The first time I heard about Bar Leone, it wasn’t through a press release or a flashy social media campaign. It was from my friend Carmel, the founder of Kalsada Coffee. Living in the neighborhood, she told me that Bar Leone had become her singular destination. For someone deeply knowledgeable in the beverage industry, her endorsement carried weight: in Hong Kong, she only drank coffee at home, and for cocktails, she only went downstairs to Bar Leone.

By the time I finally made it to the Bridges Street space, the bar had already claimed the number one spot on Asia’s 50 Best list. It would a few months later claim the same accolade on the global 50 Best list as well. In the industry, a ranking like that usually triggers a specific set of expectations: reservations booked months in advance, hushed tones, and a menu that requires a glossary to navigate. Bar Leone, however, has opted for a different kind of excellence.

The 50 Best Agenda

When organizations like 50 Best select a winner, they are often pushing a specific agenda. We saw it on the restaurant side when Noma dominated the rankings; the award was a signal to the world to pay attention to sustainability and foraging. The same thing is happening in the beverage world.

For the last fifteen years, we have been living in the era of high experimentation and molecular gastronomy. Bar Leone represents a pivot away from the mind-bending toward the Cocktail Popolare. By awarding Lorenzo Antinori’s Roman-inspired haunt the top spot, the industry is acknowledging a new era: one that combines the neighborhood pub’s soul with the technical standards of the experimental era. It is a return to hospitality, speed, and attentiveness.

Multiplication Over Addition

In beverage design, we often fall into the trap of thinking about quality as a sum of parts. But Bar Leone is a masterclass in multiplication. The drinks might be an 8 out of 10 in terms of pure complexity; they aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel.

The Olive Oil Martini is a masterclass in texture, deceptively simple and stripped of all harshness, but it isn’t trying to be experimental. The Margarita De Maiz is a savory take on a tequila and gin margarita, balanced with lime cordial and verjus.

Then there is the Sgroppino, their take on the classic Venetian dessert drink. It is a well-balanced blend of lemon, nardini grappa, cacao, and sparkling wine, with a big smear of raspberry sorbet hanging on the inside like one lounges hanging off the inside of a pool. The berry provides a refreshing, desserty finish. But even with the complicated ingredient set, it’s just like the rest of the menu in that it is not overly complicated or focused on experimentation. It is simply a very high-quality version of an understandable, low-brow classic.

So the drink quality is high, but relatively simple. If you asked me to rate it against other bars, I think that an 8 out of 10 is fair. But when you multiply that 8 in drinks with a 10 in hospitality, an 8.5 in food, an 8.5 in music, and a 9 in lighting/interiors, the result is exponential. The food is not an afterthought coming out of a pre-packaged bag. The Mortadella Focaccia is arguably the best sandwich I have ever had — thick, satisfying, and perfectly balanced. And it’s all done with purpose, on purpose.

Here’s an example of how intentional the space is: the blinds are positioned so that the streetlamps outside cast long, Italian Noir shadows across the counter. It is a vibe that feels half lived-in, and half the movie you want to live in. This is what consumers actually want: a well-rounded, complete experience where the community is the focus, not the ego of the bartender.

The Regulars’ Bar

Perhaps the most impressive feat Bar Leone has pulled off is maintaining its soul despite its rapid rise to fame. Most bars are ruined by a number one ranking; the regulars are pushed out by tourists, and the neighborhood feeling evaporates.

When I asked Carmel if the fame had ruined her local spot, she noted that the bar recognized why they were successful in the first place. They still honor their regulars. When I visited with my wife, I discovered that they also don’t take reservations, opting instead for a virtual queue that keeps the street accessible. Even with a 90-minute wait, the experience of being texted when your spot is ready feels like a fair trade for a bar that refuses to become a velvet-rope institution.

The Verdict

Is Bar Leone the best bar in the world? In the past, when I visited The Old Man or COA before their respective Asian list wins, I knew they were destined for the top spot based on the liquid design alone. With Bar Leone, it’s different.

I do think that the 50 Best list got it right again, but for a new reason. They have acknowledged that we are entering an era where the “bar downstairs” is being elevated by the best of the highly experimental era. Bar Leone has found the limit of experimentation and decided to focus on how a space makes you feel. It is a complete circle, bringing cocktail excellence back to the places where people actually spend their lives.