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Bars

001

LG/F, 97 Wellington Street, Central. Tel: 2810 6969. So exclusive it's almost secretive, this club's black wooden floors and secluded booths lend themselves to privacy. Recommended: its premium spirits.

Angel's Share

2/F Amber Lodge, 23 Hollywood Rd. Tel: 2805 8388. Whisky has always transcended all notions of class and the people behind Angel's Share have rightly put this lovely drop back in its rightful place, with more than 100 varieties on offer. Recommended: the 20-year-old Macallan.

Aqua Spirit

29-30/F, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 3427 2288. There's one thing you need to come here for: an unmatched view of Hong Kong. Aqua does this better than all other bars, hands down. Recommended: the signature 'Aquatini' is the icing on the cake while enjoying the famous view.

Biergarten German Bar and Restaurant

G/F 5 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2721 2302. This convivial, raucous institution has an inviting if kitschy atmosphere. Stick to the German beers and cocktails. The sausages are pretty good too. Recommended: the Thai Sunrise (HK$68), a twist on the tequila sunrise.

Brecht's

G/F 123 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2576 4785. This comfortable throwback to the 90s serves good value premium beers and aged whiskies. Ignore the generic wines and head for the sometimes surprising HK$60 cocktails. Recommended: the Tagarimar (tequila, Cointreau, Galliano and fresh lemon juice).

California Vintage

77 Wyndham St, Central. Tel: 2525 0808. This Wyndham Street wine bar has partnered with more than 20 Californian wineries, offering more than 80 tipples from around the Golden State. Recommended: the pinot noir 2007 Fritz Reserve from Russian River (HK$140).

Casa Lounge

1/F, Wo On Building, 8-12 Wo On Lane, Central. Tel: 2525 3599. the lounge's drinks list is extensive, with a champagne list that stretches to a HK$17,800 bottle of Veuve Clicquot. Recommended: the G6 (HK$90), a blend of raspberries, vodka, Chambord and pineapple puree.

Club @28

28/F, Crowne Plaza Hotel, 8 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 3980 3300. The vibe: this rooftop bar is sleek, stylish and far from understated. Inside it's bright and glitzy, with a circular bar and glass windows on either side. Recommended: the J-Cube cocktail, made with vodka and crushed strawberries.

Dickens Bar

The Excelsior, 281 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2837 6782. This unpretentious English-style sports bar is a great if noisy place for chatter, drinks and food. Recommended: The Peachy Ice tea is a potent trip round the top shelf of the bar.

Eyebar

30/F, iSquare, 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2487 3988. This impressively expansive space so rare with Kowloon bars takes advantage of the 30th-floor locale, turning the stunning harbour view into the bar's backdrop. The East-meets-West theme look stylish instead of cheesy. Recommended: the more than 100 international wines or Chinese spirits such as Wuliangye.

Goldfinch Restaurant

13-15, G/F Lan Fong Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2577 7981. Made internationally famous by its role in a Wong Kar-wai film, it has been serving Hong Kong-style diner classics since 1962. It has kept its charms and provision of privacy in comfortable booths for all that time. Recommended: any of the classic cocktails at HK$39 each.

Habitat Lounge

29/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Tel: 2907 0888. Habitat Lounge tries (too) hard to please but can be a romantic spot for a date, if you like old-school hip hop and carp projected on to the floor. Over 100 cocktails, with many of them fresh and fruity. Recommended: Richito (HK$70), made with light rum, lychee liqueur and Yakult.

Inn Side Out

Sunning Plaza, 10 Hysan Avenue,Causeway Bay. Tel: 2895 2900. The peanut husk-strewn floor and throngs of regulars make for a relaxed atmosphere in a crowded beer hall with an extensive outdoor seating area. Come for a wide range of great, relatively cheap beer and great drinking food to match. Recommended: Trappist Westmalle Tripel Belgian beer (HK$42).

LATITUDE 22

G/F, 40 Staunton Street, Central. Tel: 2522 8329. Unstylish but somehow inviting and cozy in atmosphere, the bar offers a fairly standard mix of cocktails, beers and wines. The wine list has a few misses but some notable hits, such as a Louis Latour chardonnay and a McGuigan Shiraz. Beer drinkers will enjoy the Kronenbourg Blanc. Recommended: the Brazilian caipirinha, made with real cachaca (HK$58).

4 Lei Dou

G/F 20-22 D'Aguilar St, Lan Kwai Fong, Central. Tel: 2525 6628. Yes it's in the middle of Lan Kwai Fong but still manages to feel like a hidden gem, with its low lighting and down-tempo jazz. Recommended: the espresso martini cannot be missed.

The Lawn Bar

1/F The Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty. Tel: 3968 1107. The large, swanky outdoor space with plenty of furniture to sprawl on offers a wide variety of wines to choose from and a few of master mixologist Sam Jeveons's innovative cocktails. Recommended: the Elderflower Collins, made with elderflower syrup, Tanqueray gin, fresh lime juice, fresh grapes and soda (HK$110).

Ozone

118/F Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon. Tel: 2263 2263. The highest bar in the world doesn't disappoint with its bird's-eye view of the city. Prices here are as steep as the venue, but then you're paying for that view. Recommended: wines are the main attraction, with a choice of several by the glass (HK$90-HK$170) and scores of reds and whites by the bottle.

Phonograph

2 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Tel: 2730 6622. Phonograph isn't a music venue but is one frequented by musicians. Staff don't mind plugging your iPod into the sound system while you sip a Yakult cocktail. Recommended: any of the Yakult cocktails.

Shore

3-4/F L Place, 139 Queen's Road Central. Tel: 2915 1638. Spread over two floors, Shore showcases an interesting dual-concept theme: upstairs is the Onshore fine-dining area, downstairs is the Offshore bar with a 1,800-sq-ft terrace that exudes warmth and originality. Recommended: put your choice in the hands of mixologists with the Surprise Me! (HK$90) cocktail.

Sky Lounge

18/F, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, 20 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2369 1111. A welcome relief from the bustle below, the bar has a glamorous 1950s feel and is an elegant eyrie to recharge batteries - either self-served wines from the Enomatc machine or with classic martinis and Chivas Regal 18. Recommended: the kiwi martini ((HK$95), a show-stopping blend of vodka, kiwi liqueur and kiwifruit syrup.

Tazmania Ballroom

1/F LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central. Tel: 2801 5009. The coolest, sleekest pool hall in Hong Kong, this lounge bar is straight out of Hoxton. Recommended: the 'F*** Me Up', a cocktail with a serious alcohol kick, including amaretto, Malibu and vodka.

Woolloomooloo

31/F The Hennessey, 256 Hennessey Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 2893 6960. With amazing views over the city through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and from the breathtaking rooftop bar, Woolloomooloo is bringing a new kind of cool to Wan Chai. Recommended: everything tastes pretty good when you're already on top of the world.

Yumla

Lower Basement, 79 Wyndham St, Central. Tel: 2147 2383. This popular bar attracts the music obsessives and is best known for its ear-bleeding sound system and top-quality DJs. Recommended: the mojito (HK$85) is one of the best in town, with freshly muddled mint served with Cuban rum in a classic highball glass.

Zuma

Level 5-6, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central. Tel: 3657 6388. Zuma is as popular for its innovative cocktails as it is for its divine Japanese cuisine. The well-placed terrace offers a smog-free, chic view of busy Queen's Road Central. Recommended: summer cocktails blending classic Western liquors with Japanese drinks such as sake and shochu.

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