From heritage teahouses to lab-style bars: 5 Taiwan spots on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026 list

Asia’s most influential bar awards, Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026, has released this year’s extended list, ranking bars from No. 51 to No. 100. The list includes bars from 25 cities across Asia, with 11 newcomers making their debut. Five bars from Taiwan, spanning Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Taipei, earned a place on the list, each showcasing Taiwan’s cocktail culture through its distinct setting and approach to mixology.

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Asia’s bar scene continues to grow

The Asia’s 50 Best Bars list is determined by votes from more than 300 members of the Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy, all professionals in Asia’s bar industry. Deloitte, one of the Big Four accounting firms, serves as the official independent adjudication partner, helping ensure a fair and credible voting process. In recent years, established bar cities such as Singapore, Tokyo, and Seoul have continued to draw attention, while an increasing number of emerging cities have appeared on the list. It reflects the continued growth of Asia’s bar culture and its rising importance on the global cocktail stage.

Five bars from Taiwan made this year’s list, representing Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Taipei. Together, they reveal the range of Taiwan’s cocktail culture, from immersive spaces and local flavors to an experimental spirit.

Moonrock (No. 67) | Tainan

Images from IG / @moonrock.tw

Moonrock, Taiwan’s highest-ranked bar this year, is tucked into one of Tainan’s historic-house neighborhoods. Inspired by Taiwanese teahouses, its serene setting brings together music, lighting, and spatial storytelling for a complete sensory experience. Each cocktail is more than an expression of flavor, closely connecting the atmosphere of the space with its mixology and making each drink an immersive experience.

Maltail (No. 68) | Kaohsiung

Images from IG / @_maltail_

Founded by drinks writer Tonic Liu, Maltail centers its creations on single-malt whisky, reimagining familiar Asian food memories. Its signature Mango Sago combines 12-year-old Scotch whisky, coconut, clarified mango, and grapefruit, transforming mango sago into a delicately layered cocktail. It also speaks to the bar’s talent for reinterpreting classics through local flavors.

Bar Mood (No. 82) | Taipei

Images from IG / barmood_taipei

Led by acclaimed bartender Nick Wu, Bar Mood has long built its distinctive flavor language around Taiwanese flowers, herbs, fruits, and spices, translating Taiwan’s terroir and culture into creative cocktails. From its minimalist marble entrance to its warm wooden bar, the space also reflects the brand’s thoughtful, lived-in design aesthetic.

The Public House (No. 92) | Taipei

@thepublichouse_taipei

Unlike the experimental bars that have become popular in recent years, The Public House carries on the spirit of the British pub, pairing classic cocktails with American dishes such as fried chicken and steak in a relaxed, lively social setting. Its welcoming service and unfussy space have also made it a popular spot for Taipei locals to gather for drinks and dinner.

Lab (No. 99) | Taipei

Images from IG / @lab_tw

With its minimalist, muted interior and laboratory-like atmosphere, Lab has established a distinct identity through its precise cocktails and research-minded approach. Its founder, Makita Takafumi, is both a bartender and a researcher, using techniques including distillation and extraction to explore aroma, texture, and flavor structure. The result is cocktails with a finely calibrated, almost laboratory-level balance.

The Top 50 will be announced in late July

The complete Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026 list, ranking No. 1 through No. 50, will be officially announced on July 28 at Wynn Palace in Macau and livestreamed on the awards’ official YouTube channel. We’ll be watching to see whether any more bars from Taiwan make Asia’s Top 50 this year.

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