Great world bars we love: Cosmo Pony Jakarta

GM Sylvio Daniele prepares an Ugly Banana cocktail at Cosmo Pony. Viranlly Liemena photo

Tucked inside the iconic Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Cosmo Pony is more than a bar—it’s a destination, where the city’s vibrant energy and warm hospitality are distilled into an elevated cocktail experience. Brought to you by hospitality powerhouses Union Group of Jarkarta and the team behind Asia’s No. 3 bar, Singapore’s Jigger & Pony, it has quickly established itself as one of the region’s most compelling addresses, landing at No. 38 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 within its first year.

The room is a cocktail of textures and moods: vintage Italian furniture mingling with custom woodwork, soft leather brushing against lush velvet, all glowing under a warm, golden light. Two bars hum with energy, framing a charming view of Jakarta’s ever-moving traffic—romantic, almost cinematic, especially when admired with a Martini in hand.

The Jakarta cocktail bar captures the city’s romantic, energetic vibe. Viranlly Liemena photo

At the heart of Cosmo Pony is its debut menu, Rising City, a poetic love letter to Jakarta and Indonesia’s people and bounty. Curated by general manager Silvio Daniele, the drinks balance creativity with approachability, celebrating local ingredients without overcomplication. Highlights include: the Tequila Cosmo, a playful nod to the Cosmopolitan’s ’90s heyday; the Ugly Banana, a tropical riff on the whisky sour; and the bold Black Pepper Sazerac. Large-format punch bowls and reserve premium cocktails are also on the menu if you fancy.

What makes Cosmo Pony remarkable is not only the craftsmanship of its cocktails, but the sense of place it captures. It is at once cosmopolitan and unmistakably Jakarta—sophisticated, dynamic and unafraid to charm.

—by Viranlly Liemena

Shaken, stirred & smoked

From neat pours to crafted cocktails, bartenders reveal mezcal’s many moods

iStock / Getty Images Plus / Marcos Elihu Castillo Ramirez photo

Mezcal has always had a way of sparking conversation at the bar. From its smoky, earthy backbone to the wild diversity of agave varietals, this spirit has become a favourite canvas for bartenders eager to showcase both tradition and innovation.

For this edition of Tasting Panel, we asked six bartenders across Canada to share the bottles that excite them most and the cocktails that best show off their chosen mezcal.

This issue’s panel features Chris Enns, Andrew Kong, Taylor Kare and Chey Haima from British Columbia as well as Matt Sinagoga and Emma Osmond from Ontario.

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Huatulco Passion

Photo courtesy of Matt Sinagoga

Recipe by Matt Sinagoga, a.k.a. Mixology Matt, of Toronto.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven

1 oz passionfruit liqueur

1.0 oz fresh lime juice

0.75 oz cinnamon syrup (see recipe below)

1 dash Ms. Betters Vegan Foamer (or egg white)

Garnish: Cacao bitters

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Frequent Flyer

Photo courtesy of Emma Osmond

Recipe by Emma Osmond of Odd Duck Wine & Provisions, Kitchener.

INGREDIENTS: 

0.75 oz Del Maguey Puebla Single Village Mezcal

0.75 oz  amaro

0.75 oz  bitter red aperitif

0.75 oz fresh lemon juice

1.5 tsp Sea Salted Honey Syrup (3:1) (see recipe below)

Garnish: Lemon zest, a tiny paper plane

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This Vancouver Island craft whisky brand is redefining West Coast flavour

Sanctuary Single Malt Whisky distills the natural rhythms of the coast into a liquid refuge

Sanctuary Single Malt Whisky – Classic Edition captures Vancouver Island’s wild coastal beauty. Photo provided by Phillips Brewing.

On Vancouver Island, the land, sea and climate shape everything that grows.

Sanctuary Single Malt Whisky captures that character in a bottle. Made entirely local, the flavour of B.C. barley, the richness of the soil, the coastal wind and the rhythm of the Pacific tides all come together to create a truly distinctive tasting experience.

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6 Vancouver Cocktail Week events everyone’s talking about

From limited-edition anniversary pours to world-class guest shifts: six trending experiences of the 2026 festival.

Living Room Creative photo

Every Vancouver Cocktail Week has its standouts—the events that industry folks, media, and returning guests keep mentioning in the same breath. This year, the buzz is building around experiences that feel precise, intentional, and culturally distinct. If you’re scanning the schedule for the week’s most coveted tickets, start here.

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The Vancouver Cocktail Week events that savvy insiders don’t ignore

Presenting the High-Value Edit: World-class VCW events for under $100

We’ve created the High-Value Edit: a shortlist of world-class Vancouver Cocktail Week events under $50 and under $100. Living Room Creative photo

Want to “do” Vancouver Cocktail Week properly? The secret isn’t a bigger budget—it’s a better map.

The full 2026 calendar is officially live, and while the galas and cocktail-paired dinners are spectacular, there is magic to be found in the masterclasses, parties and neighbourhood crawls that don’t break the bank. We’ve curated the High-Value Edit: a shortlist of world-class VCW events that prove you can stretch your festival dollar without lowering your standards.

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Vesperado

Photo courtesy of Chey Haima

Recipe by Chey Haima of El Gato Gab Gab and Reflections, Vancouver.

INGREDIENTS: 

1.5 oz Brij3 Espadin Mezcal

0.5 oz Nakano Shuzo Co’s Citrus Mix Sake

0.75 oz Lillet Blanc

2 tsp Noilly Extra Dry Vermouth

Garnish: Lemon twist

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Brunch, but better: 3 reasons to join us for the VCW Cocktail-Paired Brunch

A scene from the 2022 brunch, called The Garden Club: A Botany of Brunch. Jana Bizzarri photo

Before Vancouver Cocktail Week became the city-wide celebration of sips, spirits, and evenings it is today, it all started much earlier in the day—with a very good idea and an even better drink.

Let’s rewind to January 2020. The original Punch Brunch wasn’t just another brunch—it was the moment Vancouver Cocktail Week came to life. A bold, daytime experiment that signaled something important: this city was ready to treat cocktails with the same creativity, care, and cultural weight as food.

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