Bar Leone is on a hot streak. The Hong Kong watering hole took home the gold for this year’s 50 Best Bars in Asia ranking, topping the list for the second year in a row. Seoul’s Zest and Singapore’s Jigger & Pony also retained their spots at No. 2 and No. 3 from 2024. Bar Leone shocked the drinks world last summer when it dethroned Hong Kong’s three-time winner Coa, barely a year after opening. Prized for its simplicity and known for outstanding Negronis and Olive Oil Sours, Bar Leone is a Roman-inspired aperitivo bar led by Italian native Lorenzo Antinori. The cofounder cut his teeth bartending in London and Seoul before joining award-winning Argo in Hong Kong’s Four Seasons—also known as No. 11 on this year’s list. Bar Leone emerged as an ode to the laidback watering holes of Rome, serving Hong Kong a taste of the Eternal City with bar snacks like mortadella..
