[The List] China's Hope & Sesame Wins the No. 1 Bar in Asia 2026

The wait is finally over. Marked by a mix of intense excitement and anxiety, today arrives on the heels of a turbulent 2026. The regional beverage industry has experienced a massive shift this year as new cocktail capitals rise while stalwarts slowly fade. Yet, despite these challenges and above all else, Asia's bar community stood together as one of the most impressive across the entire globe. Their collective resilience culminates today as a select group of establishments receives the ultimate honor: placement on the Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026 list.

As a lead-up (and follow-up) to last night's awards, Macau and nearby Hong Kong's bar scenes have been chock-full of guest shifts, pop-ups and masterclasses all week, from lauded bars and equally famed mixologists from around the globe.

But after a full week of sipping, slurping, and slamming the tastiest drinks from all corners of the world, the long-awaited list of Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026, the eleventh edition of this esteemed list, was announced at a ceremony held at Wynn Palace Macau. By the end of the night, a whopping 18 Chinese bars had scored a limited spot on the 1-50 list, including the number one spot on the entire list – the first time a Chinese mainland bar has ever been bestowed this illustrious honor.

This year also saw a major shakeup throughout the rest of the region, including 14 new entries across 22 cities, with notable advancements for Chinese mainland, India, and Indonesia.

Instead of making you all wait with bated breath before revealing the number one bar in the region, we are jumping straight to it: Hope & Sesame has officially been crowned not only the best bar in China, but also the best bar in all of Asia!

Backed by industry icons Andrew Ho (last year's winner of the Bartender's Bartender Award) and Bastien Ciocca, Hope and Sesame first debuted on the list in 2019 and has remained ever since. Climbing the ranks in fits and starts, this marks the fourth consecutive year that Hope & Sesame has held the title of the best bar in China. Now, the team can fasten the "best bar in Asia" feather to their cap alongside it. Renowned for its boundary-pushing cocktail program, imaginative presentation, and hospitable staff, the Guangzhou collective has consistently pushed creative limits to elevate China's profile in the mixology world.

In total, seven Chinese mainland bars snagged a spot on this year's list, including:

MO Bar Shenzhen at No. 5: Led by Tiger Chang, MO Bar honors Chinese heritage through its "Colours of China" drink menu that employs the ancient agricultural calendar and traditional Chinese colors as the core inspiration for its craft drinks.

Obsidian Bar at No. 10: This gothic-chic cocktail lounge sees steampunk-inspired interiors across a multi-story layout enhanced by a choose-your-own-adventure cocktail map, tea-aged spirits, and hard-to-find malt whiskies.

Pony Up at No. 19: Shanghai's favorite neighborhood watering hole, helmed by acclaimed bartender Dre Yang, sprinted forward 78 spots this year, spotlighting its one-of-a-kind American diner charm coupled with precise cocktail crafting.

CMYK at No. 27: This concept-driven cocktail lounge tucked inside a converted residential building was founded by Ethan Liu as a high-energy, multi-room space showcasing modern mixology at its finest.

Ralph's Bar at No. 28: A new entry to the list, Ralph's Bar in Chengdu is the first hospitality concept by the Ralph Lauren brand, with a drinks program curated by the Hope & Sesame team.

Tiao at No. 50: Another new entry, this upscale lounge located in the Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing serves story-rich pours in both a downstairs bar and upstairs terrace.

To recap, the 2026 Top 50 list saw seven bars on the mainland, seven bars in Hong Kong, three in Taiwan, and one in Macau, making up a grand total of 18 bars across China.

Before we reveal the full list, a little background (assuming you haven't skipped ahead already). It is compiled based on anonymous voting by the Asia's 50 Best Bars Academy, an influential, gender-balanced group of 300+ bartenders, bar owners, drinks writers and cocktail aficionados across the region, who vote for what they believe constitutes a "best bar experience."

Now – the moment you've been waiting for – here's the full Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026 list...

Other Special Award Winners include:

• Bartender's Bartender Award: Shelley Tai (MIUS, Hong Kong)
• Art of Hospitality: Smoke & Bitters (Hiriketiya)
• One To Watch: Hats Bars (Jakarta)
• Industry Icon: Indra Kantno (Jigger & Pony Group, Singapore)
• Legend of the List: COA (Hong Kong)
• Best New Opening: Workshop14 (Hanoi)
• Sustainable Bar Award: Bar Us (Bangkok)
• Highest Climber Award: Bar Sathorn (Bangkok)
• Best Cocktail Menu: Kinsman (Hong Kong)
• Highest New Entry Award: Lennon's (Bangkok)
• Best Bar Design: MIUS (Hong Kong)

Two weeks ago, on July 14, the 51-100 list was also released, spanning 25 different cities across Asia, with 11 new entry bars. Of this 51-100 list, 13 of them dropped from the 1-50 list last year, plus four re-entries. Like last year, Singapore took the lead with seven bars making the 51-100 list, followed by four bars each from Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Seoul.

Here's the full list of 51-100 Asia's 50 Best Bar winners...

Of the new entries, Hangzhou's Chimney made its debut at No. 91, a bar celebrated for its community atmosphere and sophisticated, technique-driven drinks served in a renovated Republic of China-era loft. Founded in 2019 by Ellen Xu, Chimney's bar program utilizes predominantly local, seasonal, and traditional Chinese elements in its libations, like Longjing tea, osmanthus, and Shaoxing wine.

Another China-based bar snagging its first ever spot on the list, Bar Long Fong in Beijing made the cut at No. 96, a gorgeously opulent cocktail lounge with a strong focus on Chinese ingredients and spirits.

Only one bar from Shanghai scored a 51-100 place, and that bar is COA Shanghai, which dropped from No. 85 in 2025 to No. 95 this year. A second outpost of the world's most famous agave bar (from Hong Kong), COA first opened in Shanghai in 2022 before relocating and reopening in mid-2024 where it has remained a mainstay on the Shanghai cocktail scene ever since.

So there you have it! Time to start sipping your way across Asia to visit as many of the establishments as your budget, schedule, stomach (and liver) will allow!

And if you missed it, here's last year's 2025 Asia's 50 Best Bar Awards results.