Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024: Bar Leone Roars At The Top

Nicholas Ng

The 2024 edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards was held at the Rosewood Hong Kong on 16th July 2024, with Bar Leone from Hong Kong securing the first place. This prestigious event celebrated the finest in the Asian bar scene, showcasing a diverse range of talents across 18 destinations in the region, with some of the highest we’ve seen from Malaysia and Indonesia.

“As ever, it’s impossible to predict the list or to know which bars from where will make it into the 1-50 ranking as it’s voted for by an independent panel of 265 experts from across Asia, each with a very different idea of what they consider their ‘best’ bar experience. It is great to see such a dynamic and ever evolving list, however, with lots of exciting new entries and some exciting new locations being recognised and rewarded. It all just goes to show just how exceptional the bar culture is in Asia and how much talent there is to celebrate! It was a very exciting year for Malaysia, with Bar Trigona ranked No.36 and new entry Reka making the top 50 at No.41 too. Plus four bars in the extended 51-100 list (Penang’s Backdoor Bodega at No.52, Three X Co from KL at No.56, Coley at No.70, and Junglebird No.80). Penrose’s incredible rise in the ranking can only be testament to the incredible service and quality of drinks that Jon Lee and team are providing that voters have recognised and has been reflected in the result. So congratulations to the team!” — Emma Sleight, Head of Content for Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

Best Bar in Asia: Bar Leone, Hong Kong

Bar Leone, led by Lorenzo Antinori in Central Hong Kong, quickly rose to prominence, being named Best Bar in Asia and winning the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award. The bar’s success as the first bar to ever debut at No. 1 is attributed to its unique approach of reviving classic cocktails with a seasonal, low-intervention twist, appealing to diverse tastes. A strong sense of teamwork among the staff ensures a seamless, welcoming experience for guests. Additionally, Bar Leone’s unconventional marketing strategies, including engaging storytelling on social media, have effectively built a loyal customer base and attracted new visitors, cementing its status as a leading bar in the region.

“I think I’m going to talk for everybody. For my team members, it’s just an insane feeling. We opened the bar over a year ago, and we’re a small company. We are just three people that decided to pursue this dream, and we’re very lucky to have amazing support. There are some amazing bars, and we’re just very grateful to be part of this community.” — Lorenzo Antinori, Bar Leone.

50 Best Signature Sessions: Hong Kong

The 50 Best Signature Sessions in Hong Kong was a series of collaborative events featuring internationally acclaimed bartenders alongside local talents. This event brought together creative forces from bars like Darkside, Speak Low, Penicillin, Zest, Himkok, Quinary, SubAstor, Nutmeg & Clove, Coa, Sips, Handshake Speakeasy, The Aubrey, and The Bombay Canteen. Each session offered unique cocktails, blending different cultures and styles, with a focus on sustainability and innovative mixology techniques. These sessions highlighted the dynamic and diverse bar scene in Hong Kong, providing guests with an exceptional cocktail experience.

Malaysia Making Waves

Malaysia has 3 bars placing in the top 50 this year, Penrose (No. 8), Bar Trigona (No. 36) and Reka (No. 41) including Backdoor Bodega from Penang (No. 52), Three X. Co (No. 56), Coleys (No. 70) and Junglebird (No. 80), totalling at 7 bars in the top 100. Penrose has also made history placing at No. 8, the highest a Malaysian bar has placed, while also taking home the Nikka Nikka Highest Climber Award, rising 42 places from No. 50 in 2023, the highest in history. Reka bar also makes history as the first Malaysian bar to place in the top 3 of the Bareksten Best Bar Design Award for their beautiful bar design.

“It feels incredible and surreal. This, I’d say, is a testament to the Malaysian spirit of the bar industry, honestly a collective effort of both the industry and our guests representing Malaysian hospitality in Asia.” — Jon Lee, Penrose. 

‘This year’s list is a delight. A gracious shuffle for the entire community. For us at Bar Trigona, we are grateful to be featured in this esteemed list, but also joyful to see the community growing and new bars coming into the list for Malaysia. We are thankful to the bar community and its patrons who’ve gracefully allowed us to contribute to this growing community.” — Rohan Matmary, Bar Trigona.

“It’s been unreal. I’m still trying to process everything but the overriding feelings are happiness and pride. I’m incredibly proud of my team, (past and present) who have contributed to Reka and to my country to have done so well this year, including the extended list. The foundation starts with the team, happy team equals happy service. Together as a unit we all work towards one singular goal which is giving the best guest experience we can. Malaysia is making noise and I’m incredibly proud to play a small part of it” — Joel Poon, Reka.

Representation Matters: Wider Diversity Through And Through

In Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024, each region showcased notable strengths, and greater diversity and representation than ever before. Hong Kong led with Bar Leone topping the list, affirming the city’s leading role in the bar scene. Singapore’s Jigger & Pony demonstrated the city’s innovative cocktail offerings and excellent service. Japan’s entries, including Bar Benfiddich and Virtù, highlighted the country’s dedication to craftsmanship and unique bar concepts. Southeast Asia saw strong performances from Bangkok’s BKK Social Club and Kuala Lumpur’s Penrose, reflecting the region’s growing prominence in mixology. Meanwhile, The Cocktail Club in Jakarta and Smoke & Bitters in Sri Lanka showcased the emerging diversity in these markets. Taiwan’s bars, led by Vender and The Nest by Pun, underscored the island’s evolving bar culture. Overall, the list illustrated a vibrant and diverse bar landscape across Asia.

“It has been an honour to be appointed Academy Chair of the Southeast Asia & Korea. In my first year I have had the opportunity to explore the ever-evolving bar scenes in my markets, and I am constantly surprised and wowed by how bars keep pushing the envelope to deliver exceptional concepts and experiences to consumers. My region performed incredibly well this year with 27 bars making the 1-50 list, and I love that voters are casting their nets wider than before with their selections – 8 out of the 12 new entries came from my region, most notably The Haflington, Vietnam’s first ever entry to the top 50 – from Hanoi no less, and Zest at No.2, Penrose at No.8 and The Cocktail Club at No.12 taking their country bests to new heights. I look forward to more bars from my region entering the list in 2025!” — Rachel Tann, Academy Chair for Southeast Asia and Korea. 

“Overall, in the region of Greater China, Hong Kong is always a city with a lot of energy. The industry is strong, and both quality and quantity are present. I was very happy to see Macau back on the list; with all the hotel groups there, more events can happen. Taiwan is great, and they could improve even more if they engaged more with the global bar scene. Bar Leone being at the top of the list was unexpected, but they are undoubtedly a very, very good bar. They have a great concept, vibes, and drinks—a great reference for any new openings from now onwards. They did an excellent job with brand promotions and collaborated with great bars.” — John Ng, Academy Chair for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

“It was great to finally see Osaka represented on the list. It’s a city with an incredible bar scene, arguably the most diverse in Japan. But it didn’t surprise anyone that Craftroom was the first bar to break through. Though it only has room for ten people, and isn’t easy to find, it’s adored for its drinks, its look, and the fun but slick service. I’m just sad it’ll be much harder to get a seat now.” — Nick Coldicott, Academy Chair for Japan.

Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024

  1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong (New Entry)
  2. Zest, Seoul (No. 5 in 2023)
  3. Jigger & Pony, Singapore (No. 2 in 2023)
  4. Coa, Hong Kong (No. 1 in 2023)
  5. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo (No. 4 in 2023)
  6. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore (No. 7 in 2023)
  7. BKK Social Club, Bangkok (No. 3 in 2023)
  8. Penrose, Kuala Lumpur (No. 50 in 2023)
  9. Argo, Hong Kong (No. 8 in 2023)
  10. The Aubrey, Hong Kong (No. 17 in 2023)
  11. Virtù, Tokyo (No. 20 in 2023)
  12. The Cocktail Club, Jakarta (No. 19 in 2023)
  13. Vesper, Bangkok (No. 12 in 2023)
  14. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou (No. 39 in 2023)
  15. Sago House, Singapore (No. 10 in 2023)
  16. Night Hawk, Singapore (New Entry)
  17. Darkside, Hong Kong (No. 9 in 2023)
  18. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, Bangkok (No. 22 in 2023)
  19. The Savory Project, Hong Kong (New Entry)
  20. Bar Cham, Seoul (No. 13 in 2023)
  21. Bar Us, Bangkok (New Entry)
  22. The St. Regis Bar, Macau (New Entry)
  23. The SG Club, Tokyo (No. 14 in 2023)
  24. Penicillin, Hong Kong (No. 26 in 2023)
  25. Offtrack, Singapore (New Entry)
  26. Quinary, Hong Kong (No. 31 in 2023)
  27. Pantja, Jakarta (No. 29 in 2023)
  28. Craftroom, Osaka (New Entry)
  29. Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya (No. 40 in 2023)
  30. Vender, Taichung (No. 41 in 2023)
  31. Native, Singapore (No. 42 in 2023)
  32. Origin Bar, Singapore (New Entry)
  33. The Curator, Manila (No. 34 in 2023)
  34. The Bellwood, Tokyo (No. 49 in 2023)
  35. Analogue Initiative, Singapore (No. 15 in 2023)
  36. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur (No. 36 in 2023)
  37. Bar Mood, Taipei (No. 93 in 2023)
  38. Employees Only, Singapore (No. 30 in 2023)
  39. Barc, Kathmandu (New Entry)
  40. ZLB23, Bengaluru (New Entry)
  41. Reka, Kuala Lumpur (No. 65 in 2023)
  42. Fura, Singapore (New Entry)
  43. CMYK, Changsha (New Entry)
  44. The Public House, Taipei (No. 68 in 2023)
  45. Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong (No. 33 in 2023)
  46. Alice, Seoul (No. 28 in 2023)
  47. The Halflington, Hanoi (New Entry)
  48. Le Chamber, Seoul (No. 25 in 2023)
  49. Atlas, Singapore (No. 27 in 2023)
  50. Pine & Co, Seoul (New Entry)
  51. Soko, Seoul (No. 46 in 2023)
  52. Backdoor Bodega, Penang (No. 97 in 2023)
  53. Tokyo Confidential, Tokyo (New Entry)
  54. Epic, Shanghai (No. 70 in 2023)
  55. Lamp Bar, Nara (No. 23 in 2023)
  56. Three X Co, Kuala Lumpur (No. 77 in 2023)
  57. Republic, Singapore (No. 16 in 2023)
  58. Stir, Ho Chi Minh City (No. 82 in 2023)
  59. The Bombay Canteen, Mumbai (No. 35 in 2023)
  60. No Sleep Club, Singapore (No. 74 in 2023)
  61. To Infinity & Beyond, Taipei (No. 52 in 2023)
  62. Tropic City, Bangkok (No. 6 in 2023)
  63. Stay Gold Flamingo, Singapore (No. 32 in 2023)
  64. Yakoboku, Kumamoto (No. 84 in 2023)
  65. The Elephant Room, Singapore (No. 64 in 2023)
  66. Mizunara: The Library, Hong Kong (No. 86 in 2023)
  67. Honky Tonks Tavern, Hong Kong (No. 98 in 2023)
  68. Lair, New Delhi (New Entry)
  69. Manhattan, Singapore (No. 21 in 2023)
  70. Coley, Kuala Lumpur (No. 67 in 2023)
  71. The Old Man, Hong Kong (No. 47 in 2023)
  72. Under Lab, Taipei (New Entry)
  73. Opium, Bangkok (No. 59 in 2023)
  74. Folklore, Tokyo (New Entry)
  75. Bee’s Knees, Kyoto (No. 44 in 2023)
  76. Gold Bar, Tokyo (No. 56 in 2023)
  77. Cat Bite Club, Singapore (New Entry)
  78. 28 HongKong Street, Singapore (No. 24 in 2023)
  79. The Han-jia, Tainan (New Entry)
  80. Junglebird, Kuala Lumpur (No. 55 in 2023)
  81. The Hudson Rooms, Hanoi (New Entry)
  82. Southbank Cafe + Lounge, Muntinlupa City (New Entry)
  83. Firefly, Bangkok (New Entry)
  84. Sidecar, New Delhi (No. 18 in 2023)
  85. The Sailing Bar, Nara (No. 88 in 2023)
  86. Bulgari Ginza Bar, Tokyo (New Entry)
  87. High Five, Tokyo (No. 45 in 2023)
  88. The St. Regis Bar (Jakarta), Jakarta (New Entry)
  89. Gong Gan, Seoul (New Entry)
  90. Asia Today, Bangkok (No. 68 in 2023)
  91. The Bamboo Bar, Bangkok (No. 91 in 2023)
  92. Sober Company, Shanghai (No. 70 in 2023)
  93. Last Word, Singapore (No. 61 in 2023)
  94. Wu (Nothingness), Taipei (New Entry)
  95. Charles H, Seoul (No. 51 in 2023)
  96. Home, New Delhi (No. 58 in 2023)
  97. Tell Camellia, Hong Kong (No. 97 in 2023)
  98. Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, Bangkok (New Entry)
  99. Drinking & Healing, Ho Chi Minh City (New Entry)
  100. Moonrock, Tainan (No. 71 in 2023)

Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024: Special Awards

Best Bar in Asia: Bar Leone, Hong Kong
Best Bar in Hong Kong: Bar Leone, Hong Kong
Best Bar in India: ZLB23, Bengaluru
Best Bar in Indonesia: The Cocktail Club, Jakarta
Best Bar in Japan: Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
Best Bar in Korea: Zest, Seoul
Best Bar in Malaysia: Penrose, Kuala Lumpur
Best Bar in Singapore: Jigger & Pony, Singapore
Best Bar in Sri Lanka: Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya
Best Bar in Taiwan: Vender, Taichung
Best Bar in Thailand: BKK Social Club, Bangkok
Best Bar in The Philippines: The Curator, Manila

Bareksten Best Bar Design Award: Atlas, Singapore
Campari One To Watch Award: Dry Wave Cocktail Studio, Bangkok
Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award: Fura, Singapore
London Essence Best New Opening Award: The Savory Project, Hong Kong
Nikka Highest Climber Award: Penrose in Malaysia
Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award: Nest by Pun, Taipei

Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award: Dohyung ‘Demie’ Kim of Zest, Seoul, Korea
Roku Industry Icon Award: Yangdup Lama, Sidecar, New Delhi

For our thoughts on Asia’s 50 Best Bars.
For our thoughts on The Worlds 50 Best Bars.
For all 50 Best related content, see 50 Best.

| PHOTOGRAPHY: THE WORLD’S 50 BEST | WEBSITE:: ASIA’S 50 BEST BARS |

Nicholas Ng

Nicholas Ng is a restaurant critic and drinks writer and is the editor of independent publication Food For Thought. He has been a freelance journalist for the 15 years and has previously worked as a lawyer and in digital marketing. He currently is the Principal Consultant of A Thought Full Consultancy, a food and beverage marketing consultancy.

More Posts