July 18, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s cocktail scene enjoyed one of its best ever showings on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars this evening, with one bar in the Top 10, and two others in the Top 50.
Petaling Street cocktail bar Penrose was crowned the Best Bar In Malaysia after coming in at No 8, the best ever placing for a Malaysian bar since the list was created in 2016. The previous highest ranking was the now defunct Omakase + Appreciate’s No. 10 placing in that inaugural list.
Penrose is joined in the Top 50 by fellow KL waterholes Bar Trigona and Reka:Bar, which came in at No. 36 and No. 41 respectively.
Four Malaysian bars – three from KL and one from Penang – were also named in the extended 51-100 list, which was announced last week.
With its No, 8 placing, Penrose marked Malaysia’s best ever ranking on the list since its inception in 2016. PHOTOS: HANDOUT/THE STAR
The ninth edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, was announced at a live awards ceremony in Hong Kong on July 16 and was hosted in collaboration with destination partner Hong Kong Tourism Board
For the first time ever, a new entry topped the list, with Hong Kong’s Bar Leone crowned The Best Bar in Asia 2024. Located in Hong Kong’s Central district and opened in mid-2023, Bar Leone embodies a concept of ‘cocktail popolari’ – cocktails for the people – focusing on speed, consistency and simplicity.
Drawing from founder Lorenzo Antinori’s background in advanced mixology, the bar emphasises Italian spirits and ingredients, offering classics like the pre-batched Leone martini and a yuzu gimlet with a local twist.
Bar Leone was crowned the Best Bar In Asia for 2024, the first time a new entry has topped the list. PHOTOS: HANDOUT/THE STAR
South Korean bar Zest, came in second, with its head bartender Dohyung ‘Demie’ Kim also winning the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2024 for his efforts in leading the charge in contemporary Korean cocktail-making with a passion and positivity.
At No. 3 was Singapore’s Jigger And Pony, followed by Hong Kong’s COA, which had topped the list three years in a row prior to this, and Tokyo’s Bar Benfiddich came in at No. 5.
Led by founder Jon Lee (centre), Penrose focuses on functionalism, simplicity and an intimate atmosphere with bar-counter seating that fosters engaging conversations. PHOTOS: HANDOUT/THE STAR
Besides winning the Best Bar In Malaysia award, Penrose was also presented with the Nikka Highest Climber award, for rising a staggering 42 places from its No. 50 spot last year.
Since it was founded in 2022 by head bartender Jon Lee, this cocktail bar on Petaling Street has gained a strong reputation for its relatively simple but intimate atmosphere, the warm hospitality of its bartenders, and of course, a strong repertoire of drinks that range from tasty twists on classics to bespoke creations.
The bar’s concept focuses on functionalism, simplicity and an intimate atmosphere with bar-counter seating that fosters engaging conversations.
Bar Trigona retained its No. 36 place on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. PHOTOS: FILEPIC/THE STAR
Meanwhile, Bar Trigona maintained its strong presence on the list at No. 36, the same position it occupied in last year’s list.
Located at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, the bar was the first Malaysian bar to make it on the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2020.
Helmed by head bartender Rohan Matmary, the bar consistently sets the standard for sustainable bar practices by focusing on Malaysian produce. Its latest menu, called ‘Colour Me Curious’, uses these locally-sourced natural products to create unique and innovative drinks that will “add a splash of colour” to the bar.
Breaking into the Top 50 for the first time at No. 41 is Reka Bar, which had made its debut at No. 65 last year. A self-styled ‘post-modern flavour lab’ located at Damansara Heights, the bar is like a cross between a chill out lounge club and a space-age laboratory.
Led by head bartender Joel Poon, the bar team creates unique and complex, yet clean and flavourful drinks through a myriad of techniques, including infusion, clarification, distillation and more.
Four Malaysian bars – three from KL and one from Penang – were also named in the extended 51-100 list, which was announced last week.
Penang’s Backdoor Bodega reentered the list at No. 52, marking its best ever placing on the list. Located at Hin Bus Depot in the heart of George Town, the bar made its debut in 2022 at No. 97 but dropped off the list last year.
Coming in at No. 56 is Three X Co, which has been one of mainstays in the KL bar scene since it was founded in 2017. It made its debut at No. 47 on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2021, and this year, it came in 56th on the extended 51-100 list.
Two other KL bars that were formerly on the Top 50 continued to hold strong on the extended list – Bangsar bar Coley at No. 70, and rum-specialists JungleBird at No. 80.
Singapore was the city with the most number of bars in the Top 50, with 11 in total, while Hong Kong has nine. The Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award went to Fura in Singapore, while the winner of the London Essence Best New Opening Award was The Savory Project in Hong Kong.
The Asia’s 50 Best Bars list is voted upon by a 265-member strong Academy comprising a gender-balanced group of bartenders, bar owners, drinks writers and cocktail aficionados, wll of whom place independent and anonymous votes for what they believe constitutes a “best bar experience”.