Hong Kong bar named world’s best again
Hong Kong’s Bar Leone has been named the best bar in the world for the second year running in the annual list of The 50 Best Bars.
The results were announced at an awards ceremony in Milan, Italy. Now in its 18th edition, the 50 Best Bars awards programme recognises bartenders, bar owners and brands at the forefront of the international cocktail scene.
The 2026 Top 50 list features venues from 26 cities, with Hong Kong’s Bar Leone crowned The Best Bar in Asia and The World’s Best Bar.
Co-founded by Italian bartender Lorenzo Antinori, Bar Leone is in Hong Kong’s Central neighbourhood and draws inspiration from the traditional bars found in Rome’s Trastevere district. Antinori and his team have built a drinks programme centred on expertly executed classics, many featuring Italian influences and premium ingredients.
Hong Kong’s Bar Leone has topped The 50 Best Bars for 2026
Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage placed #45 to be The Best Bar in Australasia while the ceremony also celebrated Three Horses in Melbourne, ranked No.84 in the extended 51-100 list and winner of the One to Watch Award, which was chosen by The 50 team as the most likely to break into the list of The 50 Best Bars in the future.
Among the other major awards, Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons claimed the Best Cocktail Menu Award, while Takuma Watanabe of Martiny in New York was named Bartenders’ Bartender.
Schmuck in New York was named Best New Opening and Line in Athens won the Sustainable Bar Award for weaving fermentation, circular production and zero-waste principles into every aspect of its concept.
The Best Bar Design Award went to Saikindō in Abu Dhabi for what is described as: “...a theatrical reimagining of the Japanese listening bar through a striking fusion of sound, design and storytelling. Speaker-inspired architecture, world-class acoustics and richly layered interiors create a multi-sensory journey that blends Japanese heritage with contemporary creativity, making it one of the most distinctive bar environments in the world”.
Globally respected bartender, entrepreneur and mentor Shingo Gokan was named recipient of the Roku Industry Icon Award for his work in pioneering a new era of Asian cocktail culture through award-winning venues around the world.
50 Best Bars 2026 – Top 10
1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong
2. Moebius Milano, Milan
3. Alquímico, Cartagena
4. Bar Us, Bangkok
5. Line, Athens
6. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
7. Zest, Seoul
8. Connaught Bar, London
9. Lady Bee, Lima
10. Bar Mauro, Mexico City
W: See full results at the50.com
