A decade after opening, the iconic Guangzhou speakeasy is the first in Mainland China to top the Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026 list.
The success of Hope & Sesame is a lesson in self-belief and commitment. Co-founders Andrew Ho and Bastien Ciocca met at a hospitality school in Switzerland and began building careers in the hotel business. Chance brought them together again in Guangzhou, where they decided to open a space together with life partners Amethy Huang and Marcia Xiao.
Initially planned as a restaurant, they pivoted to create a bar after realising their chosen spot was too small for dining. At that time, the cocktail scene in Southern China was in its infancy and neither Ho nor Ciocca had experience running a bar. Undaunted, they opened Hope & Sesame, learning the ropes of bartending and serving behind the bar every night. 
Andrew Ho and Bastien Ciocca met in hospitality school in Switzerland
"We built Hope & Sesame 10 years ago with our own hands, hammers and nails," says Ciocca. "It's like our house. We slept in it. There were scratches everywhere hidden by bad lighting, and every year since, we've just kept progessing to grow the bar into what it is today."
From two newcomers teaching themselves bartending basics, Ho and Ciocca have come a long way. These days, they utilise advanced culinary techniques in cocktails such as sous vide infusions, centrifugal clarification and rotary distillation to supercharge signature sips including the Earl Grey Dark & Stormy, Super Sour Negroni and Coconut Old Fashioned. 
The Earl Grey Dark & Stormy is one of Hope & Sesame's supercharged classics
As the team's skills have grown, so too has the bar's recognition. In 2019, Hope & Sesame made its first appearance on the list of Asia's 50 Best Bars, where it has remained ever since.
In 2025, it debuted at No.29 on the list of The World's 50 Best Bars and that same year, Andrew Ho was the recipient of the Altos Bartenders' Bartender Award as part of Asia's 50 Best Bars. Despite the success, you can still find Ho and Ciocca behind the bar at guest shifts, spreading the word about Hope & Sesame everywhere from New York to Singapore.
But the ultimate accolade came as the list of Asia's 50 Best Bars was revealed from Wynn Palace, Macau on 28 July, and a bar from Mainland China was named The Best Bar in Asia for the very first time. "Over the 10 years of building our bar, we've experienced just about everything. But nothing could have prepared us for this moment," admits Ho.
Convincing the wider world of the region's merits has been no easy task. "Even two years ago, we always had to describe Guangzhou as a city that was a two-hour train from Hong Kong to help them understand where it was on the map," says Huang. "As a Guangzhou native, I could not be more proud of my city."
The Hope & Sesame team took to the stage to collect the trophy in Macau
The co-founders have also become bona fide bar world entrepreneurs, launching a consultancy service and five further cocktail bars in Mainland China under the banner of Hope Group: Hope & Sesame (Shenzhen), San Yiu (Guangzhou and Shenzhen), The August (Shenzhen) and DSK Cocktail Bar (Guangzhou). "We started with four people. We now have over 100," says Ho.
Earlier this year, the team also opened Off Menu, a new space on the second floor of Hope & Sesame Guangzhou, where the focus is on classic cocktails and refined tailor-made drinks. "We're not trying to show off," says Ciocca. "We just want to create a space with great hospitality and drinks that brings Cantonese flavours into a modern menu in a very intentional way."
Two bars from Shenzhen feature in the 2026 ranking, including MO Bar Shenzhen (pictured)
Two other bars in Mainland China join Hope & Sesame in the top 10, with Shenzhen's MO Bar Shenzhen at No.5 and Obsidian Bar making its debut on the list at No.10.
So what does the team think is driving the success of Mainland China's thriving bar scene? "Mainland China has a booming cocktail scene right now," says Ho. "We hope we're just the beacon to start shining the light of the incredible and dynamic scene out there for people to discover."
Elsewhere across the continent, Thailand's capital claim victory as Bangkok's Bar Sathorn (No.17) is named the recipient of the Nikka Highest Climber Award 2026 after jumping from No.48 on the 2025 list. Also in Bangkok, Bar Us (No.6) takes the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2026.
The Three Cents Best New Opening Award 2026 goes to Hanoi's Workshop14 (No.34). Recognising a figure who has made a significant impression on the bar world, The Roku Industry Icon Award is won by Indra Kantono, co-founder of Singapore's Jigger & Pony. There is also an eye on emerging talent in Indonesia as the Campari One To Watch Award goes to Hats Bar in Jakarta, which sits at No.77 on the extended 51-100 list.
The list of Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026, sponsored by Perrier, was announced on 28 July live from Wynn Palace, Macau. Discover the full 2026 list.
