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MACAU, China – Bar Leone in Hong Kong has clinched the coveted title of The Best Bar in Asia and The Best Bar in Hong Kong, sponsored by Perrier, for the second year in a row, at the live awards ceremony for Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 this evening in Macau. The ceremony was hosted in collaboration with destination partners Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace, and featured bars from 20 cities across Asia, including 20 new entries.
Bar Leone made 50 Best history in 2024 by being the first-ever establishment to debut on the list at No.1 and as The Best Bar in Asia. The Hong Kong cocktail bar, owned and operated by Lorenzo Antinori, whose previous stints include the acclaimed Argo and now defunct Dandelyan (The World’s Best Bar 2018), is the home of ‘cocktail popolari’ or ‘cocktails for the people’.
The menu features a carefully curated selection of classic cocktails, some elevated with simple yet intriguing twists, all while staying true to its identity as a neighbourhood bar. Inspired by the bars of Rome’s Trastevere district where Antinori grew up, with football memorabilia and vintage Italian posters adorning the wood-panelled walls – the space combines laid-back charm with effortless chic, putting guests immediately at ease while they enjoy a lineup of excellent drinks. Bar Leone also made a remarkable debut on The World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2024, landing at the prestigious No.2 position.
Emma Sleight, Head of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Bars, says: “We’re thrilled to gather in Macau with Asia’s vibrant and passionate drinks community. The region’s bars continue to redefine excellence in cocktail culture, as seen in the talent and creativity of this year’s winners. With 20 new entries, the most in recent years, this list is a testament to the boundary-pushing creativity of Asia, with truly memorable drink experiences waiting to be explored by cocktail enthusiasts. Congratulations to Lorenzo Antinori and the entire team at Bar Leone for the incredible feat of retaining the No.1 spot, and for delivering a consistently outstanding drinking and hospitality experience that brings a bellissimo slice of Rome to Hong Kong.”
At No.2 is the sustainability-forward Zest in Seoul, a position it retains from 2024, making it The Best Bar in Korea, sponsored by Tia Maria, for the third year running. Another consistent presence in the top five is the plush drinking den Jigger & Pony in Singapore at No.3, making it The Best Bar in Singapore, sponsored by Torres Brandy, for the sixth consecutive year. Climbing 17 places to No.4 is Bar Us in Bangkok which takes the title of The Best Bar in Thailand, sponsored by Amaro Lucano. A newcomer to the list, Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, also from Bangkok, debuts at an impressive No.5 while clinching the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.
A total of 13 bars from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China made the list this year. Hong Kong leads the region with six spots, with Argo at No.11 and Coa at No.17, followed by Penicillin (No.27) and The Savory Project (No.32).
Newcomer Gokan is at No.33; the eponymous bar by celebrated regional bar personality and former Altos Bartenders’ Bartender awardee, Shinko Gokan – rounds off Hong Kong’s showing. From Taichung, the vending machine-themed bar Vender climbs 10 spots to No.20 and is named The Best Bar in Taiwan, sponsored by Naked Malt. In Taipei, The Public House rises four spots to No.40, while To Infinity & Beyond debuts at No.41 with technique-driven drinks in a sci-fi inspired setting that pays tribute to the planets.
From Tainan, Moonrock enters the list at No.42, offering well-executed cocktails in an elegant space reminiscent of a traditional Taiwanese tea house. Guangzhou’s Hope & Sesame, the hidden drinking den behind a cha chaan teng (Cantonese casual eatery) climbs seven places to No.7, earning the title of The Best Bar in Mainland China, sponsored by Cointreau, for the third consecutive year. CMYK, the high-energy, multi-room bar built inside an old residential building in Changsha, soars 27 spots to No.16. MO Bar Shenzhen makes its debut at No.21, serving moveable type printing-inspired cocktails with glittering city views from its 79th floor spot.
Bangkok has seven bars on the list and leading the pack is Bar Us at No.4, crowned The Best Bar in Thailand, sponsored by Amaro Lucano. This intimate, high-concept drinking room draws inspiration from fine dining, offering a multi-course cocktail menu with ingredients sourced from local farms. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, a nature-inspired bar led by Thai cocktail veteran Supawit ‘Palm’ Muttarattana, debuts at No.5 and clinches the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award. At No.19 is BKK Social Club, followed by new entry G.O.D at No.26 – by the team behind Teens of Thailand and Asia Today, where the drinks are spirit-forward and the vibe is edgy and experimental. Vesper ranks at No.29, while Opium enters at No.43. The speakeasy hidden inside restaurant Potong takes cues from both Bangkok’s Chinatown and classic New York bars and is named after the opium den that once housed the space. Finally, Bar Sathorn debuts at No.48, located within The House on Sathorn, a heritage house built in 1889. The bar is a genteel, luxurious lounge focused on precision-crafted cocktails.
Japan secures six spots on the list, led by Bar Benfiddich in Tokyo at No.9, which also claims the title of The Best Bar in Japan, sponsored by Mancino Vermouth. Close behind is Virtù at No.18, followed by Yakoboku from Kumamoto, which debuts on the list at No.25 and is helmed by Tokyo bar stalwart Shinya Koba. A newcomer to the list at No.36, Punch Room Tokyo at The Tokyo Edition, Ginza, channels 19th-century London club culture with traditional punches reimagined using native ingredients. Lamp Bar from Nara re-enters at No.46, while new entry Bar Libre emerges at No.49, where a seasonally-driven menu incorporates liquid nitrogen, smoking guns and barrel-aged drinks.
Five bars from Singapore feature on the list, leading with Jigger & Pony (No.3) which retains the title of The Best Bar in Singapore, sponsored by Torres Brandy, for the sixth consecutive year. Music-centric bar Offtrack rises to No.23, followed by Nutmeg & Clove at No.24. The agave spirit-focused speakeasy, Cat Bite Club enters the rankings at No.44, closely followed by Native at No.45.
From India, Lair in New Delhi enters the list at No.8 and is crowned The Best Bar in India, sponsored by Matusalem. A modern speakeasy, its interiors are reminiscent of a reimagined film noir set. From Bengaluru, newcomer Soka lands at No.28, with well-crafted drinks, a refined aesthetic and high-energy vibe. ZLB23 climbs nine spots to No.31, delighting cocktail lovers from its hidden location through a secret entrance within a working kitchen; and new entry Bar Spirit Forward (No.37) crafts drinks true to its name, with a Japanese omakase approach. Goa’s Boilermaker makes its debut at No.30, with an experience akin to a freewheeling house party with the soul of a dive bar, where traditional spirits like feni (cashew liquor) are spotlighted.
Malaysia secures four spots on the list, led by Penrose (No.10) in Kuala Lumpur, crowned The Best Bar in Malaysia, sponsored by Scrappy’s Bitters. Speakeasy Three X Co, hidden behind a pop-up barbershop in Bangsar Shopping Centre, re-enters at No.15. Bar Trigona ranks No.39, while Reka follows at No.47.
Bars from Indonesia also claim four spots, all of which are list debutants, headlined by Jakarta’s Modernhaus at No.12, named The Best Bar in Indonesia, sponsored by Three Cents, and winner of the Three Cents Best New Opening Award. The St. Regis Bar Jakarta debuts at No.22, offering an opulent space, beverage rituals, handpicked glassware and live jazz. Carrots Bar, an intimate venue in SCBD with a culinary-focused cocktail menu, enters the list at No.34. Rounding off Indonesia’s showing is Cosmo Pony at No.38, a joint venture between Singapore’s Jigger & Pony Group and The Union Group that’s designed as a stylish living room for Jakarta’s cocktail crowd.
Seoul is represented by four positions on the list, led by Zest at No.2, making it The Best Bar in Korea, sponsored by Tia Maria, for three years in a row. Bar Cham ascends 14 places to No.6 and Alice leaps 33 spots to No.13 and clinches the Nikka Highest Climber Award. This whimsical Gangnam speakeasy channels the surreal charm of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland through its imaginative cocktails and setting. Le Chamber caps the list and South Korea’s showing at No.50.
From Hiriketiya, list mainstay Smoke & Bitters jumps 15 spots to No.14 and is crowned The Best Bar in Sri Lanka, sponsored by Noam. This tropical cocktail haven, set in a coconut grove on Pehebiya Beach, is credited with putting the area on the global cocktail map. In Kathmandu, Barc with its elegant, jazz-accompanied dining and cocktail experience, rises four places to No.35 and claims the title of The Best Bar in Nepal, sponsored by Michter’s.
