Tatler Best Restaurants & Bars Asia-Pacific 2025 — Page 2

Book Carrots Bar if the point is a credentialed SCBD cocktail night rather than a casual, low-planning drink. Its 2025 Asia's Best Bars #34 ranking gives it real pull, but food, pricing, hours, booking mechanics are not the reason to choose it. First-timers should treat it as a cocktails-first Jakarta stop and cross-shop if they need clearer group or dinner logistics.

AER is worth shortlisting for a Mumbai date night when the priority is a high-floor bar setting over a food-led meal. Its Tatler 2025 Best Bars Asia-Pacific listing gives it a credible regional signal, but the smarter expectation is drinks, skyline atmosphere, late-evening momentum rather than a chef-driven dining plan.

Charles H. at the Four Seasons Seoul offers seasonally rotating craft cocktails in a quiet, hotel-lounge setting. Keith Motsi's program earned a 2026 OAD Asia Recommended nod for its technical execution and ingredient-focused approach. Best for travelers seeking a calm, conversational cocktail before or after dinner in Gwanghwamun; not Seoul's most experimental bar, but reliably polished and easy to book.

Le Chamber is a strong Seoul pick for cocktail-focused dates or small groups who want a polished indoor room in Gangnam. Its awards history gives it real destination-bar credibility, but it is not the right choice if the night depends on outdoor seating, a food-led plan, or easy last-minute flexibility.

Epic is an address-led Xuhui option to treat as flexible rather than destination-level. Book it if Gaoyou Road suits the night and the group does not need confirmed cuisine, pricing, or a clearly defined drinks program; for a more specific Shanghai dinner brief, compare YongFoo Elite or Franck Bistrot first.

The Aubrey is the drinks-first venue on the 25th floor of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong; book it for the Japanese spirits program, the four-seat Omakase Cocktail Experience, a room that handles a special occasion well. The food is solid izakaya, but the cocktail list, sake selection, art nouveau interiors are the real reasons to reserve. Easy to book one to two weeks out for standard tables.

F*nkytown works for a flexible Sukhumvit drinks night, especially if external recognition matters: it appears in the Top 500 Bars Best Bars list for 2025 and Tatler's 2025 bar selections. Treat it as a cocktail-led stop rather than a dinner plan, since pricing, food, seating, spirit focus are not clearly published.

Modernhaus is worth prioritizing for a design-forward cocktail night in Senopati, especially for dates or small groups that want a more intentional room than a casual Jakarta bar crawl. The awards profile is strong, so treat it as a planned booking rather than an easy fallback.

Nuss Bar is worth shortlisting for a small-group or date-night drink in Bangkok's old-city river corridor. The draw is the Maha Rat location plus credible bar recognition, including Top 500 Bars #281 in 2025 and Tatler 2025 listings for Asia-Pacific and Thailand. Choose it for atmosphere and neighborhood context, not for a loud party plan.

Cantina OK is worth targeting for a compact, drinks-first Sydney night, especially as a late stop before or after dinner. It has a credible awards signal from Tatler's 2025 Best Bars Asia-Pacific list, but food is not the reason to choose it; pair it with a proper restaurant if dinner matters.

Italian aperitivo cocktails in Central's Bridges Street corridor, ranked #52 on OAD's 2026 Asia Casual list. Lorenzo Antinori's program centers on vermouth, amaro, bitter-bright builds; best for drinkers who know they want aperitivo-style drinks over classic whisky or gin cocktails. Walk-ins possible most weekdays; expect HK$140–180 per drink.

The St Regis Bar is a strong first Macau luxury-bar choice if the plan is a polished late drink rather than a loud night out. Its Tatler 2025 and SCMP 100 Top Tables Bars recognition make it a safer bet for dates, nightcaps, first-time visitors who want a refined Cotai hotel-bar setting.

CMYK is the Changsha bar to consider when the night needs a polished, reputation-led setting rather than a casual fallback. It suits dates, birthdays, small groups better than loose group plans. Go in with a second option, because public detail on pricing, hours, seating is thin.