Sora

Phnom Penh

Cambodian heritage paired with state-of-the-art sustainable practices

From the outside, Sora has all the markings of a regular luxury hotel bar in Southeast Asia: classy interiors, a stellar view over its surroundings and an extensive whiskey library (the largest collection in the country, in fact). But beneath the surface beauty of Sora is a sustainable paradise that's breaking the myth that luxury hotels are inherently wasteful.

Opened in 2017 on the 37th floor of the ultra-luxe Rosewood Phnom Penh, Sora was crafted with sustainable practices from the ground up. Not only has it earned a new entry into the extended 51-100 list as part of Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025, it is also crowned the winner of the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award, as judged by 50 Best's Sustainability Audit Partner, The Sustainable Restaurant Association.

At the heart of Sora's eco-friendly operation is its menu, created with a clear love for its locale. Within, more than 70 per cent of the ingredients for its cocktails are sourced from the surrounding area, including from the hotel's own custom hydroponic garden. For ingredients that cannot be grown locally, it applies a sustainable purchasing policy, ensuring high-risk items such as eggs, cacao and coffee are all sourced ethically and have traceable points of origin.

The shining star of its sustainable practices comes via its zero-waste Sora Martini. At the heart of the drink is Sora's own vermouth – created with leftovers from the Rosewood kitchens in collaboration with local distillers utilising ancestral methods – paired with the pulp and peels of oranges and native kampot pepper.

Sora's eco-sensibilities extend to human sustainability, with the bar regularly collaborating with local NGOs such as Smiling Gecko, which supports education and job creation for more than 500 families. It also frequently hosts workshops internally for its team and other bartenders within the burgeoning drinks scene to share knowledge on topics such as waste reduction and how to build a programme that platforms Cambodian ingredients and heritage.

Managing director of The Sustainable Restaurant Association Juliane Caillouette Noble says: "It was Sora's focus on provenance that really got our attention. Our team loved how it showcases local, native and heritage ingredients and designs menus that use every part of these. In teaming up with chefs to bring more Khmer dishes to charity dinners and special menus, it is doing a great job of bringing traditional flavours into a very modern offering."

Contact