The World’s 50 Best Bars list has been shared during an official ceremony in Hong Kong, unveiling the best places to have a sip across the globe.
The art of mixing a perfect cocktail is not an easy one to learn. While many of us can put together a decent mojito or a drinkable old-fashioned, only the best mixologists can turn them into an unforgettable experience.
Knowing where to get one of those perfect cocktails is not always an easy feat. Locals might not want to share their best spots, and most tourists wouldn’t know where to go if it weren’t for the experts at The World’s 50 Best Bars list. Every year, the jury tastes and ranks the world’s most excellent bars and shares that list with the public. On 8 October 2025, the annual judgments were unveiled during a ceremony in Hong Kong.
The 10 best bars in the world
- Bar Leone, Hong Kong
- Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
- Sips, Barcelona
- Paradiso, Barcelona
- Tayēr + Elementary, London
- Connaught Bar, London
- Moebius Milano, Milan
- Line, Athens
- Jigger & Pony, Singapore
- Tres Monos, Buenos Aires
Cheers! Bar Leone in Hong Kong's Central district has been crowned the world's best bar! It's the first bar in Asia to claim the top spot on "The World's 50 Best Bars" list, marking a significant milestone for Hong Kong's vibrant bar scene. Another local bar, COA, ranked 38th.… pic.twitter.com/NymzxjfwYi
— BrandHongKong 香港亞洲國際都會 (@Brand_HK) October 9, 2025
An expected yet surprising winner
The winner of them all turns out to be an Italian hub in Hong Kong, called Bar Leone. After having secured the number one spot in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 and 2025 lists, the old-fashioned-looking bar was able to take home the international award. At Bar Leone, the concept of ‘cocktail popolari’ stands central, bringing cocktails but also coffee and football to Hong Kong in the form of a Roman neighbourhood bar.
“Today is a special day. Getting this recognition in home, in Hong Kong, to share it with these friends is special. There are so many bars around the world that deserve to be in this list, we are so honoured. It’s about working day-by-day and putting our heart and soul into it. Bar Leone was born with the idea of being a neighbourhood cocktail bar. We will never changes that ethos. We will never change our identity”, Rome-born co-founder of Bar Leone Lorenzo Antinori said after having received the award.
With a new Bar Leone set to open in Shanghai this autumn, founders Antinori and Justin Shun Wah and their team are not ready to put a halt to their success any time soon.
Aside from Hong Kong, both Barcelona and London seem to be quite perfect destinations for cocktail lovers, each obtaining two spots in the top ten. From the spectacular Sips located just a stone’s throw from Barcelona’s cathedral to the Paradiso bar hidden behind a pastrami shop’s fridge door, and from the double-faced Tayēr + Elementary to the hotel bar d’excellence Connaught Bar in London: the list contains something for every kind of cocktail connoisseur out there.
