THE OLD MAN

In an era where mediocre drinks can sell for HK$180 and upwards, it’s utterly refreshing—in both senses of the word—to find a bar like The Old Man, where the drinks not only go for half the price, but exceed your expectations. Set up by a trio of bar veterans (Agung Prabowo, James Tamang and Roman Ghale), this tiny Soho drinking den is a tribute to Ernest Hemingway— the potent drinks are all named after the writer’s famed novels and his likeness at the back of the bar is fashioned from a patchwork of materials upcycled from the renovation of the space. At once subtle and surprising, The Old Man’s cocktails make fine use of unusual house-made

ingredients—such as curry leaf-infused gin, sweet vermouth sous-vide pandan leaves, and copra fat-washed Applejack—to intriguing effect. Currently, there are nine signature cocktails on the tightly curated list and each brings its own personality to the palate. Work your way through them, slowly, and savour the

story that unfurls.

The Old Man, Lower G/F, 37 Aberdeen Street,

Central, Hong Kong

RUNNER-UP Happy Paradise keeps things fun with its creative take on cocktails, bringing classic Hong Kong flavours (soy sauce, preserved lemon, rice wine) to the forefront of its drinks list.