Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026: What India's Biggest Wins Mean for the Country's Cocktail Industry

Last week, the top bar talent across Asia descended on the Grand Theatre at Wynn Palace in Macau for the reveal of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. In the realm of cocktail bars, there is zero argument that the 50 Best is the most prestigious recognition – both for the industry itself, and for guests who treat it as a veritable recommendation in every city. 

As someone who has worked in the alcobev industry for over a decade, it was delightful to witness some of the best bartenders in the business celebrating their wins, but cheering on the Indian bars that occupied prized spots, felt even more special. Now that the dust has settled, I asked the bar-owners what this honour means for their bar:

A Quick Low Down

The No. 1 spot was cinched by Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou – the first bar from mainland China to ever top Asia's 50 Best Bars. Zest, Seoul holds on to #2. And 2024 and 2025 winner, Hong Kong’s Bar Leone is now at #3. 

Overall, Bangkok led the way with eight bars in the Top 50, followed by Hong Kong and mainland China, tied at seven each. While the total number of Indian bars on the list fell this year, the three that claimed spots made massive climbs from 2025: Boilermaker, Goa went from #30 to #8; Soka, Bengaluru from #28 to #18; and Bar Spirit Forward, Bengaluru from #37 to #30. The long-list included Goa’s Bar Outrigger at #51 and Aabbcc, Delhi at #85.

What The # Means For Our Bars

Indian bars are no longer just participating in the global conversation; we're helping shape it, and every strong showing abroad changes the perception of what Indian drinking culture can be. 

Boilermaker’s Pankaj Balachandran welcomes it, “Hospitality has always crossed borders so it makes sense that recognition should reflect that. It's not enough to be the biggest player in your own backyard; you should stand shoulder to shoulder with the best bars internationally.” 

Arijit Bose of Bar Spirit Forward concurs, “When the list started, it was not about countries pitting against each other but rather finding the good bars. In recent years, cliques and groups formed with academy chair influences, which naturally want their countries to have more representation. This can sometimes become unfair without us realising it – the two-country voting system makes the field a bit more level for now.” 

Balachandran says the win is a culmination of more than a decade of building bars, making mistakes and refining his craft. “For our core team, who show up consistently every day, this is probably the biggest win of all. They believed in the vision long before the recognition came.” He hopes this reinforces that world-class hospitality doesn't have to exist only in cities like London, Singapore or New York. “Great hospitality isn't defined by geography. It's defined by people, culture and consistency.” 

Avinash Kapoli of Soka feels the ranking answers a question every bar asks itself the year after a debut: Was it just a moment, or can we actually sustain it? “Moving from #28 to #18 now gives me a sense that what we are building has consistency and relevance beyond that first recognition.” He's also careful to share the credit, “These lists often put the founders or bartenders in the spotlight, but a bar is never built by one person. #18 belongs to everyone who opens the door, cleans the glassware, remembers a guest, preps ingredients every afternoon, makes the hundredth drink of the night with the same care as the first.” 

Bose mentions the opportunities this creates, “This means a lot for the team, whose CVs look a lot better and have the potential to create more lucrative opportunities, but it also puts them in the universe of bars that are highly coveted and talked about.” For guests and loyal neighbours, he adds, this listing simply confirms what they already suspected, “They talk about it as if it were theirs to reveal – their secret, to their micro audience. It's a great feeling, of course, that adds to the bottom line as well.” 

It also brings pressure. When people walk into one of Asia's best bars, their expectations grow; every service becomes a chance to either justify that win or disappoint them. After all, with great recognition comes great responsibility. 

For Aspiring Bars

The advice from all three owners converges on the same point: awards are announced in one evening, but earned over hundreds of services. They may get people through the door, but it's the hospitality that brings them back. 

This is how Kapoli sums it up, “Build a bar that deserves to be on that list. Start with your guest. Make drinks you genuinely believe in. Build a team that cares. Create a point of view that belongs to you. Be consistent on a quiet Tuesday night when nobody important is sitting at the counter. Travel because you want to learn, not because you want votes. Collaborate because you admire somebody's work, not because you think they can help your ranking. If your entire strategy is designed around getting onto a list, you might eventually get there and still not have built a great business.”