Riding on the coattails of the success of Hong Kong’s most accoladed bar, Coa, comes the co-founding team of Jay Khan and Ajit Gurung’s freshest concept – The Savory Project – situated in the pulsing heart of Hong Kong’s Soho district. Since opening in May 2023, the duo has been tearing up the cocktail rulebook after taking note of an increased demand by guests requesting “less sweet” libations. 

Distinct from Coa, which hones in on all things agave, The Savory Project – as the name suggest – acts as a salute to unconventional flavors that accentuate savory, earthy and umami tastes while dialing back sweet or fruity notes. By incorporating ingredients such as beef jerky, fungi, corn husks, Japanese white soy sauce, and brine, the establishment is embracing a contemporary notion of culinary cocktails – or cocktails inspired by food recipes that involve ingredients typically found in the kitchen pantry rather than poured over ice.

The living room style venue’s focal point is a custom-made hexagonal bar, an intentional design element that removes the barrier between bartender and curious guest to offer a more interactive and engaging experience, augmented by warm earth-toned mixed materials in marble, metal, wood, and stone, outfitted by British design firm Brash Atelier. 

Elevating Hong Kong’s roaring cocktail scene beyond the usual savory suspects of the Bloody Mary, gimlet or dirty martini, visitors can expect to find the likes of Thai Beef Salad – clarified peanut rum shaken with beef essence, coconut water, bird’s eye chili and kaffir lime – and other equally tantalizing tipples boasting nuanced complexity christened Teriyaki, Biryani, Shiitake Bamboo, and Peppercorn – names you’d expect to find on a dinner menu as opposed to a drinking den. Taking the concept a step further, the menu is divided between Hedonism – for those imbibing – and Temperance – for those abstaining – creating an equitable space enjoyable for drinkers and non-drinkers alike, supporting another growing industry trend of non-alcoholic cocktails.

Savory Project, 4 Staunton Street, Hong Kong

This article was originally written for and published on the Asia's 50 Best Bars website here.