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High fives for Tokyo bar crowned king in Australian Bartender Magazine’s third annual survey of the world’s best bars.

Following the success of previous years’ ‘World’s Top 20 Bars‘ surveys, Australian Bartender magazine, the leading title for the Australian bar trade, has taken a slightly different bent on this popular feature by focusing on the Asia-Pacific region for 2009. This year’s Top 20 has Tokyo’s newcomer High Five claiming the number one spot with three other bars from the Japanese capital making the cut including old faves such as Star Bar in Ginza (featured in last year’s Top 20) and the Tokyo Park Hyatt’s New York Bar (of Lost in Translation fame).

Despite Tokyo’s success Australian bars ranked highest overall with Sydney’s Bayswater Brasserie coming a close second alongside six other bars from around the country that made the cut including Melbourne’s Der Raum in bronze medal position with the ever popular Melbourne Supper Club & Siglo just two spots back in fifth.  

Other bar hot spots that made the list were Brisbane, Shanghai, and Wellington with two bars apiece with Bali, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul and Beijing each slipping one venue into the Top 20.  

Bartender magazine’s Top 20 in ‘08 caused a buzz in the global bar biz and no doubt this year’s World’s Top 20 Bars: Asia-Pacific list will be hotly discussed in what is a dynamic, innovative and rapidly growing region. To decide on the Top 20, the team at Bartender magazine sought input from a ‘dream team’ of judges from around the globe including itinerant brand ambassadors, magazine editors, drinks authors, consultants and other globetrotting luminaries well travelled throughout Asia-Pacific. Publisher of Australian Bartender magazine, David Spanton says: “Once again the judging panel is one of the most comprehensive gatherings of drinks industry minds ever put together to discuss bars and bar culture; this year’s Asia-Pacific Top 20 reflects their diverse experience.”

Read on for the full list of World’s Top 20 Bars: Asia Pacific for 2009 as well as a list of this year’s judges or get hold of June’s Australian Bartender magazine (with Bali’s Ku De Ta on the cover) for the complete story.

The Top 20

20. The Lark Food & Drink, Brisbane

19. Kiitos, Shanghai

18. Woo Bar, W Hotel, Seoul

17. New York Bar & New York Grill, Park Hyatt, Tokyo

16. Felix, The Peninsula, Hong Kong

15. Tippling Club, Singapore

14. Q Bar, Beijing 

13. Mandarin Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo

12. Matterhorn, Wellington

11. Black Pearl, Melbourne

10. Ku de Ta, Bali

9. Star Bar, Tokyo

8. The Bowery, Brisbane

7. Motel, Wellington

6. Seamstress, Melbourne

5. Melbourne Supper Club & Siglo, Melbourne

4. Constellation 2, Shanghai

3. Der Raum, Melbourne

2. Bayswater Brasserie, Sydney

1. High Five, Tokyo

The Judging Panel

Sven Almenning, director and founder, Behind Bars consultancy

Jason Bowden, global brand ambassador for Ketel One vodka

Dean Callan, globe trotting ex-pat and ‘master bartender in training’

Grant Collins, managing director, barsolutions consultancy

Phillip Duff, wayfaring owner of Liquid Solutions and Amsterdam’s door 74

John Gakuru, global brand ambassador for Sagatiba cachaça

Andy Gaunt, Asia Pacific regional manager, Reserve Brands, Diageo

Pat Nourse, features editor and restaurant critic for Gourmet Traveller

Xavier Padovani, global brand ambassador for Hendrick’s Gin

Linden Pride, creative consultant, Rockpool Group & Mangkut Global

Angus Winchester, walking drinks encyclopaedia, founder of Alconomics and global brand ambassador for Tanqueray No. Ten  

David Spanton, managing director and founder, Spanton Media Group

Mark Ward, creative director, Yakusan and foreign ambassador for The Museum of the American Cocktail

Theo Watt, publisher, Thirsty Work Productions (DRiNK magazine, China)

Naren Young, itinerant barkeep and drinks writer

You can check out some of the coverage this story has been geting at stuff.co.nz  and on Melbourne’s Herald Sun online.