Among the perks of living in arguably one of the most mixology-literate cities in the world is witnessing the adoption of new flavours, ingredients and techniques in real time. The Savory Project opened in 2024 with an umami-first focus, typified in its signature Thai Beef Salad cocktail, and Hong Kong has since seen an explosion of savoury offerings. Among these, spicy cocktails are beginning to gain particular traction.
Recently, more bars are making spice a mainstay on their menus. Terrible Baby offers the Vida de Piña, which uses a jalapeño-infused base spirit. Jin Bo Law Skybar introduced the Bei Fung Tong in February, incorporating typhoon shelter-style ingredients into a Bloody Mary twist. Sugar King rotates its menu regularly, but served the Fortune Daiquiri during Lunar New Year, adding Sichuan peppercorns to a classic daiquiri format.
It may still be too early, however, to label spicy cocktails a full-blown movement. “There is interest in spicy cocktails among Hong Kong’s drinkers,” says Alex Pun, co-founder of Bar Oasis and Orchard. “But it’s a niche rather than a mainstream preference. Sometimes it’s hard to impress every spicy cocktail drinker – everyone has different tolerances of heat.”
