BANGKOK BAR

ABar

This rooftop bar does drinks above and beyond the competition. 

The buzz: The new rooftop bar at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park divides a beautiful space overlooking Benjasiri Park into two floors and two bars, one with a focus on dark spirits, one specializing in gin, and both well worth your time.

The decor: On the 37th floor is A Bar, where dark wood, wingback chairs and modern jazz combine for a sophisticated air. Upstairs on the 38/F is A Bar Rooftop, an open-air patio bordered with low plants and glass, and where the main eye-catcher is the view.

The drinks: This isn’t just another hotel elevator dead-end mixing fruity, easy-drinking cocktails. On the 37th floor, find yourself in the skilled hands of Ping Chareonsri, previously head bartender at Washington D.C.’s Nopa. The drinks here play to the palates of dark spirit snobs and newbies alike. The Study in Stone (B415) was our favorite, combining Nusa Cana Rum, dry sherry, citrus oleo sachrum (sugar and citrus peels) and fresh lemon, topped with fresh berries. Upstairs, the bar stocks the 57 gins that are legally available in Thailand and 12 types of tonic water (and none of them Schweppes). Samai Nantarat, previously at Bunker and Highball, makes magic here. The bar has G&T Signatures and House Signatures, the latter coming in the categories Straight Up, On the Rocks and Standing Tall. The Just Mine (B385) is refreshing and aromatic, mixing jasmine-infused Beefeater gin with melon syrup, chardonnay, lime juice and a splash of soda. Even more impressive is the Botanist Fashioned (B365), made with in-house, oak-barrel and “secret ingredient” aged Beefeater gin. The result of the aging is a spirit with notes of caramel and vanilla—a gin cousin of whiskey. This gin is mixed with homemade coffee and vanilla syrup, and garnished with dehydrated orange.

The crowd: Bangkok cocktail lovers on the lookout for a new venue and novel drinks.

Why you should care: Here’s a hotel bar that’s clearly done its research and produced a drinks menu that’s above and beyond what’s attempted at most rooftop venues. Of course, the views are also stunning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Venue Details
Address: ABar, 37/F, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, 199 Sukhumvit Soi 22, Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: 02-059-5555
Website: www.facebook.com/abarandabarrooftop/
Area: Nana Asoke, Phrom Phong
Open since: January, 2018
Opening hours: daily 4pm-midnight, 6pm-midnight
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