Shoreditch to Hong Kong: Where to Drink a Pandan Negroni on Your Next City Break

Want a holiday drink that doubles as a viral moment? Start here.

If you’re tired of the same-old gin-and-tonic snaps and last-minute bars that don’t deliver, this guide is for you. From Bun House Disco in Shoreditch to tucked-away cocktail dens in Hong Kong, Asian-inspired cocktails—led by the fragrant pandan negroni—are reshaping city nightlife in 2026. Read on for where to go, when to book, how to order the perfect pandan negroni, two ready-made bar-crawl mini-maps, plus pro booking tricks so you actually get a seat (and a great shot).

Why Asian-inspired cocktails are the 2026 nightlife secret

Over late 2024–2025 the cocktail world doubled down on heritage ingredients, sustainability, and cross-cultural flavors. By early 2026 bartenders have perfected using Asian botanicals—not as novelty accents but as foundational elements that change structure, aroma and Instagram-worthiness. Think: pandan for floral, coconut-like fragrance; rice or sorghum-based spirits; yuzu bitters; and fermented tea washes that add umami and depth.

This matters because travelers and content creators want three things from a night out now: a memorable flavor, visual impact, and a story. That pandan negroni, with its green glow and savory-sweet lift, does all three—and it’s the easiest bridge between classic cocktail technique and regional ingredients.

Shoreditch: start at Bun House Disco (and how to build the perfect East London crawl)

Bun House Disco has become synonymous with the pandan negroni in London’s East End. The bar leans into late-1980s Hong Kong neon—bright, tactile, and great for photos—while swapping the bitter orange backbone of a traditional negroni for fragrant pandan and rice gin. It’s a blueprint for how Asian-inspired cocktails can be both respectful and wildly modern.

Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni (simple version)

Adapted from the bar’s popular variant—easy for ordering or recreating if you’re a traveler who likes to DIY.

• For pandan-infused rice gin: 175ml rice gin + 10g fresh pandan leaf (green part only)
• Drink: 25ml pandan-infused rice gin, 15ml white vermouth, 15ml green chartreuse
• Method: Blitz pandan with gin and strain through fine sieve (or muslin). Combine gin, vermouth and chartreuse in a tumbler with ice. Stir gently and serve with an expressed citrus peel or a pandan leaf garnish.

Substitutions & tips: if rice gin isn’t available, a clean, floral London dry works. For lower ABV, halve the chartreuse and top with a splash of chilled jasmine tea. Want a carry-on trick? Bring pandan extract or pandan syrup (packed in a small bottle) and ask the bar to add it—most bartenders are happy to accommodate.

Shoreditch bar-crawl (2.5–4 hours)

1. Start 7:00pm — Bun House Disco (E2): pre-book for Fridays; ask for the pandan negroni or their seasonal pandan riff.
2. 8:15pm — Short walk to an East London rooftop or warehouse bar for neon shots and skyline reels.
3. 9:30pm — Head to a speakeasy-style cocktail den for a low-lit, close-up mixology reel (great for process shots).
4. 10:45pm — Finish with a late-night eatery doing Asian street food—perfect pairing for umami-forward cocktails.

Booking tip: Shoreditch is still weekend-heavy in 2026. Use OpenTable, Resy or Bun House Disco’s booking page to reserve early (5–10 days out for weekends). For same-night plans, text-based booking apps and walk-in waitlists often update live; arrive early or target weekday evenings for the best chance of snagging a table without a deposit.

Crossing continents: where to find pandan, rice gin and Asian flavour labs in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has been a global incubator for modern, Asian-forward cocktails for a decade. By 2026 the scene matured: cocktail labs focus on fermentation, local botanicals and low-waste practices. Neighborhoods to target:

• Sheung Wan — home to intimate bars where bartenders work with tea infusions, preserved citrus and local herbs.
• Central — sleek hotel bars and experimental cocktail rooms; often your best bet for a refined pandan negroni riff.
• Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui — a mix of loud nightlife and hidden speakeasies; great for after-dark street shots.

Bars to watch: Quinary (renowned for molecular techniques and layered flavors) and The Old Man (a compact, literary-inspired spot with agile flavor swaps). Both frequently add regional botanicals and have been central to Hong Kong’s 2025–26 cocktail evolution.

Recommended Hong Kong evening (3–4 hours)

1. 7:00pm — Early cocktail in Sheung Wan: look for pandan, yuzu or fermented tea riffs.
2. 8:30pm — Move to a Central cocktail lab for an elevated pandan negroni or rice gin variation.
3. 10:00pm — Rooftop or Tsim Sha Tsui promenade for skyline photos and signature nightcaps.

Logistics note: Hong Kong’s MTR is fast and safe late into the night but check last train times (they vary by line). For late returns, licensed taxi apps (or official taxis) are recommended; credit-card payments are increasingly accepted but have variable surcharges post-2024.

Mini-map: two 6-stop crawls you can follow tonight

Download this as a quick reference or screenshot it for offline use. Each stop includes a suggested time window and a booking tip.

Shoreditch 6-stop (approx. 3.5 hours)

1. 18:30–19:45 — Bun House Disco (pandan negroni). Booking: reserve online, request booth for photos.
2. 19:50–20:30 — Rooftop bar (neon skyline shots). Booking: check for time-limited slots.
3. 20:45–21:30 — Japanese-influenced cocktail room (umami pairings). Tip: pre-order a savoury snack.
4. 21:45–22:15 — Street-level speakeasy (close-up cocktail process photos).
5. 22:30–23:15 — Late-night dumpling spot for palate reset.
6. 23:30+ — Low-key wine bar to land the night (no reservations needed most nights).

Hong Kong 6-stop (approx. 4 hours)

1. 18:30–19:30 — Sheung Wan cocktail bar (tea- or pandan-led aperitif)
2. 19:45–20:30 — Small plates in a trendy side street
3. 20:40–21:30 — Central cocktail lab (ask for a pandan variation)
4. 21:45–22:15 — Rooftop terrace (skyline reels)
5. 22:30–23:15 — Wan Chai late-night cocktail den
6. 23:30+ — Street-side snack stall for final mouthfuls

Booking and last-minute strategies for 2026

Bar booking systems have evolved. Here are practical tricks to get the best experience without overpaying or wasting time:

• Use hybrid booking apps: OpenTable and Resy still dominate but in 2026 expect smaller bars to use platform-agnostic booking forms or direct SMS/WhatsApp bookings. Always check a bar’s Instagram bio for the latest method.
• Leverage AI-driven suggestions: Newer concierge services and travel apps (late-2025 rollouts) can find last-minute openings across multiple venues—use them to land a same-night slot and optimize travel time between stops.
• Deposit vs walk-in: Higher-demand bars often take small deposits or card holds. If they charge, treat it as insurance for margins; show up on time and cancel properly to avoid fees.
• Group bookings: Larger groups may trigger set menus—if you want à la carte pandan negronis, split your group or stagger arrivals.
• Late-night flexibility: Weeknights and early evenings have the best shot at no-reservation seating—target 6:00–7:00pm starts for weekends if you’re spontaneous.

How to order like a local

Ask for the bar’s pandan riff (“pandan negroni” will usually work) and be specific about sweetness and bitterness levels—bartenders are used to tailoring. If you want to feature the drink in your story, ask permission before filming behind the bar or during a busy service.

Pro tip: request a “clean-up” pour for aesthetic shots—some bars will provide an extra, freshly-made pour intended for photography, timed to your best lighting.

Photo & social tactics: make your pandan negroni pop

• Lighting: green drinks look best in warm, indirect lighting—avoid harsh overhead LED that flattens color.
• Angles: 45-degree close-ups showcase color gradients; flat-lay with garnish tells the recipe story.
• Reels idea: 10–15 second build: pandan blitz → strain → stir → garnish. Add quick captions with ingredient names for shareability.
• Hashtags & tags: #PandanNegroni, #BunHouseDisco, #AsianInspiredCocktails, #CityCocktailCrawl, and tag the bar for reposts. Local tags (e.g., #Shoreditch, #HongKongBars) boost discovery.

Budget, time and dress-code breakdown

Plan on premium cocktail pricing in 2026: expect higher costs if bars use imported botanicals or labor-intensive techniques. A pandan negroni in Shoreditch or Hong Kong can range from wallet-friendly to premium depending on the venue’s pedigree and mise-en-place.

• Budget option: Casual bars and late-night pop-ups—£10–15 / HK$80–150.
• Mid-range: Cocktail rooms with bespoke ingredients—£15–22 / HK$150–220.
• Top-end: Cocktail labs and hotel bars with tasting menus—£22+ / HK$220+.

Responsible nightlife & safety

Get home safe: pre-plan your last train or trusted ride-hailing app. Keep an eye on belongings, especially in busy nightlife districts. If you’re ordering unfamiliar ingredients, mention allergies and dietary requirements up front—pandan and other Asian botanicals are natural, but preparations can include nuts or dairy.

Quick takeaways & checklist

• Book ahead for Bun House Disco on weekends; consider weekday crawls for easier access.
• Ask for a pandan riff and clarify sweetness/bitterness.
• Use hybrid booking tools and AI concierges for last-minute openings.
• Capture the process for the best social content—stirring and garnish shots outperform static cups.
• Budget for premium ingredients and possible deposits in 2026.

Final word

From Shoreditch’s neon-hued Bun House Disco to Hong Kong’s cocktail labs, the pandan negroni is more than a pretty drink: it’s a cultural handshake—heritage ingredients applied with modern technique. Whether you’re hunting content, flavour, or a late-night memory, this new wave of Asian-inspired cocktails gives you all three on one glass.

Ready to plan your night out? Save the mini-map, book the first stop, and tag us with your best pandan negroni shot. For downloadable itineraries and live availability tips, follow the link in our bio or subscribe to get last-minute openings for Shoreditch and Hong Kong crawls.

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