After some COVID-related delays this past December (we can relate), DRiNK Magazine pushed back their distinguished 2022 DRiNK Awards celebration to this month, which finally took place last night, March 13, at the Portman Ritz-Carleton, Shanghai, located in the Shanghai Centre.

This year’s event saw nearly 800 guests sampling cocktails from 23 different bars offering 60+ cocktails and 25+ mixed drinks spread across the space, plus other drink partners like VSPT wines, Ralph Lauren coffee, PAO sodas, Perrier, and more.

Followed the two-hour cocktail reception, paired with food stations provided by the Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai, the awards ceremony itself was all about the theatrics, with performances by JZ Music interspersed throughout.

At 11pm, the after party began, with five different guests shifts across three bars, live music at the second floor Jazz Bar, and DJs in the Ritz Bar and Lounge.

Now onto the good stuff – who won what! 

Design Award – sponsored by Luxardo: Hide & Seek

Tap House – sponsored by DRiNK: No. 18 Brewpub (Hankou)

Beer Menu – sponsored by DRiNK: Peiping Machine (Fangjia)

Whisk(e)y Menu – sponsored by Dewar's: Maison À 3

Cocktail Menu – sponsored by Loch Lomond: CMYK

Visionary Award – sponsored by DRiNK: The Makers

Bartender Brand – sponsored by DRiNK: Bacardi

Service Award – sponsored by SIP: Flavor Tiki

Wine Bar – sponsored by Vina 1865: Pudao Wines (Shankang Li)

Restaurant Bar – sponsored by Disaronno: Hide & Seek

Hotel Bar – sponsored by Belvedere: Jing Bar (The Temple House)

KOL Influencer – sponsored by DRiNK: Leo 

Brand Ambassador – sponsored by DRiNK: Blacky Su

Bar Team – sponsored by Chivas: The Union Trading Company

Entrepreneurship Award – sponsored by DRiNK: Jimmy Zhang

Founders Award – sponsored by DRiNK: Ethan Liu

Young Bartender of the Year – sponsored by UK Gin: Tony Yang

Bartender of the Year – sponsored by Beefeater: Allen Fang

New Bar of the Year – sponsored by Bacardi: CMYK

Bar of the Year – sponsored by Maker's Mark: Epic

But the cocktail celebration doesn’t end here. In fact, it’s just beginning...

DRiNK Street

After a two-year COVID-induced hiatus, DRiNK Street is back, running for five days from tomorrow, Wednesday, March 15 through Sunday, March 19 in the Shanghai Centre Plaza, from 5-10pm on weekdays and 3-10pm on the weekend, with free entrance for all!

Yup, you read that right, FREE!

Here’s what you can expect from DRiNK Street:

Drinks 

• A Jameson van for Jameson mixed drinks and a booth for Jameson cocktails
• A Kahlua and Absolut station for espressotini and other great drinks
• A Beefeater booth for your typical British G&Ts and other gin cocktails
• A Luxardo bar to enjoy some Italian classics
• A Sinodrink for Italian wines and drinks
• A Bombay bar serving up G&Ts and more great gin cocktails
• A Bacardi station working with EPIC to serve up awesome drinks from their 50 Best Bar team
• An easy mix bar with Bacardi brands for DIY mixed drinks at affordable prices
• A Cages beer bar
• A Proof & Co. plus Peddlers bar serving Chinese gin drinks
• A Portman Ritz Carlton booth for more cocktails
• And more!
   

Food

• A Cages stand for elevated pub grub
• A Beef & Liberty booth for burgers
• A Ladureé stand for French fare
• A Shanghai Centre booth for partner outlets
• And more!
   

In addition to the great drinks from many top brands and bartenders, and the delicious food, there will also be excellent wines from Pudao Wine, fun games by Cages – like giant Jenga, corn hole and beer pong – funky music by JZ Music, and an eclectic mix of people – making it a step up from the previous DRiNK streets in 2020 and 2021.

Wed-Sun Mar 15-19,  5-10pm weekdays,  3-10pm on the weekend.

Shanghai Centre Plaza, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, by Xikang Lu 南京西路1376号, 近西康路.

[All images courtesy of DRiNK Magazine]