17 June, 2014
Eat & Drink

Top 6 New Bars in Hong Kong for June

17 June, 2014

Summer is finally here, and to celebrate we’ve handpicked some brand new bars for you to try out. What could be better than some after-work drinks in the sunshine? From a beach bar to some hidden city hangouts, we’ve got you covered this season with some of Hong Kong’s hippest watering holes. Let the good times pour!

ping pong 1

Ping Pong 129 Gintonería
Ping Pong 129 Gintonería is Hong Kong’s best-kept secret. Turning an old Ping-Pong club into a stylish Spanish gin bar is a recipe for cool! With its retro-style windows, high ceiling, eclectic music and works from local artists such as graffitist Tsang Tsou Choi, this bar is a hipster’s paradise. The cool and laid back atmosphere is a breath of fresh air compared to those wild LKF nights. As the name suggests, Ping Pong 129 Gintonería specialises in the all-time British classic, gin and tonic – and they offer over 40 different gins to prove it! They also offer an array of delicious tapas-style bar nibbles. There is ample bar and table seating, so get a large group together and go before it’s full of ‘regulars’! Stay tuned for our full review, coming soon.

Ping Pong 129 Gintonería, Second Street 129, LG Nam Cheong House, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, 9158 1584, www.pingpong129.com

Guay 2

GUAY
Guay in Spanish means cool, fantastic or super (quite a standard to set!), and this bar most definitely lives up to its name. It brings together delightful drinks and small-bites to create the perfect place to chill, unwind or mingle with friends. Set in Tai Hang, this bar is the perfect place to escape the Soho crowds and have a relaxed night out. You’ve got to try one of their signature cocktails; we recommend the Bitter Grapefruit at $98 (made up of gin, Campari, grapefruit juice, mint, and lime) or the Graveyard at $138 (which is a mixture of vodka, gin, rum, tequila, everclear, sweet and sour, and craft beer) if you’re in need of a serious shot of alcohol! Both are thirst-quenchingly good and are favourites of Guay’s regular customers. Besides the creative list of cocktails, Guay also offers wines, spirits, classic cocktails and a delectable assortment of nibbles. The tapas here are on par with the drinks and the two go perfectly together. Why not try their spicy chicken wings or Cuban corn off the cob?

GUAY, 9A Sun Chun Street, Tai Hang, Hong Kong, 2618 8782, www.guayhk.com

Mavericks 1

Mavericks
With summer finally here, Mavericks is the ideal place to enjoy a drink while topping up your tan! Chef Austin Fry’s latest project is a surf-inspired kitchen and bar, very conscious of being organic and seasonal, and big on supporting local farmers (check out our Top 5 Organic farms here) and suppliers. All of their salads and herbs are grown on their own organic farm, and they make their own bread fresh to order. They asked local artists to help with furniture and artwork, including Start From Zero, Parent’s parents and Mark Goss. We love the little touches that complete this place, such as the menus, which are printed on 100% bamboo paper. Mavericks has also teamed up with local brewery Young Master Ales to create a new brew that is uniquely their own. Go enjoy one of their great cocktails watching the sun go down with the sand between your toes, where else would you want to be on a nice weekend?

Mavericks, Pui O Beach, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, 5402 4154, www.mavericks.hk

Ozu 1

OZU Bar
Amongst the ever-bustling Hollywood road, OZU is a hidden gem with its super chilled vibe – even on a Friday evening! This Japanese-themed bar was set up in March by a group of friends and is a must-go (we’ve been four times in two weeks… safe to say we’re fans!). Cool music pulses lightly through the speakers and unlike many places we know, you can actually have a conversation in here without shouting over blaring music. OZU is decorated with awesome Japanese-inspired graffiti murals, and is the perfect place for after work drinks. The menu isn’t fully established yet, but there is still plenty of choice and variety. The Smoked Lychee Sake arrives in a martini glass, topped with a beaker of dry ice smoke and is made of Sake and Kwai Feh lychee liqueur. This drink is absolutely delicious and beautiful to boot thanks to cocktail master Kit Cheung, and at $90 will certainly not break the bank. Even less so if you stop by during happy hour, which amazingly is everyday until 8.30pm, when you can score these gorgeous cocktails for only $50! They also make great bar snacks to accompany your drink… we were treated to the popcorn chicken which was wolfed down in about two seconds. Definitely one of our favourite bars at the moment!

OZU Bar, Shop G6, 1 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong, 6064 7428, www.facebook.com/ooosake 

Fu Lu Shou 2

Fu Lu Shou
Fu Lu Shou ticks all the boxes for a great night out. At this gorgeous roof terrace location lies a bar and casual eatery that serves food and drinks inspired by westernised Chinese dishes. The rooftop space is super stylish and comfortable, with contemporary Chinese graffiti on the wall and unique oriental ornaments. Though there is a wide selection of creative and innovative cocktails to choose from, many recommend the Joh Sun ‘Good Morning Hong Kong’, a mixture of homemade lemon grass syrup, fresh ginger juice and lemon juice give this drink a refreshing, spicy taste (almost like Tom Yum!). Their food is also sure to leave you wanting more (and with a smile on your face!) with its playful take on classic Chinese takeaway food. We love the Kung Pao Chicken at $138, which is a spicy, tangy dish that would go perfectly with a refreshing cocktail… and the giant Siu Mai is deliciously meaty! In case you were wondering, Fu Lu Shou stands for the three Chinese Gods of Happiness, Prosperity and Longevity which this little laid-back bar certainly is. Stay tuned for our full review, coming soon.

Fu Lu Shou, L7, 31 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong, 2336 8812, www.facebook.com/FuLuShouHK

Tai Lung Fung
Last but not least, Tai Lung Fung is a playful ode to our city. The owner, Sam, intended to bring back memories of a long forgotten Hong Kong, and the old photos and memorabilia from the 60s that decorate this bar certainly do that. Originally in Wan Chai, Tai Lung Fung is now being brought to PMQ. This quirky bar even features home-brewed alcoholic beverages, and they make their signature cocktails with their own Pu-Er whiskey, Osmanthus Liquor, Lychee Liquor, Chamomile Liquor… the list goes on! Their cocktail menu is never-ending and choosing a poison is genuinely difficult because everything looks so good. This place is full of personality, and gives a great insight into old Hong Kong, very different from the city we know today!

Tai Lung Fung, PMQ (Police Married Quarters), 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2572 2886, www.pmq.org.hk/shop/tai-lung-fung

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