Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024: Hong Kong’s Bar Leone Makes History with No.1 Debut, Singapore Dominates with 11 Bars in the list

The vibes were off the charts and nothing short of electrifying as winners of Asia's 50 Best Bars were revealed late into the night in Hong Kong on 16 July 2024. With Coa, reigning champion of the past three years knocked down to No. 4, the top spot announcement could not come fast enough. And when Singapore’s hot favourite Jigger & Pony (last year’s No. 2) was unveiled as Asia’s No.3 on the 2024 list, all bets were off. 

Asia’s 50 Best Bars Revealed 2024

Only Seoul's Zest and Hong Kong's own Bar Leone were left as possible contenders for No.1. When team Bar Leone was called to receive its award for Best Bar in the country, chants of "Go Lorenzo!" filled the ballroom as Italian bar maverick Lorenzo Antinori made his way to the stage.  

All eyes were still locked in on Antinori and his team when Bar Leone made World’s 50 Best history with its debut at No.1 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024. With this win, Bar Leone is the first establishment ever to take top spot as a new entrant among all of William Reed’s coveted 50 Best Bars lists across the globe.  

Bar Leone’s meteoric aside, Singapore bars dominated the list with an impressive 11 entries. Established favourites like Jigger & Pony and Nutmeg & Clove at No. 6 maintained their top positions. Notable leaps included Night Hawk, which soared to No. 16 from No. 77 last year, Offtrack at No. 25 from No. 79, and Origin Bar at No. 32 from No. 95. Singapore's exciting new entry, Fura which debuted at No. 42 is certainly one to watch.

As Asia’s cocktail culture continues to evolve, these bars exemplify the innovation and excellence that define the region’s vibrant mixology scene. For more details on where to head for Asia’s top tipples, check out the full list here!

Bar Leone, Hong Kong - For History-Making “Cocktail Popolari” By Bar Guru, Lorenzo Antinori

In a scene that has long revered bespoke cocktails with hand-shaved ice and recipes more complicated than a complication, Bar Leone’s “cocktail popolari” or “cocktails for the people” serves up crowd favourites like the pre-batched Leone martini and yuzu gimlet with speed, consistency, and simplicity. Opened in mid-2023, Bar Leone is the first solo venture of Rome-native Lorenzo Antinori, whose mixology journey began in London where he picked up barback basics at The Savoy’s American Bar.

Bar Leone’s game-changing ethos celebrates the bare bones of what makes a great cocktail: quality spirits and flavour. Fans of Bar Leone also love its casual Italian charm – there is football memorabilia on the walls, Italo disco tunes and Pavarotti, along with mortadella sandwiches and lip-smackingly tasty smoked olives.

Unlike many “cocktail temples” ordering a drink at Bar Leone is far from an intimidating experience. You can even pick up their canned cocktails as a take-home option. It was no coincidence that Antinori sported a 7-Eleven parody T-shirt at the awards ceremony (the 7 was upside-down with “Leone” stamped across it). For this visionary barman, irreverence is what gives him the daring to shake things up.

Since arriving in Hong Kong with the Four Seasons group in 2019, Antinori has led the revamped Caprice Bar to a No.34 debut in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020. He also oversaw the launch of the show-stopping Argo in 2021, steering it to win Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022’s Highest New Entry Award with a debut at spot No.3. With Bar Leone’s now record-breaking No.1 debut on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024, Antinori proves that he is well on his way to becoming a Hong Kong bar legend. 

Bar Leone 15 Bridges St, Central, Hong Kong. 

Zest, Seoul - Best Bar in South Korea, No. 2 Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 

In Seoul, Zest has been making waves with its creative cocktails and stylish, minimalist ambience. This year’s No.2 win once again brings it the Best Bar in Korea award. 

The bar decor is minimalist, featuring a sleek, golden-hued back bar devoid of bottles or labels, which underscores the team’s commitment to sustainability, low waste and maximising ingredients to their fullest. Jeju orange peels, for example, are redistilled into house gin, while the pulp becomes cordial or sauerkraut.

Their compact cocktail menu highlights local elements, such as the Jeju Garibaldi with regional oranges and Gujwa village carrots. Unique local spirits feature in drinks like Oh My G!bson, combining citrus cardamom gin, Italian vermouth, and artisanal sour yakju. Zest also makes its own carbonated drinks, minimising plastic and metal waste, with guests even able to observe the process in the open prep lab!

Zest 55 Dosan-daero 55-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Jigger & Pony, Singapore - Best Bar in Singapore, No. 3 Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 

With their ever-evolving magazine-style menus, the team at Jigger & Pony has been a top 10 contender in Asia’s 50 Best Bars for six years. From its days at Amoy Street to its now plush outfit at Tanjong Pagar’s Amara Hotel, this bar has remained a cornerstone of Singapore's cocktail scene best known for its collegial atmosphere and blend of blends classic techniques with contemporary ingredients. From their Smash! Menu, Jigger & Pony served up highlights like Strawberry Fields, blending tequila with local strawberries, and Smashing Sundae, a nostalgic mix of melon, green tea, and vanilla ice cream with gin and vodka. Along with the bar’s now signature drinks like the yuzu whisky sour and inventive bar snacks, every visit to Jigger & Pony is an exceptional experience that beckons you to leave the city behind and stay for just a little while longer - every time you want to leave. 

Jigger & Pony 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088539. For enquiries, call (+65) 9621 1074. 

Night Hawk, Singapore - For An Innovative, Boundary-Pushing Mixology Experience

Soaring to No.16 in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 from a spot at No.77 in the previous year’s long list, Night Hawk led by veteran bartender Peter Chua is one of Singapore’s most eclectic cocktail bars. This 25-seater cocktail bar is inspired by Edward Hopper’s 1942 painting, Nighthawks. The bar features a modern yet restrained interior with plush maroon tones and gilded accents. The cocktail menu playfully reinvents classics, such as the Kick Artist Fix, an homage to the Manhattan, and the Gamma-ray Holiday, a twist on the midori sour. Night Hawk quickly gained acclaim, winning the Bareksten Best Bar Design Award and the One To Watch Award in 2023, and debuting in Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2024.

Night Hawk 43 Tanjong Pagar Road, #01-02 Singapore 088464.For reservations, call (+65) 9666 0928. 

Offtrack, Singapore - A Haven For Music and Creatives That Feeds Your Mind, Body and Soul 

A new entry to the list at No. 25 in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024, Offtrack is a music-centric bar and restaurant created by entrepreneurs Dean Chew and Daniel O’Connor. Opened in early 2022, it has become a haven for the creative community with Chef Edmund Low’s pan-Asian sharing plates complementing head bartender Joash Conceciao's inventive cocktails like the Saturn, with passionfruit and almond, and Go Figure, featuring whisky, rum, and fig. Rotating art exhibitions by local artists add to Offtrack's unique ambience.

Offtrack 34 North Canal Road, #01-01, Singapore 059290. Call (+65) 8748 0408 to book a table. 

Origin Bar, Singapore - For A Journey Of Cocktails Where Your Destination Is Adventure

Located within the Shangri-La Hotel, Origin Bar offers a journey through its old-school train station vibes and plush lounge ambience. Featuring gold, blues, greens, and dark wood, the seating faces a bar stocked with over 600 spirits, including 150 rums from around the globe. Opened in 2017, Origin Bar's menu changes annually, with the team developing drinks around a central theme. The latest is "Infinity: Bartenders’ Far-fetched Ideas," featuring inventive cocktails like Toast & Caviar and Super Glow. Origin Bar combines creativity, sustainability, and a touch of theatrics, ensuring an unforgettable experience.

Origin Bar Shangri-La Singapore, Lobby Level, Tower Wing, 22 Orange Grove Rd, Singapore 258350. To make a reservation, call (+65) 6213 4595. 

Fura, Singapore - Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2024, No.42 Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 

Opened in October 2023, Fura has made a significant mark on Singapore's competitive bar scene. Co-founded by Sasha Wijidessa and Christina Rasmussen, Fura blends innovation, principles, and fun. Rasmussen, formerly head forager at Noma, and Wijidessa, ex-head bartender at Operation Dagger, met in Copenhagen before returning to Singapore to open their first permanent venture.

Located on Amoy Street, Fura emphasises nature and sustainability. The Journal of Future Foods cocktail menu features abundant or invasive ingredients engineered by ecological imbalances. Highlights include the Jellyfish Martini and Juicy Fruit. Wijidessa’s cocktails are original and delicious, complemented by Rasmussen’s plant-led food incorporating protein-rich insects and ferments. Fura’s innovative approach has earned it the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024, along with a debut in the top 50 list!

Fura 74A Amoy Street, Singapore 069893. Call (+65) 8406 8899 for reservations.