It’s time for tea at Hong Kong’s coolest new cocktail bar, except the type of beverages being brewed at Tell Camellia pack slightly more of a punch than your average cup of Earl Grey. This tea-meets-booze venture is the brainchild of master mixologists Gagan Gurung and Sandeep Hathiramani, who named the bar after the tea-producing Camellia sinensis plant.
The ‘teatails’ (clever, right?) are named after the origin of the tea leaves used, and are a blend of flavours and ingredients that really shouldn’t work but somehow do. A standout is the Japan, which has been concocted using shochu, redistilled matcha, pumpkin seeds, mint, fermented soybean, seaweed and plankton sprinkles, and is served in a floating tea service. Levitating cocktails? Count us in.
The Cumberland in Manly is quintessential Australia boutique deli by day, top-secret underground speakeasy by night. There’s a lot to love about this Manly bar that is accessible through a vintage 1920s fridge door and down a spiral staircase. The 75-seater bar radiates old-world sophistication with a leather banquette, hard-carved sandstone blocks and antique brass beer taps.
The carefully curated cocktail list features drinks inspired by native Manly botanicals (the Dandelion Espresso and Lilly Pilly Sour are just two examples), but it’s the remarkable 250-strong whiskey collection that will force more than a few return visits. Platters of cheese and charcuterie from the deli upstairs quell any need to emerge into the world for dinner.
Forget trawling the tourist-heavy streets of Madrid in order to immerse yourself in the Spanish capital. The best way to experience the city is from a great height – 12 storeys up at the VP Plaza España Design hotel, to be exact. Here you’ll find Ginkgo Sky Bar, an uber-glam rooftop that enjoys 360-degree panoramic views and boasts a glass-bottom swimming pool, vertical garden and Spanish-Asian dining options.
During the day, it’s a sun-drenched urban oasis with an unrivalled vantage point for spotting the city’s major attractions; come twilight a translucent dance floor slides over the pool and Ginkgo transforms into a lively nightspot complete with soundproof bar and an impressive line-up of DJs. If you’ve only got one night in Madrid, this is the place to spend it.
Even though it’s located in a country not traditionally known for its beer, Turkey’s the Populist brewery knows how to make a tasty ale. This Istanbul taproom is at the forefront of the city’s current craft craze and pours a rotating selection of 12 beers – anything from a berry-spiked wheat brew to mocha stout – making it a must-visit destination for beer aficionados.
Located in the trendy district of Bomontiada, the Populist occupies the former site of the historic Bomonti Beer Factory, and there are a few subtle nods to its predecessor (fermentation tanks on display, original exposed brickwork) that do not go unnoticed. The motto at the Populist is Serve the People, and a drinking sesh here proves it sure can deliver on that promise.
When it comes to Lime Out, the premise is simple: cocktails, tacos and a floating bar. Yep, the newest drinking establishment to hit the US Virgin Islands is currently adrift off the coast of St John. On one side of this lime-green speck in gin-clear waters is a swim-up bar where you can take a seat on a submerged stool or tether your inflatable unicorn.
The other side is a drive-through service for those aboard speedboats and yachts who just want their tacos and margaritas to go. Lime Out is super eco-friendly too – along with being hooked up to solar power, the bar uses metal cups and biodegradable taco containers and employs a strict no-straw policy. Could this be heaven on Earth? We reckon it’s pretty close.
Part wine bar, part tasting and selling room, part events area, the recently opened Kolby Wine Bar is shaping up to be the new triple threat on Prague’s wine-quaffing scene. With renowned local architecture firm CMC at the helm of the project, the dedicated wine space has been specifically designed to best showcase the vinos from the famous Kolby vineyard.
We’re talking custom-made joinery products, a bespoke shelving system for storing and presenting bottles, and a modern, minimalist approach to the interiors. Tasting sessions take place on the reg or you can pop in any time for a glass of Kolby’s finest – the riesling and chardy go down a treat. Consider this your one-stop wine destination when you hit up the Czech capital.
For a slice of true blue nostalgia, get yourself down to the Gold Coast’s newest watering hole, Rosella’s. Inspired by good old-fashioned Aussie culture, the walls are appropriately adorned with slang-inspired art (‘flamin’ galah’ and ‘budgie smuggler’ feature heavily) and the space has an old-school pub vibe about it.
You’ll definitely feel at home here knocking back a couple of ice-cold tinnies after a day in the Burleigh surf. The menu is a playful homage to all things Australiana. Think cocktails inspired by Zooper Dooper icy poles and every Aussie kid’s favourite cereal, Nutri-Grain (the drink is called the Ironman, of course), served alongside fancy Vegemite jaffles and oysters served in Styrofoam eskies. You’re in for a bloody ripper of a time.
If it wasn’t for the Kiwi accents, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had stumbled upon one of Moscow’s finest drinking dens. Home to more than 150 varieties of the clear spirit, Auckland’s Vodka Room lives up to its name, serving rare and limited-edition drops, house-made infused varieties (cookie dough, anyone?) and flights of different voddies for the indecisive among us.
Any vodka drinker knows a solid sesh calls for a hearty feed, and the modern Russian menu doesn’t disappoint, with vareniki (potato and cheese dumplings), blini rolls, caviar and borsch just some of the drool-worthy options that should help fend off potential hangovers. Kick on in the private karaoke rooms, where ‘press for vodka’ buttons ensure you’re in good shape to give the performance of a lifetime.
‘Sin and be seen’ is the motto at this ritzy rooftop bar, a not-so-subtle hint at the sultry vibe you can expect upon arrival. Mirroring the glittering Bangkok skyline, this indoor-outdoor space, located on the top floor of the Avani+ Riverside Hotel, is dripping in luxury, with gold accents, art deco-inspired details and plush furnishings.
Seen’s signature cocktail list is as dazzling as the decor, with award-winning mixologist Mochammad Fadli blending contemporary Asian flavours to create heavenly drinks like the Forbidden River (coriander shochu with hints of citrus and celery) and Fusion Julep (kaffir lime bourbon with ginger and pickle). Food-wise, Seen offers everything from sushi to wagyu beef burgers. Tunes spin till late, so settle in for a night of glamour.
Take a self-guided tour along the Denver Beer Trail and sample craft beer paradise in the Mile High City. Explore the featured breweries, most of which are in the walkable city centre, and you’ll find everything from stouts to lagers and all the flavours in between.
Blue Moon Brewing Company started producing its beloved Belgian White in Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team, in 1995. For more than 20 years, the Sandlot brewery provided its team of brewers an opportunity to create and share new beers with fans around the world. In the summer of 2016, Blue Moon brought the same creativity and passion for beer to a new state-of-the-art brewery and restaurant in the city’s RiNo District. Since then the brewers have been fermenting fan favourites – old and new – and experimenting with unique ingredients on the pilot brewing system.
There are more than a hundred breweries, brewpubs and taprooms in metro Denver, and you can check out the interactive map on the Visit Denver website to see what’s open in the neighbourhood you’re visiting.
(
