China shakes, stirs Asia's best bars list

Served with a twist

The rise of Chinese bars is not simply about better drink techniques. It is also about answering a more fundamental question: How can a drink convey a sense of place?

Sleight identified "culinary precision and technical rigor" as features of the mainland scene.

"Chinese bars are viewing modern cocktail craft as an extension of fine dining," she said.

Pointing to Hope & Sesame, she said that its drinks "are innovative and can be quite challenging, but they remain easy to drink."

Hope & Sesame draws on the everyday culture and culinary traditions of Guangdong to transform local ingredients into contemporary cocktails. "I think it's not only about the flavors, but more about the history or the way people live," Ciocca said.

In Shenzhen, MO Bar takes a different approach. Its "Colours of China" menu links traditional colors with the 24 solar terms, using the seasons associated with each color to guide ingredient selection.

"We first choose the color of each drink, then look at which season that color represents, and finally use ingredients that are abundant in that season to develop the cocktail," said head bartender Tiger Chang.

Tea is an important ingredient. "When using tea, tea must absolutely be the protagonist," Chang said. "Like wine, tea has layers of aroma that unfold from the first sip through to the finish. The role of the base spirit is to complement the tea and amplify its characteristics."

At Beijing's Tiao, local characteristics are expressed through hutong culture and history. Head bartender Guo Wei describes it as a venue built around "fusion and contrast".

But local identity does not mean putting every regional ingredient into a glass.

Liu cautions against what he sees as an overinterpretation of "locality". "If you put baijiu, vinegar, sesame oil and bird's eye chili into one drink, people simply won't get it," he said.

The starting point, he argues, must always be whether an ingredient makes the drink better.

Sleight views the debate from the perspective of international travelers. "I definitely think that when people travel, they want an experience that feels unique or 'ownable' to the place they're in. That's why they traveled to that specific destination. When bars lean into that, it creates a rich storytelling narrative that guests remember and take home," she said.

Heady mixture

When Liu returned to China in 2012, ordering a good gin and tonic could be difficult, he said. By 2026, even in third — and fourth-tier cities, a well-made version of the cocktail is easy to find. "If you can get a decent one around the corner, why take a 20-minute taxi ride to another bar?" Liu said.

Customers now need a reason to make the journey: better service, an evolving menu, music, guest bartenders or social-media buzz.

Social media has made customers more informed — and more demanding. Guests increasingly arrive with expectations about a cocktail's ingredients, appearance and price. That makes communication part of the experience.

Service has consequently become a key attraction. At Tiao, the team aims to serve an entire table within seven minutes. During peak periods, staff may recommend a neat pour or a gin and tonic while customers wait for more complex cocktails.

When queues become particularly long, Tiao removes stools to create a standing bar, turning waiting into part of the experience, Guo said.

Pony Up in Shanghai has taken a more neighborhood-oriented approach. It opens at 1 pm, offers small shots to customers waiting in line, and serves hamburgers and fries alongside cocktails.

The rise of no — and low-alcohol drinks also reflects changing palates.

At MO Bar Shenzhen, the Mauve mocktail has become particularly popular. Made with butterfly pea flower tea, which changes color when acidity is introduced, it offers an engaging experience without alcohol.

For many customers, drinking is no longer the sole purpose of going to a bar. For busy urban professionals, the bar is increasingly a place to relax, socialize and enjoy the atmosphere.

Rapid expansion has also exposed one of the industry's biggest challenges. Every venue needs people who understand cocktails, service and operations, yet the supply of experienced professionals has not kept pace with the number of new bars.

"In the past, you would spend three to five years going from being an apprentice, to bartender, to head bartender," Liu said.

Today, some young bartenders with only a year of training open their own venues, then begin training the next generation themselves.

The problem is not simply technical skill. Running a bar requires knowledge of rent, labor, waste, supply chains, training, cash flow and customer retention.

Hope & Sesame has a more structured approach. "We give a lot of responsibility to the head bartenders and bar managers at each venue to train the new staff," Ciocca said.

The group is involved in overseas staff exchanges to broaden employees' professional horizons. "For many staff members, it was their first time flying or getting a passport. Discovering a new country makes them hungry to become better," Ciocca said.