is one thing; building a team that consistently executes someone else’s brief is another. Hope & Sesame does both, which is why this win reads less like a surprise and more like overdue recognition.

Shanghai’s Moment: Pony Up Rises to No. 19

This year’s list gave Shanghai something to genuinely celebrate. Pony Up, the low-key cocktail bar on Jinxian Road, jumped from No. 97 last year straight to No. 19 — one of the sharpest rises on the entire list. Bartender Dre Yang has built his reputation on restraint, consistency, and warm hospitality, and this jump suggests the region is finally paying attention to what’s happening in Shanghai.

The Rest of China’s Seven Awarded Bars

Mainland China landed a record seven bars this year, its best showing yet. Alongside Hope & Sesame and Pony Up, Shenzhen broke through with two bars in the top 10: MO Bar Shenzhen climbed to No. 5 with a cocktail program built around Chinese cultural heritage, while Obsidian Bar debuted at No. 10. Chengdu made its first appearance too, with Ralph’s Bar, inside Ralph Lauren’s first China dining concept, at No. 28. Rounding out the tally: CMYK in Changsha at No. 27 and Tiao in Beijing at No. 50.

Worth noting: Hope & Sesame’s team also consulted on both MO Bar Shenzhen and Ralph’s Bar.

Hong Kong: Steady Mainstays

Hong Kong kept seven bars on the list — still the region’s most consistent bar city, even without the top spot this year. Bar Leone, last year’s No. 1, settled into No. 3. The real movement came from Gokan, which climbed to No. 22 under Shingo Gokan’s name, and COA, which held at No. 24 and picked up the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award for its sustained relevance.

Mius, Shelley Tai’s first solo bar, was the story of the night: it landed at No. 36, took the SevenRooms Best Bar Design Award, and Tai herself won the pre-announced Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.

Elsewhere in Asia

Kuala Lumpur kept its two placements, anchoring different corners of the city’s scene. Three X Co, hidden behind a pop-up barbershop in Bangsar Shopping Centre, took No. 32 and picked up The Best Bar in Malaysia title — a changeover, since Penrose held it last year at No. 10 before dropping to the 51–100 list. Bar Trigona followed at No. 38.

Singapore kept its four placements, though the order shifted. Jigger & Pony slid from No. 3 to No. 9 but held onto The Best Bar in Singapore title. Nutmeg & Clove climbed from No. 24 to No. 12, and Offtrack moved from No. 23 to No. 16 — solid jumps for bars building steadily rather than chasing headlines. Origin Bar re-entered at No. 43, while Native and Cat Bite Club, both on last year’s list, dropped off.

Tokyo held three spots, down from four last year. Punch Room Tokyo climbed from No. 36 to No. 23 and picked up The Best Bar in Japan title, while Virtù and Bar Libre both improved slightly. The notable absence: Bar Benfiddich, last year’s Best Bar in Japan at No. 9, dropped off the list entirely.

Bangkok remains the most densely represented city with eight spots. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio rose to No. 4 and took The Best Bar in Thailand, while newcomer Lennon’s debuted at No. 7 for the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award. Bar Sathorn was the list’s single biggest climber, jumping 31 places to No. 17.

Seoul held its usual four spots, led by Zest at No. 2, now a three-time winner of The Best Bar in Korea. Jakarta continued its rise as a Southeast Asian hub with four bars, topped by Modernhaus at No. 11. India deepened its presence with three placements, led by Goa’s Boilermaker at No. 8, while Bengaluru emerged as a cocktail capital in its own right with two bars on the list.

The Full List: Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026

1. Hope & Sesame — Guangzhou
2. Zest — Seoul
3. Bar Leone — Hong Kong
4. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio — Bangkok
5. MO Bar Shenzhen — Shenzhen
6. Bar Us — Bangkok
7. Lennon’s — Bangkok
8. Boilermaker — Goa
9. Jigger & Pony — Singapore
10. Obsidian Bar — Shenzhen
11. Modernhaus — Jakarta
12. Nutmeg & Clove — Singapore
13. Alice — Seoul
14. Vender — Taichung
15. Cosmo Pony — Jakarta
16. Offtrack — Singapore
17. Bar Sathorn — Bangkok
18. Soka — Bengaluru
19. Pony Up — Shanghai
20. BKK Social Club — Bangkok
21. Carrots Bar — Jakarta
22. Gokan — Hong Kong
23. Punch Room Tokyo — Tokyo
24. Coa — Hong Kong
25. Opium — Bangkok
26. Virtù — Tokyo
27. CMYK — Changsha
28. Ralph’s Bar — Chengdu
29. Smoke & Bitters — Hiriketiya
30. Bar Spirit Forward — Bengaluru
31. G.O.D — Bangkok
32. Three X Co — Kuala Lumpur
33. Bar Cham — Seoul
34. Workshop14 — Hanoi
35. To Infinity & Beyond — Taipei
36. Mius — Hong Kong
37. Argo — Hong Kong
38. Bar Trigona — Kuala Lumpur
39. Bar Libre — Tokyo
40. The Golden Tooth — Jakarta
41. The Han-Jia — Tainan
42. M+MS Bar — Seoul
43. Origin Bar — Singapore
44. Problem Child — Makati
45. The St. Regis Bar (Macau) — Macau
46. The Hudson Rooms — Hanoi
47. Montana — Hong Kong
48. Aqua Bar — Bangkok
49. Penicillin — Hong Kong
50. Tiao — Beijing