Hong Kong
Consistently voted one of the world's top 50 bars, Quinary is a sleek, moodily lit cocktail bar that attracts a well-dressed crowd. Its gifted mixologists…
Must-see nightlife in China
Hong Kong
If Ernest Hemingway was still alive today, the chances are he’d love this tiny no-sign speakeasy named after his novel The Old Man and the Sea with a neo…
Beijing
Run by two affable, aproned Chinese bears (who speak excellent English), this gay-friendly hutong hangout pours a host of house creations such as a 24…
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Beijing
Move aside, Merlot, it's mǐjiǔ time! Try something new at this rustic tavern specialising in Chinese wine made from glutinous rice (米酒; mǐjiǔ), a…
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Beijing
Lost in a maze of alleys east of Houhai, this tumbledown courtyard is where Beijing's craft-beer scene first burped into life back in the heady, pre-Xi…
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Suzhou
Friendly staff speak excellent English and there is an ever-changing selection of 15 well-kept, local brews on tap. There are also tasty burgers, pizza…
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Shenzhen
Quite possibly the best underground club in China, Oil is a compact, sweaty chapel to electronic beats, the darker and more esoteric the better. An…
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Beijing
Partway down a gentrifying hutong is this exquisite coffee roaster and cafe, born here as a pop-up during Beijing's annual Design Week, and now a small…
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Beijing
Ever since this Shanghai export touched down in 2012, Dada has become Beijing's premier venue for esoteric, bass-heavy beats, while remaining…
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Beijing
First-rate cocktails come with a first-class price tag at this exquisite cocktail bar hidden inside the Duan Qirui Former Government Building compound…
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Harbin
Look for the neon-lit guitar at the entrance, leave your itinerary on Zhongyang Dajie and enter the world of Carl Damo, Harbin's hippest conceptual artist…
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Kunming
The new second branch of a long-standing Kunming favourite is far more accessible, and the long wooden bar is fairly inviting as well. You'd have to try…
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Yangshuo
With a prime riverfront location overlooking karst peaks, Demo's outdoor terrace is the perfect spot to come for a sundowner of quality craft beers. Its…
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Nanjing
Hermit offers two playfully sophisticated bars in one. Start downstairs at the science-themed beer bar, before heading up the candlelit stairway to an…
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Shanghai
Originally a modest convenience store opened by a local woman (Mrs Zhang), this 24-hour drinking hole stocks around 200 varieties of craft beer. The…
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Lhasa
With authentic espresso coffee and smoothies, free wi-fi and melt-in-your-mouth cheesecakes, plus salads, paninis, pizza and American-style breakfast…
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Hangzhou
The craft-beer craze has certainly hit Hangzhou and the standout place to sample some top-notch craft beers is Midtown Brewery. Housed in the Shangri-la…
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Hong Kong
Australian Ashley Sutton is a master of theatre and his bar is unlike anything else in Hong Kong. Ten thousand butterflies flutter from copper threads…
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Guangdong
A lovely place for a tea experience with an English speaker in a minimalist, modern-meets-ancient Chinese teahouse. You pay for a taste test of bottomless…
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Hong Kong
There's something indescribably comfortable about the Pontiac, which rocks to a different tune from most of the cheesy bars in LKF. It's a skinny, open…
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Guangzhou
The booze boffins at this speakeasy have an on-site lab with bubbling stills for bespoke spirit infusions, resulting in some of the most creative top…
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Chengdu
For 200 years, one of the city's most venerable teahouses has been tucked away in a peaceful courtyard behind a stone archway off frenetic Kuan Alley, the…
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Shanghai
Run by a bright and sunny bunch, good-looking Sumerian packs a lot into a small space. The real drawcard here is the coffee – the cafe roasts its own…
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Shanghai
Part of the trendy Zhang Garden eating and drinking complex, this brewhouse has a nice outdoor area, rooftop terrace and 20 craft imports on tap. Food is…
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Tianjin
Leading the way in the Tianjin craft-beer scene, this hidden gem of a bar is tucked away down an alley off Xi'an Dao. Its English-speaking owner knows his…
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Shanghai
Wow your date with Shanghai’s most intoxicating nocturnal visuals from the outdoor terrace on the 58th floor of the Ritz-Carlton, where Flair nudges you…
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Chengdu
Always lively, this century-old spot is the most famous teahouse in Chengdu and the ideal place to fritter away an afternoon with a bottomless cup of tea …
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Yunnan
Of the many fantastic cafes in Baisha, and there are surprisingly many, Me Let stands apart for its selection of and passion for coffee, as well as for…
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Shangri-la
Raven is the best bar in town and one of the best in northwest Yunnan, with a huge range of beers and spirits and a small selection of pub food. There's a…
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Kunming
Yunnanese and Ethiopian beans are roasted on-site and served as delightfully balanced brews at this tiny, unprepossessing coffee shop beyond Brooklyn…
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Sichuan
Housed within the ochre walls of a 100-year-old guild hall of boatmen and merchants, this lively teahouse (officially known as 临江茶楼, Línjiāng Chálóu) is…
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Dunhuang
This comfy and eclectically designed cafe with ample greenery, high ceiling, voluminous glass windows, a vast aquarium with huge, colourful fish and lots…
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Guiyang
Tucked down one of the many alleys off Qianling Dong Lu, Trip Smith is a small, happening bar that brews its own beer and serves better-than-average…
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Qinghai
With guitars lying around on the sofas, a pool table and superb views of Yushu, the river and hills from the veranda, this excellent choice also has a…
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Macau
With lotus-shaped light stencils on the walls, intimate Goa is a cocktail bar that plays on the Portuguese-India theme. The menu, resembling an ancient…
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Hangzhou
The folk that brought you JZ Club in Shanghai have the live jazz scene sewn up in Hangzhou with this neat three-floor venue in a historic building near…
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Macau
Macau's best whisky bar is a traditional affair featuring oak panels, Jacobean rugs and a real fireplace. The 400-plus whisky labels include single malts…
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Macau
As the name suggests, the craft beer selection here is huge. If you can't decide, tell the staff your preference – fruit-forward, dry and bitter, or…
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Kashgar
The last traditional Uyghur teahouse in Kashgar, this is a wonderfully atmospheric place to come for a drink. While it's certainly the preserve of Uyghur…
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Macau
An elegant haven in wood and stained glass. On most nights, Thelonious Monk jazz music fills the air as customers chat with the owners and dither over…
