2025 Bangkok Bar Show- Where the World of Cocktails Converges in Asia
The 2025 Bangkok Bar Show once again affirmed the city’s position as the beating heart of Asia’s cocktail scene. Over four remarkable days, the event brought together global spirits brands, leading bars, renowned bartenders, and masterclasses — transforming Bangkok into a vibrant stage of creativity, collaboration, and liquid artistry.
Expanding the Experience: Brands, Bars, and Boundless Creativity
Centered around the main exhibition hall, this year’s show featured four key zones — brand showcases, international bar experiences, educational workshops, and live competitions — offering a full sensory journey through the modern cocktail world.
At the Central Main Hall, global spirits icons including The Macallan, Havana Club, Bacardi, Campari, and Pernod Ricard took center stage with immersive installations and live mixing performances, blending craftsmanship and storytelling. The Premium Tasting Booths on both sides invited professionals to sample limited releases and exchange insights face-to-face.
The International Bar Zone gathered top bar teams from London, Tokyo, Taipei, Mexico City, Medellín, Shanghai, and beyond. Each bar brought its city’s identity through signature cocktails — from European classics and Latin American heat to Asian precision and finesse — creating a truly global tasting journey under one roof.
Meanwhile, the Thai Local & Southeast Asia Pavilion highlighted regional distilleries and craft producers, showcasing rums, rice whiskies, and gins inspired by local terroir and ingredients. This area reflected the growing confidence and originality of Southeast Asia’s spirits industry.
The Workshop & Education Stage featured world champions, brand ambassadors, and industry pioneers leading interactive sessions on sensory design, brand storytelling, and sustainable business models — turning the exhibition into a learning space for the trade’s next generation.
Eight Masterclasses: Ideas That Stir the Future
This year’s eight masterclasses explored the full spectrum of contemporary bar culture — from sustainability and branding to design, hospitality, and the evolution of drinking habits.
The opening talk, “Are We Truly Sustainable?”, brought together Paradiso (Barcelona), Mahaniyom (Bangkok), and Penicillin (Hong Kong) to discuss what sustainability truly means in daily bar operations.
“The Anatomy of a Well-Built Bar” followed, with speakers from Employees Only (New York), Above Board (Melbourne), and Drink Kong (Rome) dissecting the role of design, lighting, and workflow in shaping the perfect bar environment.
In “The Importance of Good Bar Branding”, Hope & Sesame Group’s Andrew Ho led Union Group (Jakarta), Martiny’s (New York), and Moebius (Milan) in exploring how storytelling and visual identity build emotional connections with guests.
“True Hospitality”, featuring Virtù (Tokyo) and Lady Bee (Lima), focused on empathy and inclusivity in modern service culture.
The session “Rising Above: Women Redefining Hospitality Leadership” spotlighted female leaders from Paradiso, Three X Co, and The Bamboo Bar, sharing their journeys of resilience and creativity.
“Approaching the Sober-Curious Generation” delved into the low- and no-alcohol movement with insights from Fura (Singapore), Zest (Seoul), Bar Amaro (London), and Overstory (New York), analyzing how mindful drinking reshapes social life.
In “Comprehensive Guide to Sake & Application in Cocktails”, The Sake Room and Lost in Thaislation showcased sake’s harmony with modern mixology.
The finale, “The New Pour: Becoming the Next Generation of Bartenders”, gathered Alquímico (Cartagena), Chimney (Hangzhou), Zest (Seoul), and The Bellwood (Tokyo) to discuss creativity, professionalism, and global perspective as the pillars of tomorrow’s bar culture.
Collectively, these sessions reflected the maturity and consciousness of Asia’s bar community — no longer imitating, but defining its own voice.
Four Nights of Guest Bar Takeovers: A Global Celebration of Flavor
As night fell, Bangkok turned into a citywide cocktail playground.
The opening day featured Penicillin (Hong Kong), Moebius (Milan), Tokyo Confidential (Tokyo), and Licorería Limantour (Mexico City), while Italian and Singaporean teams energized the first wave of international takeovers.
Day Two’s “Liquid Legends” at Four Seasons Bangkok became one of the event’s highlights, uniting Bar Amaro (London), Martiny’s (New York), Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou), Alquímico (Colombia), and Public House Taipei (Taipei) in a cross-continental collaboration of creative excellence. The same night, the Shenzhen Takeover and Taipei Takeover symbolized Asia’s growing influence in the global cocktail scene.
Day Three reached its cultural peak with Mamba Negra (Medellín), Bijou (Mexico City), Fura (Singapore), and Lady Bee (Lima) bringing vibrant Latin and Asian fusion. The Leading Ladies of China showcase closed the night by spotlighting the rising strength and artistry of Chinese female bartenders.
The finale at Bar Sathorn featured Virtù (Tokyo), Pony Up (Shanghai), and Employees Only (New York), embodying the convergence of Asian, European, and American cocktail philosophies in one unforgettable evening.
Thailand’s Top 20 Best Bars 2025: Dry Wave Reigns Supreme
The event concluded with the announcement of the Thailand’s 20 Best Bars 2025 list, celebrating the country’s dynamic and diverse bar culture.
Dry Wave Cocktail Studio once again took the crown as Best Bar in Thailand and Best Bar in Bangkok, also earning Bar Team of the Year and Menu Design of the Year. Their global recognition soared this year — ranked No.5 and awarded Highest New Entry on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025, while debuting at No.88 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 — establishing Dry Wave as a true international ambassador of Thai mixology.
Thailand’s 20 Best Bars 2025 list:
- Dry Wave Cocktail Studio -Bangkok
- Bar US -Bangkok
- G.O.D Bar -Bangkok
- Opium Bar -Bangkok
- BKK Social Club -Bangkok
- Last Call Bar BKK -Bangkok
- Vesper -Bangkok
- Bar Sathorn -Bangkok
- Firefly Bar -Bangkok
- Bar.San. -Chiang Mai
- Messengerservice Bar -Bangkok
- Bar Not Found -Chiang Mai
- Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar -Bangkok
- Wasteland -Bangkok
- TEP Bar -Bangkok
- Black Cabin -Bangkok
- F*nkytown -Bangkok
- 1970 Bar Bangkok -Bangkok
- Aqua Bar -Bangkok
- The Fool Speakeasy -Phuket
Palm Supawit was honored as Bartender of the Year for his artistry and balance, while James Kosil Kamja received Emerging Bartender of the Year, representing Thailand’s new generation of talent.
Bar Us climbed to second place with its youthful innovation, while Opium Bar and BKK Social Club secured fourth and fifth, the latter also winning Art of Hospitality Award.
Regional diversity shone as Bar.San. (Chiang Mai) entered the top ten for the first time, and The Fool Speakeasy (Phuket) made its debut, proving that Thailand’s cocktail movement now extends well beyond Bangkok.
Looking Ahead to 2026: Toward a Bigger, Bolder Stage
The 2025 Bangkok Bar Show was more than an exhibition — it was a statement of evolution for Asia’s bar industry.
From brands and bartenders to education and innovation, it captured the region’s growing confidence and creativity. As the industry looks ahead to 2026, many hope for an even larger venue, more international brands, and broader participation from global talents.
When the neon lights flicker again over Bangkok’s skyline, and the air fills with the rhythm of shaking tins and clinking glasses, the Bangkok Bar Show will stand not just as an event — but as a living symbol of Asia’s creativity, confidence, and cultural spirit.
