In the bustling heart of Hong Kong, Avoca is setting new standards in mixology and culinary delights. Located on the 38th floor of the Mondrian Hong Kong in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, Avoca promises a unique cocktail experience and offers stunning views of Hong Kong Island and Victoria Harbour.
Accessible by a private lift from Hart Avenue, Avoca features floor-to-ceiling windows that provide breathtaking views. The interior design combines sleek, contemporary lines with warm, inviting touches, including plush seating and ambient lighting that sets the perfect mood. The centerpiece of the bar is the expansive marble counter, where guests can watch Avoca’s bartenders craft their innovative cocktails. The vibe of the space changes throughout the day, as it transitions from lively sunny mornings, to relaxed afternoons during the golden hour, to vibrant nights with the backdrop of the glittering lights from the harbor.
Joe Villanueva, a winner in various prestigious cocktail competitions and a 20-year veteran of Hong Kong’s ever-evolving bar scene, brings his passion and experience to Avoca. As the man behind its cocktail program, he fuses local inspirations with cutting-edge techniques, creating an inventive menu featuring cocktails inspired by some of Hong Kong’s most loved dishes and iconic local flavors.
“We took local delicacies and turned them into cocktails. Savory cocktails are a big trend now and I’m very keen on this. Mondrian prioritizes localisation, and so I have taken that to the next level,” he shares. Avoca’s cocktail menu is heavily inspired by Hong Kong’s flavors. The Sesame and Peanut Butter Sour is their take on the classic whisky sour, based on the iconic rice rolls of Hong Kong’s street food. Lap Yuk Old Fashioned features the flavors of Hong Kong’s Chinese bacon by infusing it in bourbon. The 3:15PM Martini, Avoca’s riff off the espresso martini, is inspired by the local custom of taking afternoon milk tea at that time, and is served with the popular snack, mini pineapple bun.
Avoca goes beyond just cocktails, offering a thoughtfully curated menu that perfectly complements Villanueva’s innovative drinks. Inspired by beloved Hong Kong flavors with an Asian flair. The menu includes the Cantonese Typhoon Shelter-style Lobster and Crab Roll, the signature Ciabatta Beef Pastrami Sandwich, and the Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken-inspired Crispy Chicken Waffle.
Villanueva observes that things are coming full circle for the hotel bars. “There was a time in the 1980s and 1990s in Asia where bars at the hotel were the hot stuff, they were the first to be listed in the lists of the world’s top 50 bars. Then they started to age and lose their edge and it was all about stand-alone bars. Today, the bar located in the hotel has become the essence, sharpening the energy and the vibe, and is coming back to the forefront and we are going to be leading that charge.”
Avoca is committed to pushing boundaries and redefining the art of mixology in Hong Kong’s ever-evolving bar scene, and people are taking notice. They only opened their doors last December 2023, and have already received several awards, including the Best Cocktail Programme Award and Best Bar Readers’ Choice Award at the Time Out Bar Awards 2024.
Drop by Avoca the next time you’re in Hong Kong and go on a sophisticated and adventurous journey of local flavors one cocktail at a time.
Avoca is located on the 38th floor of Mondrian Hong Kong at 8A Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Hours of operation from 6:30 am – 1:00 am daily. For reservations, book here. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
