The new space on 108 Hollywood Road, one street down from Antinori’s thriving Bar Leone, combines the hedonistic vibes of the 1970s with Cuba’s historic cocktail culture, which brought a crossover between disco energy and Daiquiris.
“Hong Kong has a huge appetite for quality cocktails, but also having fun. With Simone’s deep understanding of Cuba’s historic cocktail scene and my knowledge of Hong Kong, we can’t wait to get started,” says Antinori, during an exclusive viewing of the new site.
“Since I arrived in London in 2011, Simone has been an inspiration to me, so it’s like a dream to now be business partner with someone that I’ve looked up to for so long.”
Montana is named after a forgotten classic in the cocktail manual of Club de Cantineros – Cuba’s legendary bartender society of the early 20th century. The bar itself sits at street level with an internal mezzanine splitting the 50-cover venue. Entering the ground floor, guests will be welcomed by the sense of a high energy elevated Florida dive bar with a vibrant Latin funk soundtrack.
Upstairs will be seated service with round sofas and a mood wall depicting images and memorabilia of Cuban and international pop culture icons of the 1970s – think iconic famous baseball players, Gloria Estefan and Muhammad Ali. Further nods to Cuba’s influence are also evident in the staff’s traditional black tie uniform, silver tray service and legendary drinks.
“There are lots of bars around the world with a Cuban theme, and lots based on the US in the 1970s. But few are combining both concepts,” adds Caporale. “We wanted to create a time machine to showcase the energy of this period but with the modern techniques and hospitality of today.”
The menu, inspired by Cuba’s historic cocktail legacy, features twists on the classics. The El Presidente is married in a dulce de Leche-coated bottle while Montana’s Rum & Coke Sour reimagines the Cuba Libre with Italian amaro, ginger falernum, cola syrup and lime.
The Santa Marta Daiquiri follows the original recipe found in the 1930’s edition of the Club de los Cantineros - rum, lime, maraschino and a float of kirsch eau de vie, while its Piña Colada also pays tribute to the classic, but with the addition of barbecued pineapple juice and toasted coconut and served as a playful slushy.
Its food offering will feature its signature dish, BBQ Pineapple Helado, which uses spiced rum-marinated pineapple which will be slowly roasted on a rotisserie by the bar and served with vanilla ice cream.
“Our goal is to marry together great executed drinks with an amazing vibe. Montana wants to be a fun experience and we hope guests will come for the drinks and stay for the service, the music and the rhythm of the venue,” adds Antinori.
“The important thing for us is that, yes the food and drinks will be delicious, but the vibes will be unapologetically fun. We want people to dance and get excited through the energy of a great playlist and the legacy of Cuba’s cocktail heritage.”
Montana is due to open in summer 2025 and will be open Tuesday - Saturday 6pm-late.
