Sora Bar: 5 Reasons Why This Rooftop Bar In Phnom Penh, Cambodia Should Be On Your Travel List

PUBLISHED March 28th, 2024 11:19 am | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 03:33 pm

There’s just something about gazing upon a city’s skyline with a cocktail in hand that compels us to visit rooftop bars. It could be the sensory feast from a bird’s eye view or the sense of escape from the city into the sky. Add a rooftop bar with great vibes and delicious drinks, like Sora Bar, into your Cambodia travel itinerary, and you’ll have a winning night out. What’s more, you’ll be greeted by the sunkissed views of Phnom Penh by sunset, alongside the glistening Great River, Mekong River. In our recent visit to Rosewood Phnom Penh, we explored Sora Bar and learnt these five reasons why this rooftop bar in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, should be on your travel list.

It’s on the World’s 50 Best Discovery List

 

Sora Bar had just been inducted into the World’s 50 Best Discovery list, a recognition from the World’s 50 Best Bars Academy. The diverse list features expert-recommended restaurants and bars, celebrating everything from local favourites to emerging talents. To be eligible for inclusion, a bar must garner a significant number of votes from more than 680 industry experts during the most recent polling for The World’s 50 Best Bars. A testament to the team’s dedication to quality cocktail and bar experiences, this accolade marks Sora Bar as a top bar destination in Phnom Penh, solidifying its position in the burgeoning cocktail culture in Cambodia.

It’s Vibing Indoors and Outdoors 

Standing tall in the heart of Phnom Penh is the Vattanac Capital Tower, of which Rosewood Phnom Penh resides on the 14 uppermost floors. Sora Bar, with Sora translating to sky in Japanese, is perched on the 37th floor. The rooftop bar in Phnom Penh sits on a stunning cantilevered terrace, with cocktail tables and booth seatings arranged around the circular central bar, offering guests an expansive view of the Cambodian capital and the storied Mekong River. Our visit to the bar was opportune; we arrived just in time to catch the sunset spectacle. Even with the tropical heat on, it didn’t deter us from basking in the views while sipping champagne on the deck. However, we recommend bringing your sunglasses. At night, the outdoor terrace glowed amidst the dark sky, casting an intimate and relaxing vibe, making it an excellent spot for date nights. 

The indoor space features fine wood furnishings, plush seats, floor-to-ceiling windows, and an impressive metal chandelier that lends elegant curves. Head to one of the booth seats for an intimate time with a view, or join in the conviviality with jazzy tunes by the live musicians. And if it’s live bar action you desire, the counter seats are up for grabs.

Not forgetting whisky lovers, a sleek and stylish Whisky Library and Cigar Lounge sits adjacent to the bar’s entrance. Think leather seats, wing-back armchairs, and dark wood finishings. With the Mekong River as the back bar, we recommend sitting at the counter while you imbibe the widest selection of dark spirits in Cambodia. 

It’s a Fusion of Cultures 

Working and crafting with local ingredients is one of the best ways to showcase the unique features of a locale. And Sora Bar does this with a spark of imagination in its Book of Yokai menu. Weaving local ingredients with Japanese folklore, 12 cocktails and four mocktails tell the stories of four mythological characters, each embodying one of four Cambodian ingredients. 

Starting with the country’s staple, Rice, represented by the powerful and wise Japanese Dragon, is found in God of the Seas. The smoky twist on a dry martini featured brown rice and rice vinegar mixed with London Dry Gin and Dry Vermouth and finished with a spritz of sea smoke. Legend has it that a hint of smoke precedes the appearance of this creature who oversees abundant agricultural harvests. The dragon princess’ love story in Jewel Princess is a spirit-forward mix of Premier Cru Cognac, Chinato Vermouth, and Amaro Averna with Genmaicha, speaking of the passions between the lovers. 

The menu pairs Tanuki, the mischievous shapeshifter with a sweet tooth, with Sugar Palm in Shapeshifter, which sees Cashew Nut Aged Rum and Scotch Whisky stirred in with Miso Sugar Palm. And Cambodia’s black gold, Kampot Pepper, makes its appearance in the stories of Kitsune, with the lively SORA 75, an aromatic twist to classic champagne cocktails. With its long nose reminiscent of a banana, cocktails from stories of the Tengu focus on Cambodia’s national fruit. The Crown Collins boasts flavours from the entire banana plant, mixed with Caribbean Rum, Kaffir Lime, and Soda for a dry and slightly bitter finish. 

*all cocktails here are priced at USD$12

Over at the Whisky Library, the new menu serving whisky-based cocktails is built around a tribute to the five sacred samurai swords, Tenka-Goken. Presented in a journal format, the menu includes concoctions like the light and earthy The Imperial (USD$15), featuring Scotch whisky-infused dry figs, Campari, and Japanese umeshu, and the Rosary (USD$15), a take on Japanese Highball with Westward Whiskey.

It’s More than just Cocktails.

While cocktails are the highlight at Sora Bar, their food is just as good. The modest selection of hot and cold snacks ranges from sashimi to yakitori and sliders, perfectly complementing the cocktail menu. Line your stomach with skewered Wagyu BBQ (USD$19) or some Yakitori (USD$6), grilled chicken with tare sauce. Leave it to the chef for the Nigiri Five Kinds (USD$17), or enjoy a refreshing Tuna Tataki (USD$15) drizzled with honey dressing.

It’s Stirring Up A Cocktail Revolution 

Sora Bar is not just setting the bar; it’s raising it with its monthly rotation of guest shifts, bringing some of the best mixologists from the World’s 50 Best Bars to Cambodia. Delighting the city’s cocktails aficionados, this rooftop bar in Phnom Penh has welcomed guests from Hong Kong’s COA( #1 bar on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023), Rome’s Drink Kong (#16 on World’s 50 Best Bars 2023), and Barcelona’s Paradiso (#1 on World’s 50 Best Bars 2022). On top of delivering exceptional guest experiences with drinks from around the world, this initiative also enriches the local bar community through masterclasses and networking opportunities. 

Sora Bar is located at Vattanac Capital Tower, 66 Monivong Boulevard, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, 120211, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia, p.+855 23 936 888. Open daily 5 pm -12am.