Bar Leone named World’s Best Bar 2025
The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 have been revealed, with Hong Kong’s Bar Leone taking the top spot from Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy.
Fronted by Lorenzo Antinori, Bar Leone topped the Asia list for the second year in a row in July.
Handshake Speakeasy was the World’s Best Bar in 2024 and managed to bag the title of North America’s Best Bar in April. However, in the 2025 World list, it slipped to second place behind Bar Leone.
Bar Leone’s win marks the first time a bar in Asia has crowned number one. The bar operates by the ethos of ‘cocktail popolari’, meaning ‘cocktails for the people’, paying tribute to the neighbourhood bars of Rome.
Rounding out the top five were Sips and Paradiso in Barcelona, followed by London’s Tayēr + Elementary. Sips retained its third-place spot from 2024, while Paradiso rose by six places and Tayēr + Elementary fell by one.
This year’s highest climber was Moebius Milano, which rose from 38th in last year’s list – its debut into the top 50 – to seventh in 2025.
Notable absences on the top 50 list include New York’s Martiny’s, which fell from 24th spot in 2024 to 75th on the extended list this year; Mexico City’s Licorería Limantour, which fell from 32nd to 52nd; and Melbourne’s Byrdi, which fell from 35th to 91st.
You can find the full top 50 list at the bottom of the page.
Rankings by region
This year’s list featured bars from 29 cities across the globe.
Of the 23 European bars on the list, four are based in London: Tayēr + Elementary (fifth), Connaught Bar (sixth), Satan’s Whiskers (21st), and Scarfes Bar (31st).
Paris had three top-ranking bars: Bar Nouveau (17th), The Cambridge Public House (20th), and Danico (30th).
The Cambridge Public House also won the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award, which is based on adjudication by the Sustainable Restaurant Association. The bar was the first in the world to achieve B Corp certification.
Athens also had three contenders: Line (eighth), Baba au Rum (27th), and The Bar in Front of the Bar (47th). Baba au Rhum was also awarded the Rémy Martin Legend of the List prize, which is given to a bar that has performed most consistently in the list since its inception.
Barcelona’s Sips retained the title of Best Bar in Europe for a third consecutive year. Its co-founder, Simone Caporale, also bagged the Roku Industry Icon Award.
This year marked the first time venues from Eastern Europe made the list: Bratislava’s Mirror Bar (25th) and Nouvelle Vague in Tirana (28th). Mirror Bar also bagged the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.
In North America, New York was the city with the most bars represented, with four: Superbueno (which rose 15 places to 12th), newcomer Sip & Guzzle (39th), Double Chicken Please (41st), and Overstory (46th).
Sip & Guzzle was also named Three Cents Best New Opening.
Tres Monos in Buenos Aires retained the title of Best Bar in South America, ranking at number 10.
Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage ranked 19th and retained its title as the Best Bar in Australasia.
Meanwhile, 2025 was the first year that the World’s 50 Best Bars presented awards for Africa and the Middle East separately. The Best Bar in the Middle East was Mimi Kakushi (36th), while Africa’s top spot went to Nairobi’s Hero Bar (69th).
In Asia, Tokyo had three bars on the list: Bar Benfiddich (18th), Virtù (45th), and new entry The Bellwood (48th).
Other prizes awarded on the night include the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, which went to Lima’s Lady Bee (13th); the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award, which went to Penang’s Backdoor Bodega; and the Best Bar Design Award, which was given to Sydney’s Tigra + Disco Pantera.
Bar Mauro in Mexico City received the Campari One To Watch Award. The bar ranked 54th on the extended list, which was announced two weeks ago.
During the ceremony, Uno Jang of Jigger & Pony Group was also recognised for winning the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award last month.
Emma Sleight, head of content for The World’s 50 Best Bars, said: “It is such a delight to unveil Bar Leone as The World’s Best Bar 2025, sponsored by Perrier. Not only is this remarkable achievement the first time a bar from Asia has claimed the top spot, but it is a dazzling testament to the commitment of Lorenzo and the entire Bar Leone team to redefining hospitality excellence.
“We are deeply honoured to spotlight the extraordinary diversity of the global bar landscape in 2025, and we raise a glass to every bar that has earned its place in this year’s list.
“With more cocktail capitals represented than ever before, this ranking continues to serve as a vibrant compass for curious drinkers and passionate explorers alike – igniting wanderlust and raising the bar for cocktail culture across the globe.”
The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025
- Bar Leone, Hong Kong, China
- Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, Mexico
- Sips, Barcelona, Spain
- Paradiso, Barcelona, Spain
- Tayēr + Elementary, London, UK
- Connaught Bar, London, UK
- Moebius Milano, Milan, Italy
- Line, Athens, Greece
- Jigger & Pony, Singapore, Singapore
- Tres Monos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Alquímico, Cartagena, Colombia
- Superbueno, New York, USA
- Lady Bee, Lima, Peru
- Himkok, Oslo, Norway
- Bar Us, Bangkok, Thailand
- Zest, Seoul, South Korea
- Bar Nouveau, Paris, France
- Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
- Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne, Australia
- The Cambridge Public House, Paris, France
- Satan’s Whiskers, London, UK
- Locale Firenze, Florence, Italy
- Tlecān, Mexico City, Mexico
- Tan Tan, São Paulo, Brazil
- Mirror Bar, Bratislava, Slovakia
- CoChinChina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Baba au Rum, Athens, Greece
- Nouvelle Vague, Tirana, Albania
- Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou, China
- Danico, Paris, France
- Scarfes Bar, London, UK
- Svanen, Oslo, Norway
- Sastrería Martinez, Lima, Peru
- Panda & Sons, Edinburgh, UK
- Röda Huset, Stockholm, Sweden
- Mimi Kakushi, Dubai, UAE
- Salmon Guru, Madrid, Spain
- Coa, Hong Kong, China
- Sip & Guzzle, New York, USA
- Drink Kong, Rome, Italy
- Double Chicken Please, New York, USA
- Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia
- 1930, Milan, Italy
- Jewel of the South, New Orleans, USA
- Virtù, Tokyo, Japan
- Overstory, New York, USA
- The Bar in Front of the Bar, Athens, Greece
- The Bellwood, Tokyo, Japan
- BKK Social Club, Bangkok, Thailand
- Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore, Singapore
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