Bar Leone retains Best Bar in Asia title
Hong Kong’s Bar Leone has been crowned the Best Bar in Asia for the second consecutive year at the annual Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards.
The ceremony, hosted in Macau yesterday (15 July), featured bars from 20 cities across Asia, including 20 new entries.
Bar Leone made history in 2024 when it became the first venue to debut on the list in the top spot, barely a year after opening. It also made a remarkable debut on The World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2024, landing at the prestigious number two position.
The Hong Kong cocktail bar is owned and operated by Lorenzo Antinori, who featured on a recent episode of The Spirits Business Podcast. In the episode, he talks about how Bar Leone is the home of ‘cocktail popolari’ or ‘cocktails for the people’.
Emma Sleight, head of content for Asia’s 50 Best Bars, said: “We’re thrilled to gather in Macau with Asia’s vibrant and passionate drinks community. The region’s bars continue to redefine excellence in cocktail culture, as seen in the talent and creativity of this year’s winners.
“With 20 new entries, the most in recent years, this list is a testament to the boundary-pushing creativity of Asia, with truly memorable drink experiences waiting to be explored by cocktail enthusiasts.
“Congratulations to Lorenzo Antinori and the entire team at Bar Leone for the incredible feat of retaining the number one spot, and for delivering a consistently outstanding drinking and hospitality experience that brings a bellissimo slice of Rome to Hong Kong.”
The second and third spots in this year’s list were also non-movers.
Zest in Seoul has retained its position at number two, also making it The Best Bar in Korea, sponsored by Tia Maria, for the third year running, while Singapore’s Jigger & Pony came in at number three, making it The Best Bar in Singapore, sponsored by Torres Brandy, for the sixth consecutive year.
Climbing 17 places to fourth position was Bar Us in Bangkok which took the title of The Best Bar in Thailand, sponsored by Amaro Lucano, while a newcomer to the list, Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, also from Bangkok, made its debut at number five, while clinching the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.
A total of 13 bars from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China made the list this year.
Hong Kong lead the region with six spots, with Argo (11) and Coa at (17), followed by Penicillin (27) and The Savory Project (32). Newcomer Gokan landed at 33.
From Taichung, vending machine-themed bar Vender climbed 10 spots to 20 and was named The Best Bar in Taiwan, sponsored by Naked Malt, while in Taipei, The Public House advanced four spots to 40, and To Infinity & Beyond debuted one below at 41.
From Tainan, Moonrock entered the list at 42, and in Guangzhou, Hope & Sesame climbed seven places to seven, earning the title of The Best Bar in Mainland China, sponsored by Cointreau, for the third consecutive year.
CMYK, the high-energy, multi-room bar in Changsha, soared 27 spots to 16, and MO Bar Shenzhen made its debut at 21.
Bangkok lays claim to seven bars on the list. At 19 sits BKK Social Club, followed by new entry G.O.D at 26. Vesper has ranked at 29, while Opium entered the list at 43. Finally, Bar Sathorn joined the list at 48.
Japan secured six spots on the list, led by Bar Benfiddich in Tokyo at 9, which also claimed the title of The Best Bar in Japan, sponsored by Mancino Vermouth.
Close behind was Virtù at 18, followed by Yakoboku from Kumamoto, which debuted on the list at 25.
Another newcomer to the list at 36 was Punch Room Tokyo at The Tokyo Edition, Ginza, while Lamp Bar from Nara re-entered at 46, and new entry Bar Libre took the 49th place on the list.
Five bars from Singapore feature on the list. The music-centric bar Offtrack has risen to 23, followed by Nutmeg & Clove at 24. The agave spirit-focused speakeasy, Cat Bite Club, entered the rankings at 44, closely followed by Native at 45.
From India, Lair in New Delhi entered the list at eight and was crowned The Best Bar in India, sponsored by Matusalem.
From Bengaluru, newcomer Soka landed at 28, and ZLB23 climbed nine spots to 31.
New entry Bar Spirit Forward made its mark at 37, and Goa’s Boilermaker made its inaugural appearance on the list at 30.
Four bars in Malaysia featured on this year’s list, led by Penrose (10) in Kuala Lumpur, crowned The Best Bar in Malaysia, sponsored by Scrappy’s Bitters.
Speakeasy Three X Co, hidden behind a pop-up barbershop in Bangsar Shopping Centre, re-entered at 15, while Bar Trigona took 39, and Reka followed at 47.
Bars from Indonesia also claimed four spots, all of which are list debutants, headlined by Jakarta’s Modernhaus at 12, named The Best Bar in Indonesia, sponsored by Three Cents, and winner of the Three Cents Best New Opening Award.
The St. Regis Bar Jakarta debuted at 22, and Carrots Bar, an intimate venue in SCBD, landed at 34.
Rounding off Indonesia’s showing was Cosmo Pony at 38, a joint venture between Singapore’s Jigger & Pony Group and The Union Group that’s designed as a stylish living room for Jakarta’s cocktail crowd.
Another four positions went to bars from Seoul. While Bar Cham ascended 14 places to six, Alice leapt 33 spots to 13 and therefore clinched the Nikka Highest Climber Award.
Le Chamber capped the list and South Korea’s showing at 50.
From Hiriketiya, list mainstay Smoke & Bitters jumped 15 spots to 14 and was crowned The Best Bar in Sri Lanka, sponsored by Noam, and in Kathmandu, Barc rose four places to 35 and claimed the title of The Best Bar in Nepal, sponsored by Michter’s.
Special awards
Additional awards were also presented throughout the night, with Workshop14 in Hanoi (which placed at 83 on the extended 51-100 list) winning the Campari One To Watch Award, a recognition by the 50 Best team for a rising star bar that has ‘all the right ingredients’ to break into the 1-50 list in the future.
Jay Khan, bartender, agave spirits advocate and founder of Coa Hong Kong, which held the title of The Best Bar in Asia for three consecutive years, was named Roku Industry Icon. Khan previously won the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender in 2020, and founded the non-profit Mezcal Mission, which runs educational workshops on Tequila and mezcal while supporting local charities.
Bangkok’s Vesper (29) was honoured with the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award; an accolade for bars that have consistently excelled in the rankings since the list began in 2016, while Messenger Service (90) took home the Best Bar Design Award for its interiors that feel ‘distinctly minimalist’, with moody, intimate lighting and bottle-lined walls akin to a cocktail apothecary.
Modernhaus, Jakarta, was awarded the Three Cents Best New Opening Award and entered the list at 12, and Sora in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (65 on the extended 51-100 list) won the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award for its groundbreaking zero-waste beverage initiative.
The Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award went to Backdoor Bodega (64), Penang.
Pre-announced special award winners that accepted their accolades at the live awards ceremony include Barc in Kathmandu, winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, and Andrew Ho of Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou, winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.
Related news
Disaronno grows in UK on-trade
