Bar Leone only opened in June 2023, but it’s already the world’s best bar. To be specific, the Hong Kong cocktail den just topped the annual World’s Best 50 Bars list, announced Wednesday in, fittingly, Hong Kong. The bar, which retained its title as The Best Bar in Asia for a second year in a row months ago at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025, also marks the first time an establishment in Asia has been awarded the top spot on The World’s 50 Best Bars list. Last year, it came in second.
How Hong Kong’s Cocktail Bar Scene Has Thrived Despite Its Challenges
Hong Kong has one of Asia’s most dynamic lineups of cocktail bars“We’re a neighborhood bar, and I think it’s important to create spaces that are accessible and approachable,” co-founder Lorenzo Antinori told InsideHook a few months ago. “After COVID, people want to have fun, and I think in the bar scene now there is definitely lots of interest in simpler concepts.” The venue channels the soul of Rome’s traditional neighborhood bars, which is no surprise, as Andtinori hails from the Italian capital.
Our writer Jake Emen described Bar Leone thusly: “[It] oozes a fun vibe that enchants guests the moment they walk through the doors. Sure, there are inspired, well-made cocktails, with signatures such as the Filthy Martini and Yuzu Americano, a trio of house Negroni riffs and seasonal cocktails such as the Olive Oil Sour, but it’s the hospitality and energy, and a locals-first approach, that’s responsible for the bar’s soaring overnight success.”
As Louella Berryman on 50 Best noted, “Other bars have bespoke glassware and uber-curated concepts – Bar Leone’s success is down to classic bartending, brilliant drinks and heart.” And if you want to visit, they have a no-reservations policy, which admittedly may lead to some long lines.
Some other notables at The World’s 50 Best Bars:
- Last year’s winner (Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy) came in at number two.
- The top bar from the United States was NYC’s Superbueno, which came in at No. 12.
- The 2025 list features bars from 29 cities with eight new entries spread across Athens, Greece; Bratislava, Slovakia; Guangzhou, China; Lima, Peru; New York; Oslo, Norway; Tirana, Albania; and Tokyo.
- London and New York both have four bars on the list.
- For the first time, bars from Eastern Europe were ranked, including Mirror Bar in Bratislava at number 25.
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