The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang has spoken. These are the best bars and bartenders of 2019.
This year’s winners of The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang have just been announced during a ceremony at Kuala Lumpur’s Black Box (Publika). Voting began with public nominations across 14 categories covering both people and places. These nominees were then passed to The Panel, a group of industry professionals, to decide the Top 10s, Top 4s and finally, the winners.
Bar Trigona cleaned up with a hattrick, winning Hotel Bar of the Year, Creative Cocktail Bar of the Year and the coveted Bar of the Year (Kuala Lumpur). Hot on its heels was JungleBird, whose co-founder Joshua Ivanovic bagged Hospitality Ambassador of the Year, while the bar itself scooped Specialist Concept of the Year for its rum-centric program.
JungleBird wasn’t the only double award winners: Coley’s Kah Chun Pang took The Rising Star award while the whole team won Hospitality Team of the Year. Meanwhile, Penang’s stalwart Mish Mash was recognised as Bar of the Year (Penang) and Backdoor Bodega’s Koh Yung Shen was awarded Bartender of the Year (Penang).
Here are this year’s winners of The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang across the 14 categories:
The Bar Awards Luminaries presented by the House of Angostura
Arsenio Mariano Jr (Sakura Den)
Shareen Yew (Single & Available)
The Rising Star presented by East Imperial
Kah Chun Pang (Coley)
Restaurant Bar of the Year presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka
JOLOKO
Beer Bar of the Year presented by Peroni
TAPS Beer Bar
Hotel Bar of the Year presented by Lillet
Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL
Hospitality Ambassador of the Year presented by Woodford Reserve
Joshua Ivanovic (JungleBird)
Hospitality Team of the Year presented by Hendrick’s Gin
Coley
Specialist Concept of the Year presented by Restaurant, Pub and Bar Asia
JungleBird (Rum)
Creative Cocktail Bar of the Year presented by Cointreau
Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL
New Bar of the Year presented by Campari
Soma
Bartender of the Year, Kuala Lumpur presented by Monkey Shoulder
Shirmy Chan (61 Monarchy)
Bar of the Year, Kuala Lumpur presented by Monin
Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Hotel KL
Bartender of the Year, Penang presented by Havana Club
Koh Yung Shen (Backdoor Bodega)
Bar of the Year, Penang presented by Monin
Mish Mash