Makati’s The Curator, Oto among Asia’s Best Bars for 2022

MANILA, Philippines – Two Philippine establishments are definitely setting the bar higher again this year – Makati City’s The Curator and Oto are once again part of 2022’s Asia’s Best 100 Bars list!

The Curator made it to 62nd place, while Oto made it to 63rd. Both are returning entries.

The Asia’s Best Academy released their 51-100 list on Thursday, April 21, a week before announcing this year’s top 50 bars in Asia. It is the academy’s way “to shine a spotlight on a greater number of hospitality establishments across the region,” especially during a pandemic.

Oto serves original coffee concoctions and cocktails with a music concept, creating a modern space designed for the optimum listening experience. The bar also takes its name from the Japanese word for sound. It ranked 61st in 2021. The cocktail bar is located along Enriquez Street, Barangay Poblacion, Makati City.

The Curator is located in Legazpi Village, Makati City, and has been operating since December 2013 inside Cyrano Wine Shop and Deli. The Curator took over the wine shop in December 2016 and has since been known for their specialty coffee served during the day and their hand-crafted cocktails served at night at the back of the establishment. In 2021, it ranked 38th on the prestigious list; in 2020, it was in 42nd place.

Makati’s Buccaneers Rum & Cocktails also made it to the list last year at 100th place, and so did The Back Room at 45th place.

This year, Taipei’s Room by Le Kief leads the pack at the 51st spot. Japan and Singapore has the strongest presence this year with nine bars each, while Hong Kong has five bars, and Seoul and Taipei with four. Nepal also makes it to the list for the first time with Blackbird in Kathmandu at 96th place.

The Asia’s 50 Best Bars list is an annual accolade founded in 2009, decided among a group of 220 bartenders, bar owners, drinks writers, chefs, gourmets, and cocktail enthusiasts who travel across the globe. It is an extension of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, which has become one of the most influential international dining guides and a hugely influential voice in gastronomy. –

In March, the Asia’s Best Restaurants Academy announced that Antonio’s Tagaytay, Bonifacio Global City’s Gallery by Chele, and Makati City’s Toyo Eatery landed in 74th, 69th, and 94th place, respectively, on this year’s Asia’s Best Restaurants list. Steph Arnaldo/Rappler.com