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Zest

Seoul

Seoul’s seasons, poured into a glass

Opened in 2020 by Demie Kim, Sean Woo, Jisu Park and Noah Kwon, Zest emerged from a shared desire to create a distinctly Korean expression of the modern cocktail bar. Based in Seoul's vibrant Cheongdam neighbourhood, and among a cluster of several other illustrious bars, Zest places locality, seasonality and sustainability at the centre of its thinking, but does so without virtue signalling or diluting the guest experience. Instead, these principles are built into the way the drinks are conceived, sourced and served.

The name itself is a nod to the bar's philosophy – both citrus zest and the idea of zero waste. Ingredients are sourced predominantly from Korean producers, and the team works closely with farmers to determine what they grow and how it can be used. Almost nothing is treated as disposable. Fruit peels, vegetable trimmings and spent ingredients are redirected into stocks, ferments, distillates, garnishes and other preparations, while mixers such as tonic and soda are made in-house.

The result is a drinks programme that feels unmistakably Korean without relying on predictable signifiers. Traditional ingredients and spirits such as soju, yakju and Korean fruit and vegetables appear alongside international spirits and classic cocktail structures. A drink might use Korean melon in several forms, or transform the flavours of a familiar dish into something entirely liquid.

There is a precision and restraint to Zest's approach, with each drink designed to make the most of its ingredients rather than overwhelm them. It is ultimately a bar built around a simple but ambitious idea: that drinking locally can be deeply rooted, progressive, and above all, fun.

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