Asia’s 50 Best Bars has awarded Smoke & Bitters the title ‘Best Bar in Sri Lanka’, as it became the only Sri Lankan-owned bar to be featured in the top 50 list in both 2022 and 2023.
The popular beachside bar was ranked number 40 in the 2023 list announced on Tuesday, to follow up the 42nd position it
Smoke & Bitters rises to the top with Asia’s 50 Best Bars award.
received in 2022, cementing its status as one of Asia’s finest.
This is a remarkable achievement for a venue that was opened just over three years ago, by two best friends, with one goal: to offer its patrons a uniquely Sri Lankan culinary and mixological experience.
The ranking is also noteworthy since Smoke & Bitters had to endure lockdowns and travel re-strictions for much of its first year in existence in 2020. However, the tenacity and passion of its co-founders Don Ranasinghe and Lahiru Perera have helped the bar overcome these challenges to gain international renown.
Co-founders Lahiru and Don Ranasinghe in Hong Kong at the Awards.
Located on the stunning Pehembiya beach in Hiriketiya, in the southern tip of Sri Lanka, Smoke & Bitters has attracted both tourists and locals for over three years with its authentically Sri Lan-kan offerings. All its dishes are cooked using wood fire, either smoked or chargrilled, as signified by the ‘Smoke’ in its name. ‘Bitters’ conveys the co-founders’ passion for creating their own bitters from locally sourced ingredients, which dominate the cocktail menu.
Influenced by ‘Tiki’ bar pioneers of the 1930s, Don The Beachcomber and Trader Vic, Smoke & Bitters serves cocktails and dishes which draw inspiration from a myriad cultures around the world using Sri Lankan herbs and spices.
These include Bananarama, a lush cocktail made with arrack and wild bee honey harvested just twice a year from the jungles in Sri Lanka’s North-East, Kurumba Calamari, a vegan dish made with tempura coconut flesh of king coconut topped with smoked salsa, and ‘Beli Mal Bomu’, a blend of local rums infused with sun-dried Beli Mal along with coffee, jaggery and cardamom bitters.
The Asia’s 50 Best Bars ranking is based on the votes of 250 of the most knowledgeable and tra-velled members of the bar industry, drinks media and mixology experts from across Asia, and therefore the venues regarded highly by them gain international respect.
