This Italian-infused bar has just been named Asia’s best

Picture yourself in a dimly lit bar. Italian football jerseys and Martini signs line the wall; Italo Disco beats blare from the speakers. Though you could be in central Rome, you’re actually at Bar Leone in Hong Kong – and it’s just been named Asia’s best bar.

While that’s an extraordinary achievement in itself, it’s also one for the record books, as the first time a bar has taken pole position in its debut year on Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

Settle into one of the booth seats at Bar Leone.

“To be recognised as the best in Asia is a true testament to the unwavering passion and relentless drive of our crew,” enthuses Bar Leone owner Lorenzo Antinori, adding he could never have imagined it when the bar first opened just over a year ago.

“We are beyond blessed to call Hong Kong home, and we will continue pouring our hearts into creating an experience that does justice to this remarkable city we love.”

Bar Leone takes on the mantle from last year’s number one, Hong Kong mezcal bar ‘Coa’, which, after three consecutive years at the top, slips to fourth position in 2024.

Last year's number one, Coa in Hong Kong.

Low-waste bar Zest in Seoul’s trendy Gangnam district and long-running Singaporean crowd pleaser Jigger & Pony hold the prestigious rankings of second and third place, respectively.

Bar Benfiddich in Tokyo – described as “a fantastical, apothecary-inspired parallel universe” – rounds out the top five. 

BKK Social Club at the Four Seasons Bangkok landed in eighth place on the list.

Asia’s 50 Best Bars is an annual spotlight and recognition of the bartending talent across the region, with awardees this year hailing from 19 cities – Manila, Bangkok and Bengaluru, to name a few. It follows the same format as the World’s 50 Best Bars.

Voters consist of an anonymous academy of “industry leaders” with their fingers on the pulse (or lips to the glass, as the case may be). On that list are bartenders, bar owners, drinks writers and cocktail aficionados, all of them based in Asia.

1-10
Bar Leone, Hong Kong
Zest, Seoul
Jigger & Pony, Singapore
Coa, Hong Kong
Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
BKK Social Club, Bangkok
Penrose, Kuala Lumpur
Argo, Hong Kong
The Aubrey, Hong Kong

11-20
Virtu, Tokyo
The Cocktail Club, Jakarta
Vesper, Bangkok
Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou
Sago House, Singapore
Night Hawk, Singapore
Darkside, Hong Kong
Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok
The Savory Project, Hong Kong
Bar Cham, Seoul

21-30
Bar Us, Bangkok
The St. Regis Bar (Macau), Macau
The SG Club, Tokyo
Penicillin, Hong Kong
Offtrack, Singapore
Quinary, Hong Kong
Pantja, Jakarta
Craftroom, Osaka
Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya
Vender, Taichung

31-40
Native, Singapore
Origin Bar, Singapore
The Curator, Manila
The Bellwood, Tokyo
35 Analogue Initiative, Singapore
Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur
Bar Mood, Taipei
Employees Only, Singapore
Barc, Kathmandu
4ZLB23, Bengaluru

41-50
Reka, Kuala Lumpur
Fura, Singapore
CMYK, Changsha
The Public House, Taipei
Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong
Alice, Seoul
The Haflington, Hanoi
Le Chamber, Seoul
Atlas, Singapore
Pine & Co, Seoul