The Pegu Club was a Victorian-style Gentlemen's club located in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). It was built in the late 1880s[1] to serve the British army officers and civilian administrators after the annexation of Upper Burma in 1885. It was one of the most famous gentlemen's clubs in Southeast Asia, at par with the Royal Selangor Club of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Tanglin Club in Singapore.[2]
It was located near the famed Shwedagon Pagoda and the Governor's Residence and was reportedly off limits to the local Bamars. According to local history, the club was burned down during the bombing by the Japanese in late 1941. The club was not rebuilt and now only a bus stop named after it exists on Pyay Road, Yangon's main thoroughfare. According to Paul Theroux, however, he was able to reach the entrance of the club in 1971, indicating that the club may have well continued its existence after the war, but later fell out of use.[3]
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In the 1920s, it gave rise to the Pegu cocktail.
A new Pegu club was opened in SoHo, New York. It continues to serve the Pegu club cocktail and has played in the revival in interest and reputation of the cocktail.