September brings cooler days and a fresh wave of cocktail menus, bar openings and limited-time collaborations. Tasha Lam rounds up where to drink this month.
GOSSiP Drops New Cocktail Menu
The Socio founders are back with a spot that finally solves the eternal dilemma: good drinks or good music? GOSSiP says both. In the early evening, it’s a proper cocktail bar — moody, intimate, drinks that actually deliver. Then, after midnight on weekends, the tables clear and it turns into a full-on R&B and hip-hop party.
The new ten-cocktail menu leans into the name — each drink a little secret, a little drama. Try the Burnt Confession (cognac, bourbon, chocolate, served under applewood smoke) or the Soft Scandal, a creamy pisco sour with miso and port that looks like a sunset. The Diversion comes in a koi-painted cup with dried pineapple on top, very much made for the ‘gram.
Different nights, different energy: Tuesdays are low-key R&B vibes, Wednesdays have live music, and Fri-Sat is when things get rowdy post-midnight. Get there early — this is where the night starts.
Cocktails are priced at HK$130 plus 10% service.
Gossip, G/F, 68–74 Peel Street, Soho, Central
The Pontiac Launches “Neon Lit” Menu on 1 September
Asia’s 50 Best Bars alum The Pontiac rolls out “Neon Lit: A Light in Shadow Spaces,” a new cocktail collection celebrating community, self-expression, and the bar’s 11-year legacy. Six fresh releases riff on ’90s club favourites with personal stories behind each pour — Midnight Sun nods to queer history, while Teaches of Peaches honours feminist icon Peaches. Fan favourite Hobnail returns alongside zero-proof options. Led by Partner Jen Queen and Senior Bar Manager Nicole Slater, the female-run team has added new neon signage to match the menu’s theme.
13 Old Bailey Street, Central; Mon–Fri 4pm–1am, Sat–Sun 2pm–1am
Polot 1882 Marks Asia Debut with Free Block Party on 8 September at AER
Italian syrup brand Polot 1882, a World’s 50 Best Bars sponsor with 140 years of heritage, launches in Hong Kong with a complimentary city-wide showcase across three venues. The afternoon kicks off at AER with a four-course food-and-cocktail pairing (book via BistroChat; 150 sets available), while a trade masterclass runs at Dead Poets. From 6 pm, Shanghai’s Filippo Sanchi of Bar S-Otto takes over The Old Man for a guest shift showcasing the brand’s syrups and cordials alongside the Opificium zero-ABV range. Free and open to all.
AER, The Old Man & Dead Poets; 8 September, 3–9pm
Tell Camellia Toasts Seven Years with Seven Tea-Tails
The award-winning tea cocktail bar in Central celebrates its 7th anniversary with a new summer collection of seven seasonal “Tea-Tails.” Founded by Gagan Gurung and Bar Manager Sovit Gurung, the bar has earned international recognition for its pioneering approach to tea-inspired mixology.
The new menu explores the playful intersection of tea, fruit, fermentation, and tropical influences. Highlights include a Thai Tea cocktail paired with papaya sherbet and aromatic Thai flavours, a lively Tieguanyin Tea creation featuring peach and chilli that balances sweetness and spice, and a Longjing Tea cocktail elevated with fermented grapes for brightness and complexity. Zero-proof sparkling tea options are also available.
Tell Camellia, H-Code, LG Shop 2, 45 Pottinger Street, Central
BARCODE Puts a Twist on the Classics This Summer/ Fall
The coffee and dessert-inspired cocktail bar in Central unveils a new collection of reimagined classics this summer. Founded by Gagan Gurung, the visionary behind Tell Camellia, and helmed by Bar Manager Ash Gurung, BARCODE has spent over three years blending coffee, desserts, and cocktails into a distinctive drinking experience.
The new menu puts bold seasonal twists on familiar favourites. Highlights include a Watermelon Negroni that brings a refreshing fruit-forward character to the Italian aperitif, a tropical Longan Pisco Sour balancing exotic sweetness with bright citrus, and a Blue Cheese Old Fashioned that challenges expectations with its rich savoury complexity. The collection also explores the relationship between coffee and mezcal, combining smoky depth with roasted aromatics in true BARCODE fashion.
BARCODE, Upper Ground Floor, 45 Cochrane Street, Central
Hennessy Celebrates Mid-Autumn with Tea-Infused Cocktails
Hennessy is marking the Mid-Autumn Festival with a four-day “Under the Moon Truck” pop-up at K11 Art Mall from 10–13 September. The activation pairs tea and cognac through sensorial tastings, headlined by the V.S.O.P Boba cocktail, with guest shifts from top bars including The Peninsula, Draft Land, and Red Room. Two limited-edition bottles anchor the campaign, while a dark chocolate mooncake collaboration with InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong rounds out the festive lineup.
Under the Moon Truck, G/F Piazza, K11 Art Mall, 10–13 September 2026
DarkSide Channels Hong Kong’s Soul in New Echoes Menu
The award-winning cocktail parlour at Rosewood Hong Kong debuts Echoes, a collection of nine cocktails inspired by the city’s artisanal spirit, nostalgic street-food flavours, and rich cultural heritage. Led by Bar Manager Marco Maiorano and Assistant Bar Manager Ian Lui, DarkSide continues to reimagine classic cocktails through innovative techniques while paying homage to Kowloon’s colourful “dark side” past.
The menu unfolds in three chapters. Craft draws inspiration from local artisans including neon makers, ceramicists, and leather craftsmen. Taste pays tribute to Hong Kong street food with creations like Cha Cha Bun evoking cha chaan teng milk tea, and Just 3 Minutes capturing the essence of speedy noodle bowls. Culture nods to seasonal rituals and folklore, from hot chestnuts on a market night to serpentine zodiac mystique.
Echoes cocktails are priced at HK$180–190 plus 10%.
DarkSide, Level Two, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
