Makati’s The Curator in 78th place on Asia’s Best Bars 2025 list

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

The Legazpi Village mainstay is on the list yet again for a 9th consecutive year

MANILA, Philippines – Let’s raise a glass! Manila-based The Curator has secured another spot on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 extended list for the ninth consecutive year.

On Tuesday, July 30, the organizers of Asia’s 50 Best Bars revealed the 51-100 rankings for 2025.

Now in its fifth year, the extended list highlights standout bars across 23 Asian countries, with 14 new entries and two re-entries.

The honorees are chosen for their “remarkable creativity,” considered “boundary-pushing bars that spotlight the diverse drink cultures of Asia and marry that with global appeal,” said Emma Sleight, Head of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

The Curator is the only Philippine entry in this year’s extended list, landing at 78th. The Legazpi Village mainstay has been a yearly contender since the list’s inaugural edition in 2016, where it debuted at 16th place. They have been ranked the following in previous years: 23rd place (2017), 25th place (2018), 37th place (2019), 42nd place (2020), 38th place (2021), 62nd place (2022), and 34th place (2023).

In 2024, it landed in 33rd place, also earning the title of “Best Bar in the Philippines”.

The Legazpi Village coffee and cocktail hostelry — helmed by David Ong — lives up to its name, serving coffee by day and spirits by night. The front space offers a bright ambiance paired with specialty coffees, while the back room transforms into an intimate lounge for evening cocktails and late-night drinks.

The bar also features specialty drinks inspired by world-famous “curators” — such as “First Refrain,” a drink that blends whisky, chai-spiced vermouth, and bitters inspired by Broadway giant Lin-Manuel Miranda, according to the World’s 50 Best website.

Among the 14 new entries this year, Shenzhen, China, takes the top spot on the extended list with Obsidian Bar, ranked at 51

Included in the extended list’s top 5 are: Pine & Co, Seoul; Side Door, Singapore; Soko, Seoul, and Bar Outrigger, Goa consecutively.

Six bars from Singapore have made appearances in the list, making the nation the front runners for this year’s awards.

Asia’s Best Bars is an annual list that recognizes the continent’s best talents and spots in the world of cocktails and spirits. The votes come from an academy of more than 300 renowned bartenders and experts, drinks writers, and cocktail specialists across Asia.  

The Asia’s Best Bars Top 50 awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, July 15, in Macau. This will mark the city’s first time handling the event. – with reports by Mikay Tormon/Rappler.com

Mikay Tormon is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a Minor in Sociology at the Ateneo de Manila University.