The Bar Awards celebrates Bangkok’s bar and beverage scene for a third year, announcing 2019’s Top 10.
Bangkok’s bar scene is undeniably on the up, and home to some of Asia’s best bars. The Bar Awards celebrates the city’s best venues and hospitality personalities, and today, it announces the Top 10 long-lists. See below for the full run-down.
To get to this point, voting started with public nominations across 13 categories covering drinking and dining experiences, as well as the finest bartending talent. These nominees are then passed to The Panel, a group of industry members, to decide the Top 10s.
The Top 10 lists will now be handed back to The Panel to decide the Top 4s for each category – to be named here on DRiNK on March 25 – before the winners for this year’s The Bar Awards Bangkok are announced on the evening of March 31 at Beer Belly (72 Courtyard). The big industry bash will be preceded by a week of guest shifts and parties – The Bar Awards will release the full schedule on their Facebook page soon.
Presented in alphabetical order, here are this year’s The Bar Awards Bangkok’s Top 10s across the 13 categories.
The Bar Awards Luminaries, presented by the House of Angostura
The inductees to The Bar Awards Luminaries are those that have greatly contributed to the growth and development of the Thai bar community. This award may honour an individual, a number of individuals, a group and/or an initiative. The inductees are nominated by the general public, voted by The Panel and finally decided by the Lead Panel. The 2019 inductees will be announced at The Bar Awards Bangkok Party.
The Rising Star, presented by Perrier
Candidate must be 26 years old (born on or after January 1, 1993).
- Arron Grendon – Tropic City
- Brian Welch – J.Boroski
- Dedsakda “Kenny” Thianthong – Vesper
- Krit “Joey” Parkobdee – Liberation
- Patchara “Fon” Hitchman – Freelance
- Saharat “Mac” Kaewkong – #FindThePhotoBooth
- Saimai Nantarat – ABar Rooftop (Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park)
- Thanachot “Ong” Lohanimit – #FindTheLockerRoom
- Warakorn “Nont” Mathurunyanon – Teens of Thailand
- Wattunyu “Micky” Mukmongkol – #FindTheLockerRoom
Restaurant Bar of the Year, presented by Tito’s Vodka
- 80/20
- Bunker
- Eat Me
- Jua
- Penthouse Bar & Grill (Park Hyatt)
- Quince Eatery & Bar
- Rarb by Escapade
- Sorrento
- Tep Bar
- The Smokin’ Pug
Beer Bar of the Year, presented by Peroni
- Beer Belly
- Beer Republic
- Brewski (Radisson Blu Plaza)
- Changwon Express (all locations)
- Chitbeer
- Hair of the Dog
- Let The Boy Die
- Mikkeller
- Pijiu Bar
- Taproom (all locations)
Rooftop Bar of the Year, presented by Chalong Bay Rum
- ABar (Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park)
- Above Eleven
- Attitude (Avani Riverside)
- Brewski (Radisson Blu Plaza)
- Cactus
- Cielo Rooftop & Skybar
- Escape
- Penthouse Bar & Grill (Park Hyatt)
- The Loft (Waldorf Astoria)
- Vertigo & Moon Bar (Banyan Tree)
Hotel Bar of the Year, presented by Restaurant, Pub and Bar Asia
- ABar (Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park)
- Aqua Bar (Anantara Siam)
- Brewski (Radisson Blu Plaza)
- Penthouse Bar & Grill (Park Hyatt)
- The Bamboo Bar (Mandarin Oriental)
- The House of Sathorn (W hotel)
- The Loft (Waldorf Astoria)
- The Speakeasy (Hotel Muse)
- Vertigo & Moon Bar (Banyan Tree)
- Woo Bar (W Hotel)
Thai Product of the Year, presented by DRiNK Magazine
- Bangkok Soda
- BTM Ferments (Bunny Turtle Moon)
- Chalong Bay Rum
- Chiang Mai Beer
- Iron Balls Gin
- Issan Rum
- Kristall
- Lanna
- Phraya Rum
- Regency
- Full Moon Brew Works (Wildcard)
- Grandman Jinn (Wildcard)
Wildcards are candidates that The Panel believe should be considered as part of the Top 10, but were not nominated during the Public Nominations process.
Hospitality Ambassador of the Year, presented by Fentimans
- Buntanes “Pop” Direkritikul – Eat Me
- David Jacobson – Smalls
- Jamie Rhind – The Bamboo Bar (Mandarin Oriental)
- Kiattikoon “Toon” Auengkum – Asia Today
- Michele Montauti – The Loft (Waldorf Astoria)
- Niks Anuman-Rajadhon – Teens of Thailand, Asia Today
- Sebastian De La Cruz – Tropic City
- Supawit “Palm” Muttarattana – Vesper, Backstage Cocktail Bar
- Suwincha “Chacha” Singsuwan – Rabbit Hole, Liberation
- Vipop “Tor” Jinaphan – Sugar Ray
Hospitality Team of the Year, presented by Hendrick’s Gin
- Asia Today
- Backstage Cocktail Bar
- Havana Social
- Q&A
- Smalls
- Teens of Thailand
- The Bamboo Bar (Mandarin Oriental)
- The Iron Fairies
- Tropic City
- Vesper
Creative Cocktail Bar of the Year, presented by Cointreau
- Asia Today
- Eat Me
- J.Boroski
- Ku Bar
- Liberation
- Q&A
- Thaipioka
- The Bamboo Bar (Mandarin Oriental)
- Tropic City
- Vesper
New Bar of the Year, presented by Campari
- 008
- #FindThePhotoBooth
- Cactus
- Escape
- Funky Lam Kitchen and Luka Moto
- Kangkao
- Liberation
- The Bar Upstairs
- The Loft (Waldorf Astoria)
- The Woodshed
Bartender of the Year, presented by Monkey Shoulder
- Buntanes “Pop” Direkritikul – Eat Me
- Davide Sambo – Soho Hospitality
- Jamie Rhind – The Bamboo Bar (Mandarin Oriental)
- Kiattikoon “Toon” Auengkum – Asia Today
- Kittibordee “Gov” Chortubtim – Liberation
- Niks Anuman-Rajadhon – Teens of Thailand, Asia Today
- Ronnaporn “Neung” Kanivichaporn – Backstage Cocktail Bar, #FindTheLockerRoom, #FindThePhotoBooth
- Supawit “Palm” Muttarattana – Vesper, Backstage Cocktail Bar
- Suwincha “Chacha” Singsuwan – Liberations, Rabbit Hole
- Vipop “Tor” Jinaphan – Sugar Ray
Bar of the Year, presented by Monin
- #FindTheLockerRoom
- Asia Today
- Backstage Cocktail Bar
- Ku Bar
- Q&A
- Rabbit Hole
- Salon du Japonisant
- The Bamboo Bar (Mandarin Oriental)
- Tropic City
- Vesper
To learn more about The Bar Awards, see our hub page here, or their Facebook page here.
DRiNK Magazine is the official publication partner for The Bar Awards 2019.