Avoca, the cocktail bar located on the 38th floor of Mondrian Hong Kong, has introduced a new seasonal cocktail programme alongside a series of guest bartender collaborations and cultural events that continue its exploration of Kowloon’s identity through drinks, music, and art.
Available from 1 July to 31 August, the new menu features three cocktails inspired by familiar experiences and flavours from daily life in Hong Kong. Developed by Head Bartender Rolf Flaminiano and the Avoca team, the drinks continue the bar’s approach of translating local references into contemporary cocktail creations.
Among the new additions is Espresso Your Cherry, a cocktail inspired by Hong Kong’s coffee culture, combining cold brew coffee, vanilla, cherry soda, and Ratafia Rossi. Mandarin Spritz draws on the atmosphere of the city’s waterfront districts, blending Aperol, pisco, pineapple, prosecco, and mandarin-bergamot soda. Completing the trio is Yik Lik Dor, named after the Cantonese pronunciation of Yakult, which combines shochu, probiotic dairy, passionfruit, lemon, and Chinese black tea.
According to Flaminiano, the seasonal cocktails are intended to reflect the everyday moments and flavours that shape life in Hong Kong rather than relying solely on nostalgic references.
A Bar Focused on Kowloon’s Identity
The launch comes as Avoca continues to strengthen its position as a bar that draws inspiration from Kowloon’s cultural landscape.
While Hong Kong’s cocktail scene has historically been associated with Central and Hong Kong Island, Avoca has increasingly focused on highlighting the distinct character of Kowloon through its drinks programme and collaborations. The district’s mix of markets, neighbourhood eateries, music venues, and cultural institutions has become a recurring source of inspiration for the bar’s menus and events.
“It’s not about Kowloon versus Hong Kong Island,” said Flaminiano, who grew up in Kowloon. “Kowloon offers something completely different, and especially in Avoca’s case, we’re surrounded by an abundance of historic and contemporary art and cultural happenings.”
This philosophy is reflected in Avoca’s signature cocktail menu, which interprets familiar Hong Kong flavours and neighbourhood references through drinks inspired by experiences such as clay pot rice, egg waffles, and local street food culture.
Guest Shifts and Cultural Collaborations
Throughout June, Avoca is also hosting a series of guest shifts and collaborative events with bartenders from Hong Kong and across Asia.
The programme includes a guest appearance in Singapore on 10 June, followed by a Kowloon-focused showcase on 12 June featuring bartenders from independent bars across the district. The events form part of Avoca’s broader effort to promote exchange between regional bar communities while highlighting talent from Kowloon.
Beyond cocktails, the venue has also expanded its cultural programming through music and art initiatives. Its resident DJ programme features local and visiting artists, while the recently launched Avoca Art Series explores collaborations between bartenders and Hong Kong-based creatives.
The first edition of the series, King of Kowloon, pays tribute to the late street calligrapher Tsang Tsou Choi, whose handwritten messages became an iconic part of Hong Kong’s urban landscape. The cocktail combines Hong Kong craft gin, dry vermouth, oolong soda, toasted coconut foam, and coconut charcoal, served in a custom-designed glass created by local artist Kwan of Soekjing Studio.
Telling Kowloon’s Stories Through Hospitality
As Hong Kong’s hospitality sector continues to evolve, Avoca’s programming reflects a growing interest among bars in connecting cocktails with local culture, art, and community narratives.
Through seasonal menus, guest shifts, music, and creative collaborations, the venue has positioned itself as a platform for exploring the stories of Kowloon from a contemporary perspective. Rather than focusing solely on classic cocktail traditions, Avoca continues to use drinks as a medium for interpreting the neighbourhoods, flavours, and cultural influences that shape modern Hong Kong.
Avoca
38/F, 8A Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
