Cover Penrose ranks at #50 on the list (Photo: Courtesy of Asia's 50 Best Bars)
Penrose ranks at #50 on the list (Photo: Courtesy of Asia's 50 Best Bars)
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Two Kuala Lumpur bars join four local companions who were honoured on the extended 51-100 list
Bar Trigona and Penrose, two esteemed bars in Kuala Lumpur, have secured spots on Asia's 50 Best Bars list for 2023. This follows the recent unveiling of Asia's 50 Best Bars 51-100 list, where Junglebird, Reka, Coley, and Three X Co were honoured.
Read more: Asia’s 50 Best Bars unveils its 51-100 list for 2023
The prestigious list was unveiled in a ceremony held in Hong Kong and included 13 new entries. Coa from Hong Kong maintained its reign as the continent's top bar for the third consecutive year, cementing its status as the best bar in the continent. Bar Trigona, located at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, ranks at #36, while Penrose makes its debut on the list at #50.
Above The view from Bar Trigona
The view from Bar Trigona
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Bar Trigona’s appearance on this year's list marks the fifth year in a row that it has been recognised, also bagging the title of The Best Bar in Malaysia. It continues to be one of the city’s most elegant cocktail destinations, with its amazing views and stylish interiors.
Their latest menu, Foraged Malaysia, showcases a carefully curated symphony of the best flavours that Malaysia’s bountiful produce and vibrant cuisine offers, in line with its ethos of championing local farmers and food artisans and staying sustainable.
Above Bar Trigona's Bak Kut Teh cocktail
Above Rohan Matmary, head bartender at Bar Trigona
Bar Trigona's Bak Kut Teh cocktail
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Helmed by head bartender Rohan Matmary, Bar Trigona has also played its part in our local food community by introducing several initiatives, including its Adopt a Beehive program, which focuses on protecting local bee habitats and biodiversity while empowering local communities.
See also: 7 bars to visit in Ipoh, Perak
Above The interiors of Penrose
Above Team Penrose
The interiors of Penrose
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In Chinatown, Penrose has been making waves in the local cocktail scene with its elevated and sleek interpretations of classic cocktails. Named after mathematician and Nobel Prize winner Sir Roger Penrose, the bar was created by Merchants Lane and Wildflowers founders Ken Ho and Matthew Goh, alongside renowned local mixologist Jon Lee.
Above Penrose's Oba Rossa
Penrose's Oba Rossa
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This 25-seater bar is hard to miss along Jalan Petaling with its industrial-style installation of an entrance juxtaposed against the aged shophouses on the street. The menu here is classy and concise, divided into four sections: highballs, temperance, sours, and spirit-forward, for your easy tipples browsing.
Here, cocktails are viewed through a pentagonal radar chart detailing their dilution, alcohol content, taste, flavour, and body, the five compound structures at the base of almost every cocktail. Each cocktail you order will come with a symbol appended to it, which is based on the radar chart and highlights the main elements from the chart in the specific cocktail.
Here are all the bars on the Asia's 50 Best Bars 2023 list:
1. Coa (Hong Kong)
2. Jigger & Pony (Singapore)
3. BKK Social Club (Bangkok)
4. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo)
5. Zest (Seoul)
6. Tropic City (Bangkok)
7. Nutmeg and Clove (Singapore)
8. Argo (Hong Kong)
9. Darkside (Hong Kong)
10. Sago House (Singapore)
11. Indulge Experimental Bistro (Taipei)
12. Vesper (Bangkok)
13. Cham Bar (Seoul)
14. The SG Club (Tokyo)
15. Analogue Initiative (Singapore)
16. Republic (Singapore)
17. The Aubrey (Hong Kong)
18. Sidecar (New Delhi)
19. The Cocktail Club (Jakarta)
20. Virtu (Tokyo)
21. Manhattan (Singapore)
22. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok)
23. Lamp Bar (Nara, Japan)
24. 28 Hong Kong Street (Singapore)
25. Le Chamber (Seoul)
26. Penicillin (Hong Kong)
27. Atlas (Singapore)
28. Alice (Seoul)
29. Pantja (Jakarta)
30. Employees Only (Singapore)
31. Quinary (Hong Kong)
32. Stay Gold Flamingo (Singapore)
33. Mostly Harmless (Hong Kong)
34. The Curator (Manila)
35. The Bombay Canteen (Mumbai)
36. Bar Trigona (Kuala Lumpur)
37. Southside Parlour (Seoul)
38. Copitas (Bengaluru)
39. Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou)
40. Smoke and Bitters (Sri Lanka)
41. Vender (Taichung)
42. Native (Singapore)
43. The Public House (Taipei)
44. Bee’s Knees (Kyoto)
45. High Five (Tokyo)
46. Soko (Seoul)
47. The Old Man (Hong Kong)
48. The Living Room (Mumbai)
49. The Bellwood (Tokyo)
50. Penrose (Kuala Lumpur)
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Amanda is a KL-born and raised third culture kid, who lives to eat. If not found reading, writing for Tatler Dining, or snacking, she is most likely playing with her dog, Katsu, sourcing new Birkenstocks, or looking for a new restaurant to venture to.
Follow her on Instagram at @feedingamanda.
