Zest

Seoul, South Korea

50Best Accolades
  • No.18 The World's 50 Best Bars 2023
  • No.5 Asia's 50 Best Bars 2023

A quartet of some of the best bartenders in Seoul – Demie Kim, Sean Woo, Jisu Park and Noah Kwon – opened Bar Zest, an elegant 'fine-drinking' cocktail bar in the Cheongdam neighborhood. In an effort to help move the bar sector towards a more sustainable model, Zest is a zero-waste operation. The initiative filters through the drinks programme and beyond: they make their own sodas, citrus stocks and spirits; upcycle leftover peels and vegetables; and source local ingredients in the event they do not make their own. Furthermore, the bar aprons are made from recyclable material. With a remarkably chic and minimal design that makes the space feel more like a modernist lab than a bustling cocktail joint, a glowing back bar serves as the stunning centrepiece of the room, decorated almost like a museum display without the typical clutter of dozens of bottles. Overall, the bar is a game-changer proving that sustainability can also be sexy.

Key Information

Location

B1 26 KR 55 Dosan-daero 55-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 07326