Tales Spirited Awards 2026: Best International Bar Team – APAC Top 10 Honorees

Alice Cheongdam is the Seoul bar to prioritize for a polished Gangnam date night, especially if cocktail credibility matters more than a food-led evening. Its awards record makes it a safer special-occasion pick than a casual neighborhood stop, but plan ahead and go earlier if conversation is the point.

Bar Bellamy is worth booking for a small-group Carlton night when drinks and bistro food both matter. At $45 per person, it is better treated as a flexible neighbourhood bar-bistro than a cocktail checklist, with seasonal menus, smart-casual tone, and a room suited to lingering rather than rushing through one drink.

Bar Cham is the Seoul pick for a focused cocktail night in Jongno, especially for two people who care more about drink credibility than a big-room scene. It is a stronger fit for a planned after-dinner stop than a loose group hang, with regional bar recognition giving it a clear quality signal.

Book Bar Leone Shanghai when the night is about cocktails rather than a full meal. It works better as a focused post-dinner stop for a smaller group or date than as the anchor for a large, food-driven evening in Shanghai.

Bar Us is a cocktail bar on Sukhumvit 26 in Bangkok.

BKK Social Club is a cocktail bar on Charoen Krung Road in Bangkok.

Caretaker's Cottage is the Melbourne CBD bar to prioritise when the night is cocktail-led and likely to run late. Its awards profile makes the booking effort easier to justify, but it is a better fit for small groups and date-night drinking than for loose, food-first plans.

Jigger & Pony is a cocktail bar at Amara Singapore on Tanjong Pagar Road.

Book Old Love’s when the night needs a rum-focused basement bar rather than a broad cocktail list. It works especially well for dates, small groups, and late-evening drinks with Caribbean-inspired snacks; less so for anyone after a bright, neutral, business-friendly room.

Prioritise Origin Bar when the brief is a serious hotel-bar drink in Singapore, especially later in the evening when comfort and a strong spirits program matter. Awards from Asia's Best Bars, Top 500 Bars, Pinnacle Guide, Tatler, and Tales give it real weight; large groups and view-first plans may be better served elsewhere.

Virtù is the Tokyo pick for a serious cocktail round when award recognition matters more than casual value. Its 2025 World's 50 Best Bars #45 placement and 2024 Asia's Best Bars #11 ranking give it a strong case, but the smarter plan is a focused round with backups ready for groups, food-led nights, or deal hunting.