On Wednesday, 50 Best announced its highly anticipated annual list of the World’s 50 Best Bars. At this year’s live ceremony in Hong Kong, the local Italian-inspired Bar Leone took home the top spot — marking the first time a bar in Asia has claimed the No. 1 position.
Italian bartender Lorenzo Antinori opened Bar Leone in June 2023, bringing Italy’s vibrant drinking culture to the heart of Hong Kong. Last year, Bar Leone made an impressive 50 Best debut, earning the No. 2 spot on the 2024 list. It also claimed the top placement on the 2025 list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars earlier this year, so it was a favorite to take home the title in the world’s rankings. Bar Leone channels the feeling of Rome’s traditional neighborhood bars, crafting simple, traditional cocktails at the highest level of execution.
