Hot! Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024: Hong Kong’s Bar Leone takes No.1 Spot, Makes History as the First New Entry to Top the List

Bar Leone

CONTENT: Luxe Society Asia

Hong Kong’s Bar Leone made history as the very first new entry to claim the top spot on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. This also marked the fourth consecutive year that a Hong Kong bar was named region’s best, reinforcing the city’s position as the gastronomy capital of Asia.

Held in Hong Kong, Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024, sponsored by Perrier, was announced at a live awards ceremony which featured bars from 18 cities across Asia, including 15 new entries.

Debuting at the No.1 spot, Bar Leone clinched The Best Bar in Hong Kong title, as well as the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.This marks the first time in 50 Best Bars history that The Best Bar in Asia has been a new entry on the list.

The one-year-old neighbourhood bar in Central, Hong Kong, founded by bartender Lorenzo Antinori, embodies the Italian ethos of ‘cocktail popolari’ or ‘cocktails for the people’. With behind-the-bar experience at Argo in Hong Kong and top bars in Seoul and London, Antinori brings expertise to a beverage programme focused on classic, approachable cocktails that are inspired by the traditional Roman bars of his home country.

Rounding up the Top.3 is intimate low-waste bar Zest in Seoul at No.2, which has ascended three spots, also named The Best Bar in Korea. Jigger & Pony in Singapore is at No.3, making it The Best Bar in Singapore for the fifth year running.

Last year’s top spot holder, Coa, comes in at No.4, and No.5 is Tokyo’s Bar Benfiddich, which takes the title of The Best Bar in Japan.

A total of 15 bars from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan made the list this year, while Hong Kong leads the region with nine spots, with Coa at No.4 and Argo at No.9.

The 25th-floor izakaya with sweeping views of Victoria Harbour, The Aubrey, has risen seven spots to No.10. Darkside comes in at No.17 and new entrant The Savory Project debuts at No.19. Penicillin rises two places to No.24, while Quinary climbs five spots to No.26 and Mostly Harmless rounds off Hong Kong’s showing at No.45.

From Taichung, the vending machine-themed craft cocktail den, Vender, climbs 11 places to No.30, earning the title of The Best Bar in Taiwan. In Taipei, Bar Mood re-enters the rankings at No.37, while The Public House is at No.44. Guangzhou’s Hope & Sesame, a technique-driven speakeasy, is now at No.14, ascending 25 spots and holding onto The Best Bar in Mainland China title. CMYK from Changsha debuts at No.43, where award-winning bartender Ethan Liu has created a high-energy, multi-room drinking den inside an old residential building. This also marks Changsha’s first appearance in the rankings. Additionally, The St. Regis Bar at No.22 is Macau’s sole representative and is named The Best Bar in Macau.

In addition to awarding the top 50, Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, Bangkok (No.73 on the 51-100 list), was named Campari One To Watch Award, Bartender, entrepreneur and author Yangdup Lama has been named the Roku Industry Icon 2024, The Savory Project, Hong Kong, is awarded the London Essence Best New Opening Award, The Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu award to Nest by Pun in Taipei, Virtù in Tokyo, named the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, and Dohyung ‘Demie’ Kim from Seoul, named the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.

Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 Group Shot High Res

Here’s the bars ranked from No.1 to No.50 on the Asia’s 50 Best 2024 list:

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

* New entry
** Re-entry