Hong Kong's Bar Leone made history on Tuesday by debuting at the top of Asia's 50 Best Bars list. This achievement marks the fourth consecutive year that a Hong Kong bar has been named the region's best, solidifying the city's status as Asia's mixology capital.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board proudly partnered with Asia's 50 Best Bars to host the event, one of the region's most prestigious annual surveys of cocktail tastes and trends, in the city for the second consecutive year.
The multiday, festival-like celebration featured the region's top bar talents headlining guest shifts at some of Hong Kong's most acclaimed cocktail lounges and bars leading up to the main event on Tuesday. The celebration welcomed over 1,000 of Asia's leading bartenders, drink industry professionals and tastemakers to the city.
"The feeling of standing atop Asia's 50 Best Bars list is one I never could have imagined just over a year ago when we were just a small team. Hong Kong's bar scene is a crucible of competition, constantly evolving to reflect the city's vibrant diversity," said Lorenzo Antinori, owner of Bar Leone.
Bartenders group photo [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
"To be recognized as the best in Asia is a true testament to the unwavering passion and relentless drive of our crew. We are beyond blessed to call Hong Kong home and will continue pouring our hearts into creating an experience that does justice to this remarkable city that we love," Antinori said.
The 2024 list of Asia's 50 Best Bars affirmed Hong Kong's standing as a global epicenter for exceptional bar talent and innovation. Hong Kong claimed more spots than any other destination in the top 10, underscoring the depth and breadth of the city's world-class bar scene.
Two bars from the Chinese mainland were included on the list: Miao Qian Bing Shi (Hope & Sesame) in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, rose to 14th place this year from 39th in 2023 and CMYK in Changsha, Hunan province, made its debut at 43rd place.
In addition to welcoming the region's leading bartenders and tastemakers for a full roster of guest shifts, Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 also witnessed the 50 Best Signature Sessions being held in Hong Kong for the first time.
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen
Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
