Which of your favourites are in the running for a Bar Awards prize in August? By Natasha Hong. 

Hong Kong’s certainly not short on some of the best bar experiences in the world, as well as some of the most dedicated hospitality industry people who take immense pride in their work. But who is the best of them all?

Here to settle the score this year is The Bar Awards, who’ll be putting on a week of guest shifts and parties before a big industry awards night on Sunday, August 20 at Zuma Hong Kong. Check this space again on July 31 for a full calendar of events around town.

For now, we celebrate the Top 10s. Across 12 categories covering drink and dining experiences, as well as the city’s talent, this list was compiled from a total of 759 Public Nominations votes from July 1 to 14. In this second return of the awards to the city, the organisers and Lead Panel have added on a prize celebrating the Best Hospitality Ambassador in Hong Kong. “This award looks to honour an individual that exudes the virtues of hospitality,” explains The Bar Awards co-organiser Sandeep Hathiramani. “We wanted to encourage and emphasise that we are in the hospitality industry not just the f&b industry, and we’re very proud of the pool of people who have made the Top 10 for this category.”

Moving forward, the full Top 10 list will next be handed over to the city’s Panel of 46 industry members to whittle down the field to the Top 4 and winners for each category.

The Top 4 for this year’s Bar Awards Hong Kong will be announced here on August 14, before the industry party on the 20.

Here are this year’s The Bar Awards Hong Kong Top 10s:

The Rising Star Award, presented by Perrier
For young bartenders born after January 1, 1992.
Ajit Gurung (Stockton)
Axel Gonzalez (Belon)
Bikas Somai (Foxglove)
Kovic Rai (Mr & Mrs Fox)
Lok Cheung (Angel’s Share Whisky Bar & Restaurant)
Nastasia Flores (Employees Only Hong Kong)
Prem Shireesh (On Dining Kitchen & Lounge)
Shane Siu Po Wa (Flint Grill & Bar)
Simone Rossi (Aqua)
Toby Lo (Quinary)

Best Restaurant Bar, presented by Bulleit Bourbon
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Brickhouse
Foxglove
Lobster Bar & Grill at the Island Shangri-La
On Dining Kitchen & Lounge
Second Draft
Tokyolima
Vea Restaurant & Lounge
Yardbird
Zuma

Best Beer Bar, presented by Pilsner Urquell
99 Bottles
Alvy’s
Bobby’s Rabble
Brickhouse
Little Creatures
Second Draft
TAP: The Ale Project
The Globe
The Oak Crafted
The Roundhouse (all locations)

Best Wine Bar, presented by Mumm Champagne
12,000 Francs
121 BC
Bar Q88 at the JW Marriott
Caprice at the Four Seasons Hong Kong
Comptoir Bars & Hors D’Oeuvre
Di Vino Wine Bar & Restaurant
La Cabane Wine Bistro
Le Quinze Vins (all locations)
Mott 32
Winebeast

Best Bar Food, presented by East Imperial
Back Bar (Ham & Sherry)
Brickhouse
Employees Only Hong Kong
Happy Paradise
On Dining Kitchen & Bar
Ping Pong Gintoneria
Stockton
The Globe
Vea Restaurant & Lounge
Zuma

Best Hotel Bar, presented by Tanqueray
Blue Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
Cafe Gray Deluxe at The Upper House
Captain’s Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong
Flint Grill & Bar at the JW Marriott
Lobster Bar & Grill at the Island Shangri-La
MO Bar at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental
Ozone at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
Red Sugar at Kerry Hotel
The Chinnery at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong
The Envoy at The Pottinger

Most Creative Cocktail Bar, presented by Cointreau
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Fang Fang
Foxglove
Happy Paradise
Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge
Quinary
Stockton
The Woods
Vea Restaurant & Lounge
Zuma

Best Hospitality Team, presented by Monkey Shoulder
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Fang Fang
Foxglove
Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge
Lobster Bar & Grill at the Island Shangri-La
Quinary
Stockton
The Pontiac
Yardbird
Zuma

Best Hospitality Ambassador, presented by Avion
Agung Prabowo (The Old Man)
Ajit Gurung (Stockton)
Arkadiusz Rybak (Zuma)
Beckaly Franks (The Pontiac)
Bryson Rivera (JW Marriott)
Devender Seghal (8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana)
Joe Villanueva (Red Sugar, Kerry Hotel)
May Chow (Little Bao)
Ryan Nightingale (Aberdeen Street Social)
Suraj Gurung (Stockton)

Best New Cocktail Bar, presented by Campari
Alvy’s
Bar De Luxe
Dr Fern’s Gin Parlour
Employees Only Hong Kong
Fang Fang
Happy Paradise
Iron Fairies
J. Boroski
Mezcalito
Red Sugar at Kerry Hotel

Bartender of the Year, presented by Bacardi
Agung Prabowo (The Old Man)
Antonio Lai (Tastings Group)
Arcadiusz Rybak (Zuma)
Devender Seghal (8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana)
Joe Villanueva (Red Sugar at Kerry Hotel)
Owen Gibler (Employees Only Hong Kong)
Ryan Nightingale (Aberdeen Street Social)
Samuel Kwok (Quinary)
Suraj Gurung (Stockton)
Timothy Ching (Bibo)

Best Cocktail Bar, Stolichnaya Vodka
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Bar De Luxe
Butler The Japanese Whiskey Bar
J. Boroski
Lobster Bar & Grill at Island Shangri-La
Mizunara: The Library
Quinary
Stockton
The Woods
Zuma