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Forbes
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Hong Kong's Bar Leone Is The Best Bar In Asia
Bar Leone is the best bar in Asia for the second year in a row. Bar Leone Each year, World's 50 Best Bars recognizes the world's top bars, with offshoot lists to honor the best bars in North America and Asia. On July 15, the group announced Asia's 50 Best Bars at a live awards ceremony in Macau, and once again, Bar Leone in Hong Kong took the top spot. Zest (Seoul), Jigger & Pony (Singapore), Bar Us (Bangkok) and Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, also in Bangkok, rounded out the top five. Bar Leone opened in summer 2023 and—impressively—this is the status quo for the Italian-inspired neighborhood bar. Last year, it made history, becoming the first-ever bar to debut on the list in the no.1 position. Bar Leone also entered the World's 50 Best Bars list in the no. 2 position, so it's found success quickly. Bar Leone is run by Lorenzo Antinori, who previously worked at top bars including Argo in Hong Kong (currently no. 11 on Asia's list) and Dandelyan in London. The bar team also includes Justin Shun Wah and Wing Lo. It's known for serving 'cocktail popolari,' or cocktails for the people, and Italian sandwiches. The menu features classics like the Negroni alongside creative takes on classics, like a Yuzu Negroni featuring gin, gentian aperitif, bianco vermouth and yuzu liqueur. The Filthy Martini is made with vodka and smoked olive brine. 'Last year, we said we're speechless, and we continue to be speechless,' said Shun Wah while holding the award on stage. He was born in Hong Kong and his mother is from Macau, so the recognition is especially meaningful to him. 'This is, for me, something that I'd never have imagined. We could not be more happy. We could not be more surprised.' Bangkok leads the way with seven bars in the top 50. (The city is on a tear lately, as it also leads the current World's 50 Best Restaurants lineup with six restaurants in the top 50.) It's followed by Hong Kong with six bars and Singapore with five. Tokyo, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur each features four bars in the top 50. Sustainability-focused Zest is the second best bar in Asia for the second year in a row. Kevin Gray There were lots of newcomers this year. Twenty venues made their debut on Asia's 50 Best Bars list, led by Bangkok's Dry Wave Cocktail Studio at no. 5. Zest in Seoul and Jigger & Pony in Singapore both maintained their positions from last year, so there were no changes among the top three bars. After that, the list saw a lot of movement. Bar Us in Bangkok jumped 17 places to take the title of the Best Bar in Thailand, and Bar Cham in Seoul upped its placement from no. 20 to no. 6. Alice in Seoul was the highest climber of all, leaping 33 spots from last year to no.13 on the list. Here are the 50 best bars in Asia. Use this list as your drinking roadmap the next time you find yourself in one of these cities. Asia's 50 Best Bars — 2025 1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong 2. Zest, Seoul 3. Jigger & Pony, Singapore 4. Bar Us, Bangkok 5. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, Bangkok 6. Bar Cham, Seoul 7. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou 8. Lair, New Delhi 9. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo 10. Penrose, Kuala Lumpur 11. Argo, Hong Kong 12. Modernhaus, Jakarta 13. Alice, Seoul 14. Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya 15. Three X Co, Kuala Lumpur 16. CMYK, Changsha 17. Coa, Hong Kong 18. Virtu, Tokyo 19. BKK Social Club, Bangkok 20. Vender, Taichung 21. MO Bar Shenzhen, Shenzhen 22. The St. Regis Bar, Jakarta 23. Offtrack, Singapore 24. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore 25. Yakoboku, Kumamoto 26. G.O.D in Bangkok 27. Penicillin, Hong Kong 28. Soka, Bengaluru 29. Vesper, Bangkok 30. Boilermaker, Goa 31. ZLB23, Bengaluru 32. The Savory Project, Hong Kong 33. Gokan, Hong Kong 34. Carrot Bar, Jakarta 35. Barc, Kathmandu 36. Punch Room, Tokyo 37. Bar Spirit Forward, Bengaluru 38. Cosmo Pony, Jakarta 39. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur 40. The Public House, Taipei 41. To Infinity & Beyond, Taipei 42. Moonrock, Tainan 43. Opium, Bangkok 44. Cat Bite Club, Singapore 45. Native, Singapore 46. Lamp Bar, Nara 47. Reka, Kuala Lumpur 48. Bar Sathorn, Bangkok 49. Bar Libre, Tokyo 50. Le Chamber, Seoul
South China Morning Post
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025 list sees Hong Kong's Bar Leone take No 1 spot again
Bar Leone, an Italian cocktail spot in Hong Kong, has maintained its number-one ranking in the Asia's 50 Best bars list for the second year in a row. In 2024, the Sheung Wan bar made a shocking debut on the list at number one – the only time in the history of the list that a new venue had grabbed the top spot in its first year. The 2025 rankings, compiled through votes by a panel of industry players from the Asia region, were announced in the evening of July 15 at an awards ceremony held at the Wynn Palace resort in Macau. During the Macau ceremony, Bar Leone founder Lorenzo Antinori took to the stage with his team members, Justin Shun Wah and Wing Lo Representatives from bars featured in the 2025 Asia's 50 Best Bars list celebrate at the awards ceremony at the Wynn Palace in Macau. Photo: Asia's 50 Best Bars Wah said that the moment was especially meaningful to him because he was born in Hong Kong to a Macanese mother. 'This, for me, is something I would never have imagined. We could not be more happy. We couldn't be more surprised.
