Hong Kong’s Best Saké Bars

Located inside PMQ, Sake Central is home to the widest range of saké in Hong Kong. An incredibly cool space from the team behind Yardbird, one of the city’s trendiest restaurants, there are hundreds of different types of saké to choose from here, whether you want regular brews or something more special like a bottle from Taikoku, Okinawa’s one and only saké brewery. A tip: sitting at the bar will restrict you to a specific menu of saké. Drink in the retail area if you want access to Sake Central’s voluminous full range.

Looking like something straight out of Kyoto, Sake Beya Masu is a picturesque saké bar hidden within Wan Chai’s Star Street precinct. With its simple, black-toned, wooden tables and sparse Japanese design, this is a cosy space to hunker down, sip your saké and enjoy some excellent small plates. The staff are incredibly helpful in suggesting the optimal saké pairing for whatever food you order and the results are never less than impressive. A small space, the bar only sits 14, but that merely heightens the intimacy of your visit.

Lan Kwai Fong may have a reputation for being Hong Kong’s party central but there’s more to the neighbourhood than loud club nights and jello shots. Take Sake Bar Ginn, for example. Located four floors above the throngs of D‘Aguilar Street, the homey, terraced bar stocks more than 70 bottles of saké, close to 40 of which are available in single-glass tasting pours. Ginn’s founder, Ayuchi Momose, has gone to extra lengths to source lesser-known sakés from small, boutique breweries around Japan – so you’re getting only the best ‘nihonshu’ here.

A yakitori joint imported from Tokyo, Toritama has legions of fans both here and in Japan. Although its delicious skewers are the primary draw – the chicken meatball (tsukune) is among the best in Hong Kong – the drinks menu is equally impressive. There’s more than 80 different types of saké available here, with bottles costing from just a few hundred dollars all the way up to many thousands. If you’re not looking for that big of a hangover, don’t worry, there’s still a fine selection of saké that you can order by the glass for around $50-$80.