Central bar tops Asia's best-50 list on debut

Wing Yu Chan

Bar Leone in Central topped the list of Asia's 50 Best Bars on its debut, while four other Hong Kong bars made it into the top 10 - the most among all Asian cities.

That came as the Tourism Board sealed a three-year partnership with the 50 Best organization, bringing the prestigious gastronomic awards that honor the city's vibrant dining and bar scene to the world attention.

The award ceremony was held on Tuesday at Rosewood Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui for the second consecutive year.

Over 700 attendees -investors, mixologists and media representatives - gathered to celebrate the region's leading bars.

Bar Leone's win is particularly noteworthy, as it is the first new entrant to take the top spot.

"The feeling of standing atop the 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," said cofounder Lorenzo Antinori. "Hong Kong's bar scene is a crucible of competition, constantly evolving to reflect the city's vibrant diversity."

Echoing the philosophy of "cocktail popolari" or "cocktails for the people," Bar Leone prides itself on simplicity, speed and consistency.

Its offerings include the signature Leone martini, local twists on classic drinks, canned options and its iconic smoked olives and mortadella sandwich, lauded as one of the world's finest bar snack offerings.

This marks the fourth year in a row that a local bar has claimed the top spot, breaking the three-time winning streak of COA, a bar in Central famed for its agave spirits.

The other three top-10 SAR bars are COA, Argo and The Aubrey.

Tourism Board executive director Dane Cheng Ting-yat, in expressing his delight, said "I am also happy to reveal that this event marked the first in a new long-term partnership with 50 Best, which will see Hong Kong host more 50 Best events over the next three years."

The two are partnering to set up five thematic cocktail experiences hosted by 24 mixologists from more than 10 standout bars in Hong Kong and around the world.

The events, including "Liquid Lunch," a collaborative global cocktail experience, kept locals and visitors alike in high spirits.

The board's website now features a map of bars here that have appeared on the list over the past five years.