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Vogue Singapore
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue Singapore
A look inside mixology's biggest night: Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025
There is a noticeable buzz in the air the moment one steps into Wynn Palace. It is the weekend before the award ceremony for Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025, and hundreds of guests from all over the region—bartenders, journalists and cocktail enthusiasts—are gradually trickling into the hotel where this year's celebration is set to take place. Colossal and opulent, Macau's Wynn Palace feels like a fitting destination for an event of this scale. Courtesy of Wynn Palace Macau Colossal and opulent, Macau's Wynn Palace feels like a fitting destination for an event of this scale. It's a thought that crosses my mind the moment I step through the entrance and find myself greeted by a vibrant pink fabergé egg—three times my height and embellished with more than 60,000 flowers—opening up to reveal a phoenix. U pon checking into my suite, this idea is only reinforced. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows look out to the hotel's performance lake, at which an impressive fountain show that rises several stories up is ongoing. All the while, cable cars leisurely glide across the scene. Inside the room, I find a mixology set sculpted entirely out of chocolate, and a welcome cocktail from the hotel's Wing Lei Bar. Asia's 50 Best Bars ceremony was held on 15 July. Courtesy of 50 Best Bars While this year's Asia's 50 Best Bars ceremony was held on 15 July, the event was more of a week-long affair, filled with countless guest shifts, pop-ups and cocktail pairing dinners in the lead up to the big night. All across Macau, the region's best and brightest came together to celebrate their love for mixology, offering a glimpse of the vibrant and diverse cocktail scene in Asia. From the most exciting guest shifts to the grand night itself, we take you inside the highlights of this year's festivities. Guest shifts galore At Wynn Palace, over 25 intriguing events and guest shifts were held over the course of the week, building up an undeniable and inescapable thrill in anticipation for the awaited night. After all, it's not every day you get to sample drinks made by industry icons like Julio Mermejo and Sam Ross, or try cocktails from bars in less frequently travelled countries like Nepal. The event allowed guests to sample drinks made by industry icons like Julio Mermejo and Sam Ross. Courtesy of 50 Best Bars Some of Singapore's most beloved nightlife spots also made an appearance, from a coffee liqueur-centred pop-up by Offtrack, to a shochu-focused takeover of modern Japanese restaurant Mizumi by 28 HongKong Street alongside Tokyo's Bar Trench. Also on the itinerary was Sago House, in an exciting bar shift, dubbed the battle of the houses, with Chengdu Temple House's Jing Bar. As for some of the most memorable drinks of the week? There was the Shoyu Ramen from Bengaluru's ZLB23, an umami-rich concoction of tequila, shoyu, miso and sake, with dried seaweed on the side. Hong Kong's Artifact also served up The Grape One, a delicious combination of gin, white grape, miso and toasted sesame, whilst Bangkok's Bar Sathorn presented Bangkok Brunch: a tequila and mezcal based libation with salted tomato water and the makings of Thai pad krapow , all poured and served over an eye-catching frozen whole tomato. Chef Tam's Seasons hosted a cocktail-paired dinner with Taipei's Bar Mood. Courtesy of Wynn Palace Macau While it was the cocktails that were in the spotlight all week, the culinary experiences certainly did not fall short either. At Mizumi, executive chef Hironomi Maeda served up a spectacular lunch—think tender cubes of wagyu that melt in the mouth, decadent ribbons of toro wrapped around uni and caviar, and unagi charcoal-grilled to crisp and smoky perfection—paired with a gorgeous selection of sakes and Japanese wines. Meanwhile, two separate dining experiences at Chef Tam's Seasons demonstrated the restaurant's versatility. The first, a cocktail-paired dinner with Taipei's Bar Mood, featured executive chef Tam Kwok Fung's usual elegant Cantonese fare, from unassuming but delicious braised vegetables topped with crab roe, to a delicate pigeon stuffed with 'eight treasures'. In the second—a four-hands collaboration with modern Indian cuisine restaurant Masque, paired with libations from New Delhi bar Sidecar—unique dishes that blend Cantonese and Indian flavours prove that the two cuisines go together surprisingly well. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio clinched the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award at number five. Courtesy of Dry Wave Cocktail Studio The ceremony On the night of the ceremony, we gather in the grand theatre ballroom of the Wynn Palace. Hundreds of guests mill around the room, drinks in hand, eagerly greeting fellow bartenders and friends from the community. With 98 out of the 100 bars on the extended list in attendance, the anticipation in the air is palpable. The lights dim. As the ceremony begins, an exciting tidbit is soon announced: there are 20 new entries to the list this year. A murmur ripples through the room at the promise of a night that will shake things up. Among the 20 bars, we eventually find out, is Singapore's Cat Bite Club at number 44. At number 12, Jakarta's Modernhaus, which opened its doors just last year, is named Indonesia's best bar as well as the best new opening on the list. And at number five, Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, which also opened last year, clinches the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award at number five. Jigger & Pony comes in third on the list, making it also the best bar in Singapore. Courtesy of Jigger & Pony As the night goes on, Singapore's Native, Nutmeg & Clove, and Offtrack all earn places on the list—at 45th, 24th and 23rd respectively. Seoul's beloved Wonderland-themed bar Alice rises 33 spots to place 13th, making it the bar that has climbed the most ranks. Meanwhile, Hanoi's Workshop14 receives the Campari One To Watch Award after only opening six months ago. Bangkok's seven and Hong Kong's six bars on the list cement the two cities as leaders in the cocktail scene, but more exciting, perhaps, are India's five entries—of which four are new, proving the country a rising one to watch. For the second year in a row, Hong Kong's Bar Leone was crowned the best bar in Asia. Courtesy of Bar Leone Crawling up the list, we eventually arrive at the moment everyone's been waiting for: the top three spots. At this point, everyone can guess who they are—it's just a matter of what order they are in. As the crowd holds its breath, the top three bars in Asia are finally announced. Jigger & Pony comes in third on the list, making it also the best bar in Singapore. Seoul's Zest is second. And for the second year in a row, Hong Kong's Bar Leone is crowned the best bar in Asia. The only thing that's left to do, then, is head on down to the after-party, grab a drink—or multiple—and celebrate.
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Inside 2025's ‘drink of the year' — from the NYC bar owner who invented it: ‘Very unique and different'
Here's something worthy of a toast. The bourbon-based cocktail crowned Food 52's 'drink of the year' is finally getting its moment in the spotlight two decades after its creator mixed it the first time in a Big Apple bar. The pink-hued 'Paper Plane,' first crafted at what is now Attaboy on the Lower East Side, has reached new heights due to its ability to balance 'the Holy Trinity of bitter, sweet and sour,' creator Sam Ross, 42, told The Post. Advertisement 'If you can balance all that, it has a weird, amazing sort of pleasantry to it.' 4 The Paper Plane, a bourbon-based concoction crowned Food 52's 'drink of the year' for 2025, hails from none other than New York City – and is finally getting its moment in the spotlight after nearly two decades, according to the drink's creator Sam Ross. Tamara Beckwith The tangy, bright beverage's versatility and ease to make has allowed it to gradually take flight across generations, genders and experience level, he added — and has gotten so popular in the last year that it's been canned for home bars across the US as of last year. Advertisement 'It's the sum of its parts, It doesn't taste like any one ingredient individually,' the Australian-born New York bartender said. 'Once you get it into the glass, you actually realize you're tasting something very unique and different.' Ross first crafted the concoction in 2007 at his tucked-away bar – formerly called Milk & Honey – while he was tasked with creating a signature drink for a bar out in Chicago called The Violet Hour. The drink was inspired by a bottle of Amaro Nonino gifted to Ross by a friend, he said, and aptly named his creation for M.I.A.'s indie-rap hit 'Paper Planes.' Aside from equal parts bourbon and the Italian liqueur, the spirit-forward cocktail also features Aperol and lemon juice. 'I just fell in love with it immediately,' Ross said. 'I created this drink because I wanted people to experience Amaro Nonino.' Advertisement And despite it first appearing on a Chicago bar's menu, the beverage 'definitely holds a New York immigration card,' the bartender stated. 4 Aside from bourbon, the cocktail also features equal parts aperol, amaro and lemon juice, which Ross describes as 'the Holy Trinity of bitter, sweet and sour. Tamara Beckwith The resulting cocktail helped Ross – also known for inventing the Penicillin – land on the map of modern cocktail tastemakers, but it also helped the 127-year-old Amaro brand stick the landing in cocktail scenes around the world, according to sixth-generation distiller Francesca Bardelli Nonino. 'The United States sets the trend for [not only] movies and TV shows, but also for cocktails,' Bardelli Nonino, 35, said — adding she's toasted with Amaro lovers in Japan, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom thanks to the success of the Paper Plane. 'In Italy, most of the time you first start to appreciate a product by itself and then in a cocktail, but in the United States you first appreciate it in a cocktail.' Advertisement To Bardelli Nonino, the celebration is personal, as the grappa-based liqueur traces its roots back to her great-grandfather's recipe from Friuli, Italy. 'The paper plane put together Italian culture and American culture – and I think people realized then, 'this is delicious, I want to know more about the other ingredients,'' she said, raising a glass at an inaugural Paper Plane Week event at Attaboy. 4 'The United States sets the trend for [not only] movies and TV shows, but also for cocktails,' Bardelli Nonino, 35, said. Tamara Beckwith Ross added the drink is a crowd pleaser as it's easy to make given its equal parts recipe only requires four ingredients and is 'self-policing' – in that it's immediately apparent if it was made incorrectly because of its signature pink hue and ample froth. 'All the 'modern classics' have to be somewhat simple to make – we're not talking about strange infusions or crazy techniques that take a long time,' Ross said. 'If you want to be able to be made, especially at home bars it has to be things that are very approachable … and I think it's just straight up delicious.' 4 Paper Plane Week at Attaboy in the Lower East Side, Manhattan. Tamara Beckwith Ross credits the dawn of the Facebook age for the Paper Plane's initial popularity among bartenders in the late aughts, but he believes the drink's versatility has been able to keep its humble profile steadily gliding over the years. The Attaboy co-owner notes he's pushing a newer take on the cocktail — dubbed a Mosquito with mezcal, Campari, fresh ginger and lemon — that he hopes to be met with similar fanfare. Advertisement 'It kind of startles me, each year it seems to get more and more popular,' Ross said of his Paper Plane. 'It doesn't have a singular market. 'When you think of a whiskey cocktail, you're automatically going to be thinking whiskey sours, Manhattans, old fashioneds,' he added. 'These are powerful, potent drinks — and this one isn't that.'
Forbes
10-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Allure Of The Tiny Wine Bar
With a small space comes great responsibility when curating an overall vibe. Cameron Wilder In a city crowded with noise, space and spectacle, the rise of the tiny wine bar signals a quieter kind of hospitality. Often no larger than a studio apartment, these small-scale venues are cropping up in major cities across the U.S., modeled on the informal intimacy of European drinking establishments. Typically under 500 square feet, they are designed for slower, more attentive encounters—with wine, with food, with strangers. They serve fewer people at a time, often with fewer items on the menu. But in their constraints, they find clarity. 'The inspiration for Good Guy's came from our many trips to European countries, where we fell in love with tapas bars of Barcelona and quaint wine bars of Paris,' says co-owner Sam Ross, at the 500-square-foot bar on Manhattan's Lower East Side, adding the team wanted to create something totally different from their first venture, Attaboy, next door. In these rooms, designed for slowness and intent, the experience is more than a drink—it's a mood, a conversation, sometimes even a connection. 'It encourages interaction,' says Aisa Shelley, who runs Casetta, a tiny wine bar also in New York's Lower East Side. 'That closeness builds community.' At 350 square feet, Saint Urban's in Charleston, South Carolina is structured to resemble a private parlor. 'It feels more like you're in a dear friend's home rather than a bar,' says co-owner Warren Johnson, via email. 'My staff and I feel very strongly about our relationships with our guests. We cherish them and hope they feel at home with us.' Saint Urban's in Charleston, South Carolina Cameron Wilder In these bars, design is not just decoration. Every decision carries weight. Lighting must flatter but not overwhelm. Seating must be comfortable but compact. Furniture must perform more than one function. 'Everything has to earn its place,' Shelley says. 'We choose pieces that are beautiful but also durable, compact but comfortable. Banquettes might lift up for hidden storage; wine racks double as visual displays.' The balance between aesthetics and efficiency, she says, is a requirement, not a preference. 'The trick is making practical choices feel effortless—like the space was always meant to look and work that way.' This approach extends to the menu, which often favors short lists of carefully selected wines, paired with light snacks that require little equipment or prep. 'We wanted a quality menu filled with innovative spritzes, natural wines, non-alcoholic options and apéro-inspired snacks,' Ross says. 'Something for everyone, but still approachable and not too lengthy of a list, which gets rotated seasonally.' Johnson agrees. 'We're extremely picky about what comes through our doors so sourcing is key. I'm constantly trying to stay up-to-date and our products, especially our cheeses, change weekly.' That restraint isn't limiting. It allows more intentionality. With fewer choices comes greater consideration. With less space comes more awareness. 'This means having to have a smaller menu,' Ross says. 'Instead of being overwhelmed by choices, guests can trust a thoughtfully selected list that highlights quality and unique finds. This allows for deeper storytelling about each wine and producer, enhancing the experience.' Though overall wine consumption in the United States has slowed in recent years, the growth of small-format wine bars suggests a shift in how people engage with drinking culture. The U.S. wine bar industry was valued at $3.1 billion in 2024, according to IBISWorld, despite a projected 3.0% decline in revenue that year. Yet certain corners of the industry continue to expand. A 2025 report from Wine Enthusiast found that the top quartile of wineries saw revenue increases averaging 22%, even as the overall category shrank by 3.4%. In some cities, the tiny wine bar model is driving that growth. In the Bay Area alone, 16 new wine bars opened in the past year, many emphasizing curated selections, stripped-down food menus and lower overhead—a business model that has proved sustainable and appealing to a clientele seeking smaller, more deliberate experiences. A small footprint also changes how people interact—with each other and with the space. 'It creates a kind of built-in warmth,' Shelley says. 'In a tiny space, people feel closer—to each other, to the staff, to the action behind the bar. There's a sense of being 'let in' on something special.' Ross notes how this proximity shapes the atmosphere. 'The small footprint naturally fosters a more intimate and convivial setting, encouraging conversation and a sense of community among guests.' Design decisions reflect that. Music volume must allow for conversation. Lighting must invite lingering. 'In a smaller space, every detail is amplified,' Ross says. 'This allows for a more intentional focus on creating a cohesive sensory experience—from the tactile feel of the glassware to the dimly lit artwork.' At Saint Urban's, those details are calibrated nightly. 'Our space is very moody and primarily lit by candlelight with very subtle accents throughout,' Johnson says. 'The sound required a lot of thought—there's nothing worse than an evening out and not being able to carry on a conversation.' Good Guy's in New York City. Good Guy's The look and feel of these bars draw heavily from abroad. But their adaptation is local. 'Our space was intentionally inspired by European Aperitivo culture,' Ross says. 'There's almost a 'non-committal' aspect to dining like a European, where you can pop into somewhere for a glass of wine or two, have a few bites and be on your way, or linger for a while where you don't feel like you have to rush out.' That freedom appeals to diners weary of overbooked tasting menus or cavernous cocktail lounges. Shelley puts it plainly: 'There's a craving right now for spaces that feel human-scale—that offer something genuine and analog in a world that often feels overstimulated.' Practicalities also play a role. In cities where real estate is limited, smaller venues are often easier to operate. 'Tiny means cozy,' Johnson says. 'Human scale feels good whether people realize it or not. Tucking into a snug feels like a hug, and we all need a bit more of that.'
Associated Press
05-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Numeral Secures $18 Million in Series A Funding to Help Businesses Manage State-by-State Sales Tax Requirements
Numeral, a company that handles the intricacies of sales tax compliance for both ecommerce and SaaS companies, has secured $18M in Series A funding led by Benchmark Capital with participation from existing seed investors Uncork Capital, Y Combinator and FundersClub. Numeral has raised $22 million to date and has seen 3X+ revenue and customer growth in the past year based on its ability to help over 1,000 businesses, including Ridge, Graza, immi, Nomad and Muddy Bites, collect tax for out-of-state sales, as mandated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. 'A company doing $5M in sales typically owes sales tax in more than 30 states, which means they need to comply with the tax rules of nearly 10,000 jurisdictions,' said Sam Ross, co-founder, Numeral. 'By streamlining and automating the sales tax process and handling everything from registration to remittance, Numeral takes a major task off the plate of accounting teams, giving them their time and resources back and increasing productivity throughout the business.' Numeral will use its financing to extend its focus to include SaaS companies, as 25 states today require sales tax on software sales, a number that is sure to grow in the coming year as states seek new revenue sources. Numeral will also use the new funds for international expansion and to secure additional engineering talent. 'Sales tax for digital businesses like ecommerce and software is a huge lift with an extraordinary amount of complexity. Further, adding international markets increases this complexity exponentially,' said Chetan Puttagunta, General Partner, Benchmark, and new Numeral board member. 'Numeral is leveraging AI to solve critical business challenges and help businesses expand into new markets with fewer barriers.' Numeral was founded in early 2023. Co-founders Sam Ross, an entrepreneur with multiple ecommerce startups generating over $50 million in revenue, and Matt DuVall, a software engineer who led teams at Stripe, Notion, and Box, bring deep industry experience to the company. Ross' direct experience with the headache of filing sales taxes across many states was the basis for starting Numeral. About Numeral Numeral, founded in 2023 and based in San Francisco, handles the intricacies of sales tax compliance for both ecommerce and SaaS companies, providing support throughout the process, from registration to remittance. Numeral has nearly 1,000 active customers and is funded by Benchmark Capital, Uncork Capital, Y Combinator, and FundersClub. For more information, visit Jennefer Traeger 720-988-6149 SOURCE: Numeral Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/05/2025 12:30 PM/DISC: 03/05/2025 12:30 PM
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Numeral Secures $18 Million in Series A Funding to Help Businesses Manage State-by-State Sales Tax Requirements
Established Ecommerce Solution Provider Simplifies the Process of Collecting and Reporting Sales Tax for Out-of-State Transactions; New Investment Will Fuel Expansion into SaaS Marketplace SAN FRANCISCO, March 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Numeral, a company that handles the intricacies of sales tax compliance for both ecommerce and SaaS companies, has secured $18M in Series A funding led by Benchmark Capital with participation from existing seed investors Uncork Capital, Y Combinator and FundersClub. Numeral has raised $22 million to date and has seen 3X+ revenue and customer growth in the past year based on its ability to help over 1,000 businesses, including Ridge, Graza, immi, Nomad and Muddy Bites, collect tax for out-of-state sales, as mandated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. "A company doing $5M in sales typically owes sales tax in more than 30 states, which means they need to comply with the tax rules of nearly 10,000 jurisdictions," said Sam Ross, co-founder, Numeral. "By streamlining and automating the sales tax process and handling everything from registration to remittance, Numeral takes a major task off the plate of accounting teams, giving them their time and resources back and increasing productivity throughout the business." Numeral will use its financing to extend its focus to include SaaS companies, as 25 states today require sales tax on software sales, a number that is sure to grow in the coming year as states seek new revenue sources. Numeral will also use the new funds for international expansion and to secure additional engineering talent. "Sales tax for digital businesses like ecommerce and software is a huge lift with an extraordinary amount of complexity. Further, adding international markets increases this complexity exponentially," said Chetan Puttagunta, General Partner, Benchmark, and new Numeral board member. "Numeral is leveraging AI to solve critical business challenges and help businesses expand into new markets with fewer barriers." Numeral was founded in early 2023. Co-founders Sam Ross, an entrepreneur with multiple ecommerce startups generating over $50 million in revenue, and Matt DuVall, a software engineer who led teams at Stripe, Notion, and Box, bring deep industry experience to the company. Ross' direct experience with the headache of filing sales taxes across many states was the basis for starting Numeral. About Numeral Numeral, founded in 2023 and based in San Francisco, handles the intricacies of sales tax compliance for both ecommerce and SaaS companies, providing support throughout the process, from registration to remittance. Numeral has nearly 1,000 active customers and is funded by Benchmark Capital, Uncork Capital, Y Combinator, and FundersClub. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact:Jennefer TraegerTraeger Communications720-988-6149jtraeger@ Sign in to access your portfolio
