NZ bar named in APAC Spirited Awards
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation has announced the Asia Pacific Regional Top 10 Honorees for the 20th annual Spirited Awards and Auckland bar Truth or Dare has made it onto the coveted list.
The Spirited Awards has become one of the world’s highest-regarded honours in the drinks industry and celebrates outstanding individuals, establishments, products, media, and leaders who inspire the global cocktail community.
Truth or Dare was named in the Best New International Cocktail Bar category. The bar was opened in 2025 on Snickel Lane in Auckland’s central city by bartender Theo Tjandra (Outstanding Bartender 2025 at the Lewisham Awards) and chef Yovin Sius and focuses on Asian flavours for its bespoke cocktails and innovative dishes.
The Regional Top 10 Honorees represent the best in the industry, leaving a lasting impact on their local cocktail communities and beyond.
“To me, the Spirited Awards represent one of the highest forms of recognition for craftsmanship and the constant drive to innovate within our industry. They celebrate not only individual achievements, but the collective excellence of peers from around the world who continue to push the boundaries of hospitality,” said Philip Bischoff, Spirited Awards Asia Pacific (APAC) Co-Chair.
Asia Pacific Establishments (in alphabetical order):
Best New International Cocktail Bar
Bar DEMO — Sydney, Australia
Canes & Tales at the Waldorf Astoria — Osaka, Japan
Hands Down — Melbourne, Australia
Lavantha at the Moxy — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mius — Hong Kong, China
Montana — Hong Kong, China
Pop City x Pony — Singapore
Salty Fish — Jakarta, Indonesia
Three Horses — Melbourne, Australia
Truth or Dare — Auckland, New Zealand
Best International Bar Team*
Alice Cheongdam — Seoul, South Korea
Bar Bellamy — Melbourne, Australia
Bar Cham — Seoul, South Korea
Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China
Bar Us — Bangkok, Thailand
BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel — Singapore
Old Love’s — Sydney, Australia
Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel — Singapore
VIRTÙ at the Four Seasons Tokyo Otemachi — Tokyo, Japan
(*11 Honorees due to a tie)
Best International Cocktail Bar
Above Board — Melbourne, Australia
Bar Cham — Seoul, South Korea
Bar Us — Bangkok, Thailand
BYRDI — Melbourne, Australia
Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
COA — Hong Kong, China
Dry Wave Cocktail Studio — Bangkok, Thailand
Hope & Sesame Guangzhou — Guangzhou, China
Modernhaus — Jakarta, Indonesia
ZEST — Seoul, South Korea
Best International Hotel Bar
ARGO at the Four Seasons — Hong Kong, China
Bar Sathorn at the W Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
Bar Trigona at the Four Seasons Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Cosmo Pony at the Grand Hyatt Hotel — Jakarta, Indonesia
Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina hotel — Sydney, Australia
Firefly at The Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel — Bangkok, Thailand
Manhattan Bar at the Conrad Singapore Orchard — Singapore
Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel — Singapore
Punch Room at the Tokyo Ginza EDITION — Tokyo, Japan
VIRTÙ at the Four Seasons Tokyo Otemachi — Tokyo, Japan
Best International Restaurant Bar
ANTE — Sydney, Australia
Caffe Fernet — Singapore
FURA — Singapore
Gimlet — Melbourne, Australia
HiBoRu — Taipei, Taiwan
Obsidian — Shenzhen, China
Ralph’s Bar — Chengdu, China
Saint Peter — Sydney, Australia
The Waratah — Sydney, Australia
TPH Futura by TPH — Taipei, Taiwan
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation will celebrate the Spirited Awards on July 23rd during the Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC) conference, taking place in New Orleans from July 19-24, 2026.
