3 ways Asia’s bar scene is different from Europe
From Mumbai to Bangkok, Asia’s bar scene is booming, fired by a flurry of maestro bartenders and curious consumers bound in appreciation for the cocktail craft. At a recent London panel, leading voices discussed what makes Asia’s bar industry stand out in 2026. db reports.
Leading women from the hospitality sector came together for a series of roundtable talks at Scarfes Bar, London on Tuesday 10 March, to commemorate International Women’s Month.
One question posed by the host, Scarfes Bar assistant bar manager Nora Foldvari, was, “In what ways is the hospitality scene in Asia different from that in Europe?”
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Rapid evolution
“I feel like that’s a question that will get me in trouble,” Priyanka Blah, director of education for BCB Berlin and academy chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars responds, to laughter from the crowd. “One of the key things I’ve noticed is the pace of growth I see in Asia, and that’s a result of the fact that brands have a bit more flexibility in Asia around how they use budgets,” she goes on to say.
There’s a joke within the industry that Asia is the ‘land of the guest shifts,” she quips, “but because it’s growing so rapidly, there’s also a lot of experimentation”. This powers some “really exciting work”.
Of course, this isn’t to say that European bars aren’t also doing exciting things – of course they are. But Blah reflects that Europe has a longer history when it comes to bar culture. This means that while bars in Asia are “extremely experimental” and “willing to take risks,” the focus in Europe is, alternatively, on refining existing traditions.
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Amanda Wan, head bartender at Three X Co, Kuala Lumpur, has also noticed “a willingness to try different things” in Asia’s bar scene, as well as “a hunger to learn” among staff. She praises a throng of young bartenders powered by a desire to infuse their drinks with personality and culture.
2. Inquisitive drinkers
And it’s not just staff that are curious and keen to learn, but guests too. Blah says that, in Asia, there’s an active base of consumers up for “trying new things all the time, and going crazy with flavours”. This keeps the bar scene “vibrant and exciting”.
Wan agrees that this is definitely the case at her cocktail venue, which is ranked No. 15 on the prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. “Our local consumers are very supportive,” she adds. Guests are inquisitive and eager to learn, constantly asking questions like, “What’s new? What’s the next thing we can try? What are the unique techniques you’re using?”
3. Cuisine differences
Asia’s mix of vibrant cuisines differs to that of Europe, with a diverse array of techniques, like fermentation, and even more fresh ingredients available. This means bartenders are supplied with a unique “bouncing board” of culinary processes that can then spark creativity when it comes to cocktail making, according to Wan.
Innovation comes with varying degrees of success, the award-winning bartender jokes, with some creations working well while others fall flat. But that’s a benefit to working in a fast-paced environment. “We move quite quickly,” she adds. “People forget what didn’t work, and hopefully what did work sticks”.
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