Bar Leone in Hong Kong tops Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 list
Jul 17, 2024
The list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 has been revealed with bars from 18 cities across Asia, including 15 new entries. David Ho checks out which watering holes made it on this year’s list
Bar Leone’s winning placement is remarkable as it marks the first time that a new entry has topped The Best Bar in Asia has been on the list. It also received the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award, which sets a high bar (pun fully intended) for future new bars to follow.
The bar located in Hong Kong’s Central area is only a year old, since it opened in June 2023. It was founded by bartender Lorenzo Antinori, who wanted it to embody the Italian ethos of ‘cocktail popolari’ or ‘cocktails for the people’. Drawing on his experience at Argo in Hong Kong and other high calibre bars in Seoul and London, Antinori has cultivated a beverage programme focused on “classic, approachable cocktails that are inspired by the traditional Roman bars of his home country.”
Two of the top five bars are in Hong Kong while the others are spread across Asia. At No.2 on the list is Zest in Seoul. The intimate low-waste bar ascended three spots from its previous placement, making it The Best Bar in Korea title holder. Singapore’s Jigger & Pony is in at No.3, which makes it The Best Bar in Singapore for an incredibly consistent five years 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.
Hong Kong leads the region with nine spots, with top ten placements going to the aforementioned Bar Leone and Coa, as well as Argo coming in at No.9.
Other Hong Kong entries are: The Aubrey, which has risen seven spots to No.10; Darkside comes in at No.17; new entrant The Savory Project debuts at No.19; Penicillin rises two places to No.24; Quinary climbs five spots to No.26; and Mostly Harmless rounds off Hong Kong’s showing at No.45.
The full list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2024 is as below:
1. Bar Leone (Hong Kong) – The Best Bar in Asia, The Best Bar in Hong Kong, Disaronno Highest New Entry Award
2. Zest (Seoul) – The Best Bar in Korea
3. Jigger & Pony (Singapore) – The Best Bar in Singapore
4. Coa (Hong Kong)
5. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo) – The Best Bar in Japan
6. Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
7. BKK Social Club (Bangkok) – The Best Bar in Thailand
8. Penrose (Kuala Lumpur) – The Best Bar in Malaysia, Nikka Highest Climber Award
9. Argo (Hong Kong)
10. The Aubrey (Hong Kong)
11. Virtù (Tokyo) – Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award
12. The Cocktail Club (Jakarta) – The Best Bar in Indonesia
13. Vesper (Bangkok)
14. Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou) – The Best Bar in Mainland China
15. Sago House (Singapore)
16. Night Hawk (Singapore) – New Entry
17. Darkside (Hong Kong)
18. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok)
19. The Savory Project (Hong Kong) – New Entry, London Essence Best Opening Award
20. Bar Cham (Seoul)
21. Bar Us (Bangkok) – New Entry
22. The St. Regis Bar (Macau) – New Entry, The Best Bar in Macau
23. The SG Club (Tokyo)
24. Penicillin (Hong Kong)
25. Offtrack (Singapore) – New Entry
26. Quinary (Hong Kong)
27. Pantja (Jakarta)
28. Craftroom (Osaka) – New Entry
29. Smoke & Bitters (Hiriketiya, Sri Lanka) – The Best Bar in Sri Lanka
30. Vender (Taichung, Taiwan) – The Best Bar in Taiwan
31. Native (Singapore)
32. Origin Bar (Singapore) – New Entry
33. The Curator (Manila) – The Best Bar in the Phillippines
34. The Bellwood (Tokyo)
35. Analogue Initiative (Singapore)
36. Bar Trigona (Kuala Lumpur)
37. Bar Mood (Taipei) – Re-entry
38. Employees Only (Singapore)
39. Barc (Kathmandu) – New Entry, The Best Bar in Nepal
40. ZLB23 (Bengaluru, India) – New Entry, The Best Bar in India
41. Reka (Kuala Lumpur) – New Entry
42. Fura (Singapore) – New Entry, Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award
43. CMYK (Changsha, China) – New Entry
44. The Public House (Taipei)
45. Mostly Harmless (Hong Kong)
46. Alice (Seoul)
47. The Halflington (Hanoi) – New Entry, The Best Bar in Vietnam
48. Le Chamber (Seoul)
49. Atlas (Singapore) – Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award, Bareksten Best Bar Design Award
50. Pine & Co (Seoul) – New Entry
Also see: Where to eat: Why you simply must dine at Igniv at The St Regis Bangkok
