Aberdeen Street Reborn as Hong Kong’s "Cultural Corridor" of Music, Art, and Literature

On March the Aberdeen ecosystem goes live: The Old Man returns to its roots, AER pivots to high-fidelity dining, and Dead Poets becomes a liquid art gallery.

HONG KONG, March 2026 -  ​​There are bar streets, and then there are destinations. Founder and Operational Director Nikita Matveev is betting on the latter. By aligning three venues on a single slope at Aberdeen Street, The Old Man, AER, and Dead Poets, Matveev has constructed the "Aberdeen Street Arts Row." The concept is ambitious but clear: A vertical itinerary where the night is defined not by how much you drink, but by the art form you consume, Music (AER), Art (Dead Poets), and Literature (The Old Man) coexist.

"We aren't just opening doors; we are building a cultural corridor," says Matveev. "This isn't a bar hop. It’s a journey through headspaces. You start with the legacy and storytelling at The Old Man, you move to the rhythm and dinner at AER, and you end with the visual chaos at Dead Poets. It’s Literature, Music, and Art, served in three acts at Aberdeen Street."

ACT I: LITERATURE AT THE OLD MAN

The Return of the Legend | THE "RELATIONS" MENU

Heavyweights don't disappear; they evolve. Once crowned #1 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, The Old Man is reclaiming its narrative. Under the guidance of Bar Manager Art (Diageo World Class Champion), the venue strips away the molecular distance to return to the raw, emotional storytelling that put it on the global map. The new menu, "Relations," is a lyrical exploration of the ties that shape us.

• The Narrative: Hemingway wasn't just a writer; he was defined by the people around him. The new cocktails distill these bonds into glass: from mentors like Ezra Pound who sharpened his poetic edge, to rivals such as F. Scott Fitzgerald who fueled his drive.

• The Experience: This is a return to the soul. Guests are invited to taste the complexity of human connection in drinks like "Likeminded Creatures" (Tequila, Patchouli, Pear) and "Partners in Crime" (Gin, Thai Basil, Chili). The Old Man is back, and it has a story to tell.

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ACT II: THE DINNER AT AER (Aesthetic Radio)

The Audiophile Restobar | NEW MENU LAUNCH: FEB 1

Just up across Old Man, we break for dinner. AER has evolved beyond a late-night drinks spot into the Arts Row’s Audiophile Restobar. Recognizing that a long night needs a solid foundation, on February 1st, the venue debuts its new Dining & Cocktail Program, powered by a state-of-the-art Quadraphonic Sound System.

It is now a "Listening Lounge" where the playlist drives the palate.

• The Food: This is not bar snacks. The new kitchen inspired by the American diner movement features substantial "Radio Tower" plates like Uncle Andy’s Hot Beef (Roast beef, mustard sauce, fried egg, chili crisp), Korean Dog (smoked pork hotdog, kimchi, gochujang mayo, sesame, scallion, crispy shallots), and the best Lil’ Philly Cheese Steak in town (peppers, onion, cheese sauce, roast beef, brioche)  .

• The Drinks: The cocktail list, "Indulge in the Frequency," translates sound into flavor. The "Factory Records" (Post-Punk) take a cue from Trojan Records (bright pineapple and lime over a heave rum groove for an all spice skank and dark vinyl float), Nervous Records (Peak hour lift- espresso, orange oil and velvet coconut)

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ACT III: VISUAL ART AT DEAD POETS

The Liquid Gallery | NEW MENU LAUNCH: FEB 1

Just up the slope, the focus shifts from the ear to the eye. Dead Poets is the street’s "Studio” a hybrid oddity that functions as a bustling barber shop by day and an experimental cocktail lab by night with a soon to launch boba tea drop from 10am mid-Feb.

On February 1st, the venue launches "Liquid Gallery v4: Dead Painters."

• The Concept: At Dead Poets, the menu is the exhibition. The series treats cocktails as canvases, deconstructing the lives and styles of history’s most iconic artists into flavor. It is unpolished, energetic, and visually driven.

• The Exhibition (Menu):

  • Van Gogh’s "Sunflower": A bright, floral collision of Beefeater Gin, Absinthe, and house-made Sunflower Seed & Marigold Cordial.

  • Andy Warhol “Campbell’s Highball” : Inspired by the infamous Campbell’s tomato soup painting, sip with Jack Daniel’s, Clarified Coke, Tomato and Strawberry syrup with Seedlip Garden.