Pandan Negroni Trail: A Southeast Asian-Inspired Cocktail Crawl for Curious Travelers

Start your pandan negroni crawl: a travel drinking guide for curious, respectful explorers

Feeling overwhelmed by generic cocktail lists and tourist traps? Want to discover drinks that tell a story — of rice, leaf and regional craft — without wasting precious trip time? This guide maps a pandan-forward cocktail crawl through Shoreditch bars and a compact Southeast Asian route, explains why pandan and rice gin matter in 2026, and gives travel-friendly recipe tweaks so you can recreate the experience wherever you are.

Why pandan, rice gin and regional liqueurs matter now (2026 trends)

In late 2025 and into 2026, the global cocktail scene doubled down on authenticity and terroir. Bartenders and small distillers shifted from global commodities back to local ingredients: heritage grains, tropical botanicals and house-made liqueurs. Two trends stand out for travelers and food tourists:

• Heritage grain spirits like rice gin — producers in Southeast Asia and Europe refined rice-based gins and neutral spirits, highlighting creamy textures and a naturally sweet backbone that pairs beautifully with pandan.
• Botanical storytelling — pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) moved beyond desserts into cocktails because it provides aromatic top notes reminiscent of vanilla, coconut and grassy lemon.

These shifts make a pandan negroni crawl not only delicious but emblematic of contemporary food tourism: you aren’t just tasting alcohol, you’re tasting place.

The concept: what is a pandan negroni crawl?

Think of the pandan negroni as a reinterpretation of the classic Negroni — bitter, balanced, and stirred — but with Southeast Asian aromatic sweetness. Bars riff on the template in different ways: pandan-infused gin, rice gin as the base spirit, or regional liqueurs taking the place of vermouth or bitter. A crawl stitches those variations into a comparative tasting experience that doubles as a cultural tour.

Core elements of a pandan negroni

• Base spirit: rice gin or a gin infused with pandan.
• Vermouth swap: white vermouth or locally made fortified wines.
• Bitter element: Campari or a regional bitter/aperitif; some bars use bitter herbal liqueurs.
• Optional: green Chartreuse or pandan liqueur for sweet-herbal lift.

Short Shoreditch crawl: 3 stops that reinterpret classics

Shoreditch remains a creative crucible for ingredient-driven bars. If you have one evening, this 3-stop plan balances iconic experiences with time to walk, digest and photograph.

Stop 1 — Bun House Disco (starter: pandan negroni)

Why go: Bun House Disco made headlines for its pandan negroni — a vivid, green-tinted riff mixing pandan-infused rice gin, white vermouth and green Chartreuse. It’s a sensory opener: sweet, herbal and savoury at once.

“Pandan leaf brings fragrant southern Asian sweetness to a mix of rice gin, white vermouth and green Chartreuse.”

How to order: Ask for it stirred, short — it’s designed to be contemplative. Pair with a small steamed pork bun or a salty snack; the pandan lifts the fatty notes.

Stop 2 — A neighbourhood gin bar (contrast: classic vs rice gin)

Why go: After Bun House Disco, visit a local gin-focused spot that stocks both London dry and rice gins. Taste the pandan riff against a traditional Negroni to notice texture and sweetness differences.

How to order: Order a flight — 15ml each — of a classic Negroni, a pandan negroni, and a rice-gin Negroni. Take notes on mouthfeel and balance.

Stop 3 — Late-night modern-Asian bar (finish: bitter herbal twist)

Why go: Close the night with a bar that experiments with Asian liqueurs or bitter house infusions. The final pandan negroni variation might substitute Chartreuse with a house sugared pandan liqueur or use a regional bitter made from local roots.

How to order: Ask the bartender for their most local take. If they offer a deconstructed version, try it — seeing the components side-by-side is a micro masterclass.

Southeast Asia micro-route: five cities, five interpretations

For travelers with time, these five city stops each offer distinct cultural and ingredient contexts. Plan 8–14 days to move through them locally (or use as inspiration for a multi-trip bucket list).

Bangkok — botanical rebellion

Bars in Bangkok lean into tropical aromatics. Look for places that champion local produce — pandan, kaffir lime, tamarind, and rice-based spirits. Many bartenders here make house bitters from local roots and peelings.

Tip: Visit a cocktail bar with an open pantry so you can smell ingredients like pandan and toasted rice before ordering.

Penang (George Town) — hawker-to-cocktail translations

Penang’s food culture feeds bars. Pandan often appears in desserts here, which bartenders reinterpret into palatable cocktail sugar and aroma. Expect pandan syrup made from pandan juice and palm sugar for a darker, caramelized note.

Ho Chi Minh City — experimental and late-night

HCM bars borrow from both French aperitif culture and Vietnamese pantry items. Rice gin and house-made rice spirits are common. Try a pandan negroni with a local bitter (made from herbs like lolot or cassia flower).

Singapore — craft and regulation-savvy

Singapore’s bar scene is refined and rules-aware. Here you’ll find polished presentations: pandan-infused gins, precision bitters and delicate garnishes. Expect to pay a premium for craft and provenance.

Jakarta — bold, spicy interpretations

In Jakarta, bartenders bring spice and heat: galangal, torched pandan, and palm sugar syrup appear alongside rice gin. If you like an assertive bitter profile, this is a good stop.

Practical recipe tweaks for travelers (make a pandan negroni anywhere)

Below are three variations you can prepare in a short-stay rental or request at a bar. Each includes substitutions and quick methods that use travel-friendly tools.

1. Classic pandan negroni (bartender’s baseline)

Measure and stir — this is the template many bars follow. If you can’t find rice gin, a clean, floral gin works.

• 25ml pandan-infused rice gin (see infusion method)
• 15ml white vermouth
• 15ml green Chartreuse (or 15ml pandan liqueur + dash herbal bitter)
• Method: Stir with ice, strain into rocks glass, express citrus peel or garnish with a small pandan leaf.

2. Travel-friendly pandan negroni (hotel-friendly, no blender)

When you don’t have a blender or want to keep liquids compact.

• 25ml gin (any good gin)
• 10–15ml pandan syrup (see quick pandan syrup below)
• 15ml sweet or white vermouth
• 15ml Campari or local bitter
• Method: Build over ice in a rocks glass. Stir and garnish with an orange twist.

3. Low-ABV pandan negroni (for longer crawls)

A lower-proof option for multi-stop nights or daytime touring.

• 25ml rice-based aperitif (or 15ml gin + 10ml non-alcoholic aperitif)
• 20ml white vermouth
• 10ml pandan syrup
• 10–15ml Campari (or less, to taste)
• Top with soda if desired; serve over ice.

Quick infusions and pantry hacks (no bar tools required)

Pandan-infused gin — fast hotel method (2–6 hours)

1. Slice 10–15cm of fresh pandan leaf into small pieces (green parts only).
2. Place in a clean jar with 175ml gin, seal tightly.
3. Leave at room temperature for 2–6 hours, shake occasionally. For deeper colour and aroma, refrigerate overnight.
4. Strain through coffee filter or fine sieve.

Notes: Use rice gin if you can find it locally. If you’re short on fresh pandan, 5–10ml pandan extract or 10–15ml pandan paste diluted with water works.

Quick pandan syrup (20 min)

• 100g sugar + 100ml water + 2 pandan leaves (knotted)
• Simmer 10 minutes, cool 10 minutes with leaves steeping, strain.

Pandan syrup keeps in a small bottle in the fridge for up to 7 days — ideal for short trips.

Buying ingredients and responsible foraging

Where to source pandan and rice gin on the move:

• Shoreditch/UK: Asian grocers stock fresh pandan and pandan paste; specialty spirit shops sometimes carry rice gin (look for craft distilleries). Ask bartenders where they source theirs — they love to share local supplier names.
• Southeast Asia: Wet markets are the best source for fresh pandan and pandan paste; duty-free shops increasingly stock regional rice gins and artisanal liqueurs.
• Online: If you’re traveling long-term, pack small, shelf-stable pandan extract or powdered pandan for convenience.

Customs note: always check local and inbound alcohol allowances. Many countries allow small quantities duty-free; others have strict limits. When in doubt, consult a moving and arrival checklist or consume locally rather than attempting to carry unfamiliar spirits through customs.

Etiquette, sustainability and safety (travel-savvy tips)

Part of the modern travel drinker’s responsibility is respecting local culture and the environment.

• Respect local drinking norms: In some places, public drunkenness is frowned upon. Ask hosts about house rules.
• Support local producers: When a bar features a local rice gin or house-made pandan liqueur, tip and ask how to buy a bottle directly from the distiller when possible.
• Reduce waste: Bring a small reusable to-go cup for daytime low-ABV sessions; decline single-use straws and request minimal garnish when you can.
• Drink responsibly: Pace the crawl — alternate with water, eat local snacks between bars, and use official taxis or rideshares late at night.

Case study: a real two-night itinerary (experience-driven)

Here’s a practical two-night plan for visitors who want both Shoreditch depth and a Southeast Asian comparison in one trip (ideal for a UK–Bangkok split or longer travel).

Night 1: Shoreditch deep-dive

1. Evening: Start at Bun House Disco for a pandan negroni and small plates.
2. Late evening: Walk to a specialist gin bar for a rice gin flight and a classic Negroni for comparison.
3. End: Finish at a modern-Asian late bar sampling a pandan-palm sugar digestif.

Night 2: Bangkok botanical tour (or replicate in your destination)

1. Evening: Start at a bar known for local produce — order their pandan riff.
2. Mid-evening: Visit a small distillery tasting room to sample rice gin varietals.
3. Finish: Try a low-ABV pandan aperitif with street-food pairings to taste how the flavor adapts to local cuisine.

Actionable takeaways for your next trip

• Pre-trip prep: Pack small bottles of pandan extract and a printed list of bars you want to visit. Download offline maps and opening hours.
• Order smart: Ask bartenders if the pandan element is infusion, syrup, or liqueur — it changes balance and sweetness.
• Compare deliberately: At stop two, order a classic Negroni alongside your pandan version to note mouthfeel and bitterness shifts.
• Bring home the memory: Buy a locally made bottle of rice gin or pandan liqueur; it’s a sustainable souvenir that supports artisans.

Final notes on trends and future predictions (2026–2028)

Expect the pandan negroni and similar regional reinterpretations to become standard fixtures on menu test lists. From 2026 into 2028, watch for:

• More rice-gin collaborations between Southeast Asian distillers and European craft houses.
• Increase in house-made pandan bitters and low-alcohol pandan aperitifs for daytime food tourism.
• Apps and curated micro-tours that map ingredient trails (e.g., pandan and rice terroirs) across cities, linking bars to producers.

Closing: how to turn this crawl into your own cultural story

Use the pandan negroni as a lens — not just a drink. Your crawl should connect flavors to producers, streets to stories. Photograph the ingredient sources, ask bartenders about suppliers, and bring home a bottle or two to keep the conversation going. In 2026, travelers want more than a good drink; they want a traceable, ethical story that tastes as good as it photographs.

Ready to taste? Start with one small recipe: make a single pandan-infused gin in your hotel tonight and compare it to the menu version tomorrow. Share your findings with the bar crew — bartenders love a curious, respectful guest.

Call to action

Plan your pandan negroni crawl today: download our printable Shoreditch map and Southeast Asia micro-route checklist, and sign up for our quarterly Food & Culinary Traditions newsletter to get the latest bar openings, rice gin releases and sustainable travel tips for 2026.

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