The coveted Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 list was revealed in a glittering awards ceremony held in Hong Kong's Rosewood hotel. The list that featured and celebrated innovative players from all corners of the continent, from Seoul to Tokyo to Kathmandu, also included the Bengaluru-based ZLB23 among the top 50.
Located in The Leela Palace in Bengaluru, ZLB23 claimed the 40th spot and earned the title of “Best Bar in India” for 2024 at the live awards event held in Hong Kong. The Kyoto-inspired speakeasy features heavy velvet curtains, crystal chandeliers and jazz bands. Their menu consists of a selection of small bites and well-crafted cocktails alongside an impressive list of hard-to-find whiskies and other spirits from around the world. Priyanka Mondal, the bar supervisor and creative genius behind the counter, whips up inspired takes on cocktails such as the Japanese old-fashioned and a shiso negroni.
Furthermore, Yangdup Lama was awarded the Roku Industry Icon Award 2024. Lama is the visionary behind the celebrated New Delhi bar, Sidecar. He was recognised for his exceptional cocktail-making skills and his significant contributions to elevating India’s bar scene, the organisers noted.
Last week’s extended list of Asia’s best bars ranked from 51 to 100 highlighted four Indian establishments: The Bombay Canteen in Mumbai in 59th place, the Lair in New Delhi in 68th place, Sidecar in New Delhi in 84th place and Home in New Delhi in 96th place. The list is curated by a 265-member academy made up of bartenders, bar owners, drinks writers and cocktail aficionados who anonymously vote for their top bar experiences.
While the top three spots for this year went to Bar Leone from Hong Kong, Zest from Seoul, and Jigger & Pony from Singapore, the city won big with its innovative bars scoring multiple spots in the complete list. It was also revealed that the Awards will be hosted by Hong Kong for the next three consecutive years, ringing in the mood for celebration from top industry insiders.