The best bars for business in Hong Kong

Από Rachel Duffell

Οκτώβριος 1, 2022

Whether you’re deal-making, celebrating, or simply out to impress, here are the top post-work places to pair business with pleasure.

A commercial hub with a reputation for a work-hard, play-hard attitude, Hong Kong hosts a wealth of watering holes in close proximity to its sky-high office towers. Whether you’re looking to influence a client, ink a deal or ring in a new chapter, there are plenty of places where it’s convenient and convivial to get down to business, with a beer – or something bolder – in hand.

For old-school elegance

The Captain’s Bar at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is a true local institution. Set amid the hubbub of Hong Kong’s Central district, for decades it’s been drawing an after-work crowd to its leather sofa-filled, wood-panelled confines, where innovative aperitifs are accompanied by moreish Indian snacks.

Return often enough and you may find your name engraved on one of the coveted silver beer tankards behind the bar. They are best enjoyed filled with the exclusive Captain’s Bar Beer, a malty pilsner created especially by local craft brewery Young Master. A dress code kicks in after 5pm, though those heading direct from their desk should already be suitably attired.

For the exclusive and intimate

PDT (Please Don’t Tell) originated in New York, though it technically doesn’t exist on paper, hidden as it is behind a phone booth within Crif Dogs hot dog shop in the East Village.

Hong Kong’s PDT is similarly secret, accessed via a phone booth at the back of The Landmark, Mandarin Oriental’s MO Bar.

The cool, contemporary space hosts just 25 guests. Reservations for booths should be made in advance, but there is bar seating on a first-come, first-served basis, so the early bird (PDT opens at 5pm) catches the seasonal cocktails and innovative bar snacks. Hot dogs and tater tots may not be the traditional fuel of a business meeting, but with culinary director Richard Ekkebus steering the menu, patrons can expect the best.

For taking a wider view

If you find yourself in Kowloon with the end of a long working day in sight, there’s no better spot to take in the twinkling Hong Kong skyline – and the nightly light show at 8pm – than in a bar that’s as high on glamour as it is sky high.

Located 30 storeys up, Aqua Spirit’s floor-to-ceiling windows offer unsurpassed views that can’t fail to make an impression, much like the bar food, which features a fusion of Italian and Japanese delights for which downstairs’ Aqua Tokyo restaurant is renowned. Enjoy it best with a selection or two from the curated list of classic cocktails with a twist.

To mingle with a creative crowd

The fourth-floor salon at Duddell’s is more akin to an art collector’s living room than a lounge bar. The Ilse Crawford-designed space features contemporary furnishings and artworks that rotate regularly, while an adjacent 2,000-square-foot roof terrace surrounds guests with lush greenery – so much so that it’s hard to believe you’re relaxing in the heart of Central.

A distinct local flavour is apparent in the all-day dim sum and snacks, which are served to a soundtrack of acoustic tunes. Pair with a perfect accompaniment via a cocktail menu crafted by the bar’s award-winning mixologist and complete with alcohol-free alternatives, or a wine list focused on Old World bottles and Bordeaux First Growths.

Under the radar

Hidden down a discreet passage off Central’s Wyndham Street, Stockton’s atmospheric interiors, complete with antiques and taxidermy from Paris flea market Marche aux Puces, transport guests to another world. Designed to feel like 1890s London, top-notch mixologists shake up signature cocktails – it’s renowned for its negronis, but those in the know go for the off-menu Old Fashioned – amidst exposed brickwork, dark woods and plush furnishings.

If you are inclined towards something straight up, choose from more than 150 whiskies, while celebration may call for a bottle of boutique champagne. And if you are looking to speak easy in this suave speakeasy, seek out the secret Rake Room, hidden behind a wall panel at the back of the bar. A popular spot that nevertheless offers privacy, it’s best to rock up with a reservation.

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Rachel Duffell

Rachel is a Hong Kong-based journalist and Regional Director for Tatler Dining and Front & Female who also contributes to South China Morning Post and Discovery.