This drink – crafted by Ralph Allen Santos of Manila's The Spirits Library – embodies the spirit of Filipino Valentine’s, a celebration of love that blossoms in every heart. Its name, Hiraya Manawari, comes from an ancient Filipino phrase meaning “May your heart’s desire be granted.” Ingredients 45ml Tanqueray No. 10 15ml Manille Calamansi Liqueur 15ml Honey 20ml Lime Method Add all ingredients in cocktail shaker, and shake. Serve into rocks glass and garnish with an orchid

There’s a strange thing that happens when you’ve spent enough time working in hospitality. You stop being a normal guest. You walk into a bar, café, or restaurant and before you’ve even sat down, your brain is already at work. You notice the lighting. You hear the playlist. You clock the flow of the room, the staff movement, where the side station is, how the space feels. You are consciously not trying to judge. You are just wired this way now. And that is usually where the p

The Sour Plum Fizz by Loga of Bar Coda is a non-alcoholic take on a fizz, made using regional flavors like sourplum and hibiscus. Ingredients: 60ml Hibiscus & Sour Plum Tea* (see below for instructions) 7.5ml Vanilla Syrup 12.5 ml Pomegranate Molasses 10ml Lemon Juice 2.5ml Orange Blossom Water 20ml Egg White 60ml Soda Garnish: Orange Coin *Make the Hibiscus & Sour Plum Tea 40g Sour Plum 30g Dried Hibiscus Flower 1500ml Boiling Water Steep sour plum and hibiscus in boiling wa

Lucas was all set for bible school and a life as a pastor — then cocktails happened and politely derailed the plan. Today, he brings a sharp, on-the-ground perspective on the trends shaping Kuala Lumpur’s drinking culture. He speaks candidly about English-speaking crowds drifting from cocktails to protein shakes, alongside big-spending Chinese-speaking guests who are increasingly open to learning about cocktails. From Malaysia’s diverse, multi-layered bar scene to the myth of

It's hard to ignore the rise of nonalcoholic drinks popping up at bars. But these days, the term 'nonalcoholic' is evolving, or diversifying, if you will. Gone are the days when 'nonalcoholic' at a bar simply meant just juices or soda or some mocktail. These days, you may hear terms N/A, or nonalc, or spirit-free, and here are other terms that are redefining this whole category of beverages. Alcohol-free: A product that contains no detectable alcohol, which means it's 0.0% AB

Created by by Taln Rojanavanich of Bar Us (Bangkok), the Tomato & Olive Salad is an indulgent and savory milkshake that feels healthy. Ingredients: 8-10 pcs Tomato Ice Cube* (see how to make it below) 30 ml Dry Gin 30ml Sweet Vermouth 5 pcs Pitted Green Olive (frozen overnight without brine) *To make Tomato Ice Cube: Tomato Juice 750ml Coconut Milk 500ml Vanilla Syrup 200ml Balsamic Vinegar 100ml Fresh Cherry Tomato 300g Blend all ingredients together and put in an ice cube m

Sarissa brought Employees Only from New York to Singapore, shaping and educating an entire generation of dive-bar cocktail drinkers along the way. Sarissa’s journey took her from New York to Singapore in 2011, where she was recruited to help build what would become one of the most successful clubs in the world at Marina Bay Sands. That experience laid the foundation for a career beyond nightlife operations, eventually giving her the opportunity to launch her own F&B company,

The Non-Alcoholic Mulled Wine is concocted by Tracia Chan of Dissolved Solids (Kuala Lumpur), who herself is allergic to alcohol. This alternative to a mulled wine promises all the flavor but without the alcoholic burn. Ingredients: 200ml steeped black tea 10ml mulberry syrup 10ml wild berry syrup 10ml blackberry syrup 1 tsp 5 spice powder 45ml orange juice 2 orange zest peel 1tsp cloves 1tsp juniper berried dried Put all the ingredients into a pot and heat until simmering. A

For many people, a morning coffee or an afternoon green tea is part of daily life. But did you know these common caffeine-containing drinks may also support liver health, especially if you drink alcohol? Let’s break down the science in simple terms — what works, how it works, and where the evidence comes from. Why Your Liver Needs Support Alcohol puts stress on the liver because that’s where most alcohol is broken down. Over time, this can lead to inflammation, fat accumulati

Aki has been in love with Manhattans ever since her first sip at D.Bespoke — a classic that sealed her fate behind the bar. Aki moved from Japan to Singapore with a growing passion for cocktail-making, learning from Japanese bartenders both at home in Japan and in Singapore. It wasn’t the path she originally imagined — she graduated with a teaching degree and once aspired to be an elementary school teacher. But her love for meeting people and connecting with them led her behi

At first glance, Junglebird might feel tiki — but Divy is quick to set the record straight: it’s not tiki, it’s Malaysian, the place he’s proudly called home since 2017. Divy moved from the UK to Kuala Lumpur to open Junglebird, a rum bar that’s become a cornerstone of the city’s cocktail scene. It may not be the conventional career his parents once imagined — think doctor or lawyer — but behind the bar, Divy found something that truly resonates with him: an interest in the h

Southeast Asia lacks a clear identity when it comes to locally produced spirits. Beyond rum from the Philippines and Thailand, traditional spirits rarely take center stage. In Cambodia—where local beer and imported spirits are cheap and widely available—few venture beyond Siem Reap’s pubs or Phnom Penh’s cocktail bars to seek out something truly local. Coupled with the country’s turbulent history, knowledge of Cambodian spirits has become almost as elusive as the kouprey, the

Being in the bar, you see, hear, and experience all kinds of things. It exposes you to countless moments, conversations, and experiences. Some moments are funny, while others may be uncomfortable. I found it beautiful because it is very unpredictable and not repeated every day. The following anecdotes are drawn from observation and being present, not just in the bar I work in, but across other bars I’ve been to. Before engaging in a conversation, I’ve learned to understand th

If not for his natural talent behind the bar, Yugnes would likely have ended up in the army — a path that makes his discipline, grit, and work ethic all the more evident in his cocktails today. Yugnes is the creative force behind The Elephant Room, a cocktail bar known for boldly showcasing the depth and diversity of Indian cuisine through drinks. From savory, boundary-pushing serves like the Crab Rassam — a martini-style cocktail made with actual flower crabs — to meticulous

Palm is known not just for his generosity towards his team, but also for his unapologetic love of his corgi — two things that say a lot about the kind of bar owner he is. Palm is one of Bangkok’s cocktail OGs, now running the award-winning Dry Wave Cocktail Studio after a long, influential career in the bar and spirits industry. Beyond the drinks, it’s his bubbly personality that defines the experience — the kind of hospitality where you walk in as a customer and leave as a f

Felix’s journey behind the bar took him from Germany to Malaysia, where he met Cheryl — and eventually convinced her to take the leap with him into opening a bar. Felix and Cheryl are the co-founders of Chez Chez — and partners both behind the bar and in real life. Their easy banter, playful disagreements, and shared rhythm are instantly familiar to anyone who’s lived and worked with their other half. It’s that genuine chemistry that gives Chez Chez its warm, fun, slightly ch

There are far more spirits in the world than the Western classics we’re used to—and Malaysia has a few of its own, too. Beyond gin, whisky, rum, and vodka, some bars pour mezcal, baijiu, or even Swedish aquavit. But Southeast Asia has its own rich spirits culture that’s often overlooked. In Malaysia, several local spirits reflect the country’s history and agricultural roots. Rice, a staple crop, is the primary base for many of these drinks. Some are made commercially, while o

A no-nonsense industry vanguard, Niks champions fair employment standards — and has zero tolerance for dirty bar toilets. Niks is one of Bangkok’s true originals — the driving force behind transforming Chinatown’s Soi Nana into one of the city’s most vibrant cocktail-hopping districts. Long before it became fashionable, he was shaping the area’s identity bar by bar, helping redefine how Bangkok drinks. His influence reached a global audience after being featured on Netflix’s

Tett from Bao Bae in Penang makes his own stamp on a modern classic with Yuzu Business — a fresh, Japanese-inspired twist on the modern classic, The Business. By adding yuzu sake into the mix, the cocktail takes on a brighter, more aromatic profile, balancing crisp acidity with gentle citrus notes. Ingredients 45ml Gin 22ml Honey 22ml Lime juice 15ml Yuzu sake Method Mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake for 15 seconds, then strain and serve in a chilled glass.

For decades, the global cocktail canon has been framed around sweetness: sugar syrups, fruit juices, dessert-like pleasures dressed up with citrus and foam. Yet across Asia, the drinks that quietly make the most sense are not sweet at all. They are salty, briny, spiced, fermented, sometimes even broth-like. From pickles and preserved vegetables to soups, sauces, and seasoned beers, the palate logic is already there. These drinks don’t ask the drinker to “learn” alcohol throug