For the first time since 2021, a new bar took the top spot on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 awards. Newcomer Bar Leone is named Asia’s best bar this year, taking the throne from three-time winner Coa. The ninth edition took place at Rosewood Hong Kong, the same venue as last year’s. This is the fourth year in a row that a Hong Kong bar ranked first place.
Bar Leone is one of nine new entrants on the list of bars from 18 different cities. While Hong Kong nabbed first place, Singapore bars took the most positions with 10 spots at the awards.
Hong Kong’s Bar Leone is named the best bar in Asia this year
After Singapore, Hong Kong scored highly on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 with nine entries. Bar Leone led a field that included Coa (No.4), Argo (No.9), The Aubrey (No.10), Darkside (No.17), The Savory Project (No.19), Penicillin (No.24), Quinary (No.26), and Mostly Harmless (No.45).
Seoul followed with five spots each on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024. After Zest, the Korean capital was represented by Bar Cham (No.20), Alice (No.46), Le Chamber (No.48), and Pine & Co (No.50).
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Tokyo and Bangkok tied for four spots. The Japanese city had Bar Benfiddich (No.5), Virtu (No.11), The SG Club (No.23), and The Bellwood (No.34) on the list, while Bangkok bars included BKK Social Club (No.7), Vesper (No.13), Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (No.18), and newcomer Bar Us, (No.21).
Three Taiwan bars were featured on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list. The island’s best bar was Vender in Taichung (No.30), followed by Bar Mood (No.37) and The Public House (No.44) in Taipei.
Indonesia had two bars on the list, while Nepal, India, Macau, Mainland China, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam were led by one bar respectively.
Find out the other awards given at the ceremony
The Campari One To Watch Award went to Bangkok’s Dry Wave Cocktail Studio for its potential to break into the top 50 ranking in the future. The Remy Martin Legend of the List Award was given to Singapore’s Atlas for its consistent presence on the list. Fellow local bars Fura and Atlas were recognised with the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award and Bareksten Best Bar Design Award respectively.
The Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award was presented to Nest by Pun in Taipei. The London Essence Best New Opening Award went to The Savory Project in Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur’s Penrose took the Nikka Highest Climber Award for climbing 42 places in 2023. Yangdub Lama of New Delhi’s Sidecar won the Roku Industry Icon Award. Hong Kong’s Bar Leone swept the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.
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In the lead-up to the finals, Tokyo’s Virtu won the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award for providing the best hospitality experience in the last 18 months. Korean bartender Dohyung ‘Demie’ Kim, who cofounded Zest in Seoul, was presented the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2024.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 51-100 extended list was also released earlier this month. Eight Singapore bars made the cut, including Cat Bite Club and Manhattan.
The results were compiled from votes by the Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy, an anonymous, gender-balanced group of 265 industry leaders including bartenders, bar owners, drinks writers, and cocktail experts from across the region. Each Academy member can nominate up to seven bars, and the definition of a “best bar experience” is left to the judgment of the panel. The list is independently adjudicated by Deloitte.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024: Full list of winners
1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong* (Best bar in Hong Kong)
2. Zest, Seoul (Best bar in Korea)
3. Jigger & Pony, Singapore (Best bar in Singapore)
4. Coa, Hong Kong
5. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo (Best bar in Japan)
6. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
7. BKK Social Club, Bangkok (Best bar in Thailand)
8. Penrose, Kuala Lumpur (Best bar in Malaysia)
9. Argo, Hong Kong
10. The Aubrey, Hong Kong
11. Virtu, Tokyo
12. The Cocktail Club, Jakarta (Best bar in Indonesia)
13. Vesper, Bangkok
14. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou (Best bar in Mainland China)
15. Sago House, Singapore
16. Nighthawk, Singapore*
17. Darkside, Hong Kong
18. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok)
19. The Savory Project, Hong Kong*
20. Bar Cham, Seoul
21. Bar Us, Bangkok*
22. St. Regis Bar, Macau* (Best bar in Macau)
23. The SG Club, Tokyo
24. Penicillin, Hong Kong
25. Offtrack, Singapore*
26. Quinary, Hong Kong
27. Pantja, Jakarta
28. Craftroom, Osaka*
29. Smoke & Bitter, Matara (Best bar in Sri Lanka)
30. Vender, Taichung (Best bar in Taiwan)
31. Native, Singapore
32. Origin Bar, Singapore*
33. The Curator, Manila (Best bar in the Philippines)
34. The Bellwood, Tokyo
35. Analogue Initiative, Singapore
36. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur
37. Bar Mood, Taipei
38. Employees Only, Singapore
39. Barc, Kathmandu (Best bar in Nepal)
40. ZLB23, Bengaluru* (Best bar in India)
41. Reka, Kuala Lumpur*
42. Fura, Singapore*
43. CMYK, Changsha*
44. The Public House, Taipei
45. Mostly Harmless, Hong Kong
46. Alice, Seoul
47. The Haflington, Hanoi (Best bar in Vietnam)
48. Le Chamber, Seoul
49. Atlas, Singapore
50. Pine & Co, Seoul*
* New entry
** Reentry
(Hero and featured images credits: Bar Leone)
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Jethro enjoys wine, biking, and climbing, and he's terrible at all three. In between them, he drinks commercial lagers, and eats dumplings and ice cream.
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