The best place to drink in Asia is now Bar Leone in Hong Kong

FOR three years the No. 1 bar in Asia stayed exactly the same. It was Coa in Hong Kong.

Now, a brand-new place has grabbed the top spot: Bar Leone. The Italian-vibed, relaxed spot in Central offers drinks like an Olive Oil Sour, Yuzu Gimlets, and perfect Negronis, both classic and adventurous versions, made by veteran bartender Lorenzo Antinori. The bar made history for being the first brand-new entry to be No. 1; it’s been open for just over a year.

At the awards ceremony, which took place at the Rosewood Hong Kong on Tuesday, there were wild cheers for Mr. Antinori, who was wearing a Bar Leone T-shirt with a logo modeled after the 7-Eleven convenience store.

“It is just an insane feeling,” said Mr. Antinori just after his bar was announced as the winner. “We opened a bar like a year or just over a year ago. And we’re a small, small company. We are just three people that decided to pursue this dream.”

The No. 2 bar is Zest in Seoul, where the specialty is local cocktails from Dohyung Kim, who also won the Bartenders’ Bartender Award this year.

Coa, specializing in Mexican-focused agave spirits and drinks like Ancho Highball, is now No. 4.

IN THE PHILIPPINES
Meanwhile, as for the Philippines, Makati’s The Curator retains its place as The Best Bar in the Philippines for 2024, rising one spot to No. 33 from its previous place as No. 34.

“This excellent hostelry, once known as The Curator Coffee and Cocktails and now simply The Curator, is dedicated to two of the very finest things in life: caffeinated beverages and mixed drinks,” said the Asia’s 50 Best Bars website.

The bar has been in and around the list since its 2016 opening and has been rated the best in the country for the fourth time. This is the country’s only entry into the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list this year.

However, further down the line at No. 82 is Southbank Cafe + Lounge, located at the south of Metro Manila. Founded in 2019, it also rated a mention in the World’s 50 Best Discovery list earlier this year. According to its entry on that list, the bar’s inspiration comes from Melbourne.

“No surprise, then, that it offers the best in wine, coffee and cuisine, not to mention cocktails. The approach to drinks here is decidedly modern, making use of the latest techniques and ingredients, which are described in an accessible way via a beautifully illustrated menu,” continued its entry in the list.

SOME BOOZY STATS
In the battle of best bar cities, Singapore has 11 places on the top 50 list. Hong Kong has nine. Last year, Singapore also , with 11 places in the top 50.

This is the 9th year for Asia’s 50 Best Bars list; the rankings are based on the votes of about 265 people from the drinks and hospitality world, including bar tenders, bar owners, and drink writers. The list is owned and operated by William Reed Business Media, which also produces the World’s 50 Best Bars and Restaurants lists.

Sustainability was a frequent refrain throughout the awards ceremony. The official sustainability award was given to newcomer Fura in Singapore, No. 42. Among the innovative, attention-getting drinks they’re mixing: and jellyfish martinis. In Bangkok, at No. 18-ranked Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, whole ingredients are the feature, like the pomelo cocktail that includes the leaves, skin, and pulp. “We showcase the resourceful cocktail — a simple idea where we maximize the ingredient. So we use every part of that ingredient, or every or parts of that ingredient in different ways,” says co-owner and bartender Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn.

Among the trends Emma Sleight, head of content at 50 Best, sees on this year’s list is locally minded bars, in contrast to high-styled hotel boites. “A new style of bar is the neighborhood style bar, which is kind of relaxed.” Sleight also called out the far-ranging drinks culture in host city Hong Kong: “It’s got a diverse cosmopolitan guest approach to gastronomy.”

The bars and lounges ranked 51 through 100 were announced earlier in July. Singapore had the most entries, eight, including Cat Bite Club, No. 77, a secret bar where the focus is rice-based and agave spirits. Bangkok, , had the second most spots with six. — Bloomberg with a report from Joseph L. Garcia

The 50 Best Bars in Asia

Here are the winners with last year’s ranking in parenthesis. New additions are marked by an asterisk.

1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong*
2. Zest, Seoul (5)
3. Jigger & Pony, Singapore (2)
4. Coa, Hong Kong (1)
5. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo (4)
6. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore (7)
7. BKK Social Club, Bangkok, Thailand (3)
8. Penrose, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (50)
9. Argo, Hong Kong (8)
10. The Aubrey, Hong Kong (17)
11. Virtu, Tokyo (20)
12. The Cocktail Club, Jakarta, Indonesia (19)
13. Vesper, Bangkok, Thailand (12)
14. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou, China (39)
15. Sago House, Singapore (10)
16. Night Hawk, Singapore *
17. Darkside, Hong Kong (9)
18. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok, Thailand (22)
19. The Savory Project, Hong Kong*
20. Bar Cham, Seoul (13)
21. Bar Us, Bangkok*
22. The St. Regis Bar, Macau*
23. The SG Club, Tokyo (14)
24. Penicillin, Hong Kong (26)
25. Offtrack, Singapore*
26. Quinary, Hong Kong (31)
27. Pantja, Jakarta, Indonesia (29)
28. Craftroom, Osaka *
29. Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya, Sri Lanka (40)
30. Vender, Taichung, Taiwan (41)
31. Native, Singapore (42)
32. Origin bar, Singapore*
33. The Curator, Manila, Philippines (34)
34. The Bellwood, Tokyo (49)
35. Analogue Initiative, Singapore (15)
36. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (36)
37. Bar Mood, Taipei*
38. Employees Only, Singapore (30)
39. Barc, Kathmandu, Nepal *
40. ZLB23, Bengaluru, India*
41. Reka, Kuala Lampur *
42. Fura, Singapore *
43. CMYK, Changsha, China *
44. The Public House, Taipei, Taiwan (43)
45. Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong (33)
46. Alice, Seoul (28)
47. The Haflington, Hanoi*
48. Le Chamber, Seoul (25)
49. Atlas, Singapore (27)
50. Pine and Co, Seoul *