Hong Kong’s Bar Leone has been crowned The Best Bar in Asia for the second year in a row, at the Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony, which took place in Macau last night.

The Asia’s 50 Best Bars list featured bars from 20 cities across the region, and in a positive sign for the bar industry, this year’s list featured 20 new entries.

The awards ceremony also announced several special award winners, these include:

  • Workshop14, Hanoi (Number 83 on the extended 51-100 list), has won the Campari One To Watch Award, a recognition by the 50 Best team for a rising star bar that has all the right ingredients to break into the 150 list in the future.
  • Bartender, bar owner and agave spirits advocate Jay Khan has been named Roku Industry Icon. A former Altos Bartenders’ Bartender awardee in 2020, Jay also founded the non-profit Mezcal Mission, which runs educational workshops on tequila and mezcal while supporting local charities.
  • Bangkok’s Vesper (Number 29), has been honoured with the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award; an accolade for bars that have consistently excelled in the rankings since the list began in 2016.
  • Messenger Service (Number 90), in Bangkok took home the Best Bar Design Award for its interiors that feel distinctly minimalist with moody, intimate lighting and bottle-lined walls akin to a cocktail apothecary. 
  • Modernhaus, Jakarta, is awarded the Three Cents Best New Opening Award and enters the list at Number 12.
  • Sora in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Number 65 on the extended 51-100 list) wins the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award for its groundbreaking zero-waste beverage initiative.
  • The Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award goes to Backdoor Bodega (No.64), Penang.

Pre-announced special award winners that accepted their accolades at the live awards ceremony include Barc in Kathmandu, winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, and Andrew Ho of Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou, winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.

Emma Sleight, Head of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Bars, said: “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 Number One spot, and for delivering a consistently outstanding drinking and hospitality experience that brings a bellissimo slice of Rome to Hong Kong.”

In terms of successful locations, Bangkok has seven cities on the list, with Bar Us leading the way at Number Four, Japan secured six spots on the list, led by Tokyo’s Bar Benfiddich at Number Nine. As well as locking in The Best Bar in Asia, Hong Kong has five other bars on the list, while five bars from Singapore feature on the list, with Jigger & Pony securing the title of The Best Bar in Singapore for the sixth consecutive year.

You can also see the bars that made the 51-100 list here, while the full list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars is below:

Andy Young

Andy joined Intermedia as Editor of The Shout in 2015, writing news on a daily basis and also writing features for National Liquor News. Now Managing Editor of both The Shout and Bars and Clubs.

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