The 2025 Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award winners named

Katmandu’s Barc has become the first Nepalese bar to be honoured with the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, as part of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025.

The Michter’s Award recognises the venue which over the last 18 months delivered new benchmarks for guest experiences and that has taken hospitality in the region to a new level.

Barc was founded by Abhishek Tuladhar and opened in 2021, redefining Kathmandu’s bar scene and cocktail culture. Since opening the bar has worked on mentoring a new generation of bartenders educating them in a style of hospitality that brings together empathy and storytelling.

Abhishek said: “We are truly honoured to receive the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award. From the beginning, our vision was to bring the flavours of Nepal through our drinks and to create a space that blends global standards with the warmth and soul of our local culture.

“This award is not just a recognition of our service, but a testament to that dream. Barc is deeply personal to me and it has been a journey of passion, challenges and belief. This moment means the world to our team, and to Nepal, a country where hospitality runs through our veins.”

Tucked discreetly behind unassuming doors, Barc is far more than just a cocktail bar, it’s a carefully curated experience where native ingredients are championed and where culture, emotion and community intersect.

With its inviting blend of rustic tones and sweeping architectural arches, the speakeasy-style venue offers a sense of relaxed sophistication. Inside, framed photographs of Nepalese art add a thoughtful touch, reinterpreting local culture through a fresh and nostalgic lens.

At Barc, cocktails are more than drinks, they’re narrative experiences. The menu weaves together global techniques with hyper-local and foraged ingredients, creating a bold yet grounded fusion of flavours. Signature components such as titaura (a tangy hog plum snack), khattu (a preserved fruit mix with salted plum), and aylā (a traditional rice liquor) form the backbone of its inventive offerings.

Aylā, in particular, takes centre stage in both tasting flights and standout drinks like the Aylā Punch, a Newari-style milk-washed cocktail infused with tea and aromatic paan leaves.

Emma Sleight, Head of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Bars, said: “Barc is more than a bar — it’s a movement that’s redefining how people drink, connect and experience hospitality in Kathmandu.

“A trailblazer in a city where cocktail culture continues to surprise in its complexity and development, Barc’s commitment to championing local ingredients, mentoring new talent and delivering hospitality with soul has set a bold new benchmark — not just for Kathmandu, but for the wider region.

“Congratulations to the entire Barc team for showing the world what Nepalese hospitality can be at its very best.”

Barc’s vision is brought to life with the support of co-founder Adarsha Man Tamrakar and an exceptional bar team led by head bartender Rajani Pradhananga and bar manager Sagar Singh Bista.

Matt Magliocco, Executive Vice President for Michter’s Distillery, said: “Congratulations to the entire Barc team on this outstanding achievement. Nepalese bar professionals have long stood at the vanguard of mixology around the world, particularly in East Asia. It is fitting that with Barc winning the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, the Nepalese bar community is being further recognised for their excellence at home.” 

The Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award is the first in a series of awards to be revealed in the lead-up to the 10th edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. The prestigious list will be unveiled at a live awards ceremony on 15 July 2025 in Macau, the first time the event will be held in the city.