As the agave awakening sweeps the planet, these six bars are flying the maguey flag around the world.
Over the last five years, the world has witnessed a surge of agave-centric bars that has uplifted mezcal and tequila from shot culture to respected spirits. Acclerated internationally by bars such as Coa in Hong Kong – which gave a platform to the spirit to crowds outside of Mexico – has sparked a new wave of agave-based cocktail programmes, from Superbueno in New York to Cat Bite Club in Singapore.
Let's raise a glass ¡arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro! Which translates as 'up, down, to the center, inside.' to these six stellar global agave-focused cocktail bars taking the spirit to the next level.
Coa, Hong Kong 
The long-handled cleaver used by jimadores (agave farmers) for harvesting maguey plants, a coa, lends its name to the most globally celebrated agave bar outside of Mexico in Hong Kong. This agave temple is the first and only bar to achieve the coveted No.1 position on the Asia's 50 Best Bars list three times. While Coa may not be the original agave-focused bar to exist, it is the most pioneering when it comes to high-end, agave-forward cocktails, with its extensive selection of more than 200 bottles allowing patrons the opportunity to take a deep dive into niche agave spirits like sotol, bacanora and raicilla.
Within this rendition of a rustic Mexican cantina, spirit enthusiasts are poured boutique mezcal tastings alongside signatures like the Bloody Beef Maria – a ménage à trois of sour, savoury and spicy with mezcal, tequila, clarified beef stock, tomato cordial and a nip of layered heat from chipotle chili and Sichuan peppercorn. The Smacked Cucumber, a tart sip that emulates the Chinese cold dish that bears the same name through a blend of mezcal, tequila, cucumber, chili, ginger, honey and homemade Chinese cucumber sauce, is another smash hit.
Quinta Cantina, Panjim
Quinta Cantina is a cross-border love story of two legacy spirits – mezcal and India's feni – separated by oceans yet bound by tradition. The Goa bar's philosophy draws on the spirits' similarities; from sacred harvesting tools (the coa and caanto) to terroir-dependency (resulting in weather-contingent vintages), and from natural fermentation styles to consumption methods – the intersection of these two spirits is where Quinta Cantina resides.
Eight agave cocktails act as a counterpart to eight with feni, each inspired by local ingredients integral to the cultures that begot them. A refreshing riff on a michelada, the Muchacha offers both tequila and mezcal cut with beer-infused cordial and fresh cherry tomato, finished with a jolt of jalapeño. Single estate fenis brought in from Goa's coastal plains and hand-carried mezcal are also available for those sampling several consecutive sips from different producers. The food on offer aligns with the bar's ethos through creative fusion plates like Goan-style rawa-fried fish tacos, ros omelette huevos rancheros, pork amsol carnitas tacos, and Goan chorizo totopos (tortilla chips).
Cat Bite Club, Singapore
(Image: Allyson Chin)
Singapore's friskiest bar Cat Bite Club connects two terroir-based drinks: agave and rice spirits. Fittingly, the menu of polyglot origins bridges two regions – Mexico and Asia – through shared ingredients, from coriander and chili to citrus and rice.
On the agave front, two varieties of tequila are milk-washed with guava and a touch of cinnamon and maple to make the Puss in Boot, while the Dill Wit It sits at the other end of the sweet-savoury spectrum with a blend of tequila and sotol softened by dill, celery, pear and bergamot. Spirit enthusiasts choose from the library list of over 200 rare-varietal agaves and unsung rice-based liquors, available in sampling flights.
Echoing the same tenet, the food underscores the crossover between Mexican and Asian gastronomy. Think chips and cheese with vegan kimchi, Korean chicken al pastor quesadillas, and house pickles that link eastern techniques with western seasonings.
Una Hacienda, Bengaluru
Stepping away from the tacos and tequila shots stereotype, Una Hacienda is a 'barra arriba', also known as a rooftop oasis by the same team as the renowned Bar Spirit Forward (No.37 Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025). Shaped by the Latin heritage estates of South America, the space is characterised by high ceilings, soft amber lighting, rhythmic beats and abundant foliage.
An ode to Latin American culture, the drinks roster highlights mezcal, tequila, pisco, and Latin rums through smashable sippers like El Pastor – agave brightened by lime, cordial verde and a spicy kick of ancho chili, jalapeño and tajín (Mexican seasoning) – and the milk-washed LaBamba, where berry fortified wine meets habanero chili).
Superbueno, New York
(Image: Matt Taylor Gross)
Colouring outside the lines is what scored Superbueno its slew of accolades as one of North America's top bars (it scored the No.2 spot in North America's 50 Best Bars 2025). Beyond the booming reggaeton and neon glow emanating from the back bar comes an ambitious mixology programme, one that employs ingredients more likely to be found in the kitchen pantry – pasilla chiles, tajín, mole rojo and huitlacoche (corn fungus) – than the cocktail glass.
As a means of honouring industry icon and Superbueno owner Ignacio 'Nacho' Jimenez's heritage, contemporary cocktails, like the Roasted Corn Sour – a trio of tequila, pox (a corn liquor from the highlands of Chiapas) and corn whiskey shaken with roasted corn, guajillo chili and egg white – showcase Mexican culinary traditions.
Bar Sama, Bengaluru
Bar Sama is the latest offshoot from the Cat Bite Club team, and one of Bangalore's newest watering holes. The menu sees agave-forward libations shaken, stirred and infused with house-made tinctures, bitters, and local ingredients. "It began in those old grunge bars, where the pour came from the heart, not the jigger. We'd line up the glasses and say :'samavaagidiya nodu?' or 'is it equal?'" explains founder Pratheek Reddy. Now, that saying translates to the name emblazoned above the door.
Bar Sama is a masterclass in the kind of convivial, unpretentious energy you'd find in the bars of yesteryear, packaged up in a refined 50-seater floral-centric space rooted in Bengaluru's famed gardens. Celebrating all things agave, signatures like the Pulp Friction – a tequila and mezcal highball laced with citrus and peppercorns – and The Chilli On – a customisable picante – set the stage for the gastro-style cocktail programme.
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