Sri Lanka’s Smoke & Bitters ranked 14th best bar in Asia

Thursday, 24 July 2025 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A historic feat putting Sri Lanka on the map with co-owned Raa entering Top 100 in its debut year

Asia’s 50 Best Bars has once again recognised Sri Lanka, thanks to Smoke & Bitters climbing an astonishing 15 spots to number 14 this year and Raa, two bars co-owned by Sri Lankan entrepreneurs Don Ranasinghe and Lahiru Perera, now among the Top 100 bars in Asia.

The bars, both located in the coastal town of Hiriketiya, are the only Sri Lankan venues featured on the prestigious 2025 list, which is voted on by a panel of 250 of the most knowledgeable and well-travelled members of the Asian bar industry.

With this recognition, Don and Lahiru have also achieved the rare feat of having two establishments belonging to the same owners ranked in the Top 100 in the same year.

For Smoke & Bitters, ranked #14 on the 2025 Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, this is a continuation of excellence. Known for its bold, wood-fired cooking and a cocktail program that champions house-made bitters and Sri Lankan ingredients, this marks the fifth consecutive year the bar has featured in the Top 100 and the fourth consecutive year in the Top 50.

For Raa, which made its debut at #84 on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 51–100 list, the recognition is particularly impressive. Opened only in August 2024, the bar is named after “ra”, a traditional Sri Lankan coconut sap-based toddy known for its distinct, milky sweetness. Raa is the world’s first bar dedicated solely to Sri Lankan arrack and toddy-based cocktails, the only one to serve fresh toddy tapped on-site everyday, offered in its purest form. Through an inventive menu focused solely on the coconut palm, Sri Lanka’s life force, and wood fired traditional local cuisine, the bar pays bold tribute to the island’s iconic spirit, while delivering a one-of-a-kind drinking and dining experience.

Reflecting on the accolades, co-owners Don and Lahiru shared: “We and our merry band of village bartenders, chefs and crew are humbled to take Sri Lanka to the world. It is an incredible moment for us to have Smoke & Bitters recognised once again as one of Asia’s best bars but to also have Raa enter the top 100 extended list in its first year. Being here in Macau, a part of the global community of the best bartenders in the world reminds us that the work we do is extremely important. Bringing Sri Lankan craft and cuisine to the forefront, showcasing our incredible spirit and giving our island the spotlight it deserves, means everything to us.”

Over the past year, Don, Lahiru and their teams have travelled to run many international guest shifts and bar takeovers at venues in Bali, Paris, Tokyo, Milan, China, Singapore, Nepal and India, serving as unofficial ambassadors for Sri Lanka and its bar industry.

The World’s 50 Best Bars, the parent list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, is an annual ranking that celebrates excellence in the global drinks industry. Recognised as the leading authority on bars and mixology, it highlights the very best in innovation, hospitality, and cocktail craftsmanship around the world.

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