The best Italian bars according to The World's 50 Best Bars 2025 Hong Kong has the best cocktail selection in the world, even though the bar is 100% Rome
Just two years after opening, Bar Leone in Hong Kong has just been named the best bar in the world. The founder, Lorenzo Antinori, was born in Rome and trained in London, Seoul, and Hong Kong before opening the venue - a seemingly traditional bar that celebrates Italian popular culture by bringing together savoir-faire, top-quality raw ingredients, and the art of bartending under one roof - with the addition of a passion for the Giallorossi football team. The name itself, Leone, evokes the Trastevere imagery, while the interior and the welcoming atmosphere of the bar bring a touch of the Italian capital to the other side of the world. The specialty? Aside from the mortadella sandwiches (which certainly weren’t the reason it was chosen, but definitely helped the bar’s popularity), what convinced the judges of The World's 50 Best Bars 2025 were the simplicity and seasonality of the cocktails, which, like the Bellini, are served in their original format with delightful touches like cream and peaches.
In addition to Bar Leone, which with its sign and interiors truly seems to have brought Rome and its local fanbase to Hong Kong, there are other Italians on the list. This year, no fewer than 29 cities were included in the ranking of The World's 50 Best Bars 2025, a result that shows how the industry is developing worldwide. Another Italian ranks third with Sips, a Barcelona-based bar by Simone Caporale, who is also co-owner of Boadas, the oldest bar in the city. A strong result also for Moebius, which climbed over thirty places in one year to reach seventh place and earn a special recognition, and for Locale Firenze, in 22nd place thanks to its truly unique atmosphere. In 40th place is Rome, with Drink Kong, and Milan appears again in 43rd place, with the speakeasy 1930, which has also recently moved, though remaining in the Lombard capital.
Among the fifty best bars in the world, London and New York destinations still stand out, but this year winds of change are blowing from the East. Bratislava and Tirana bring a breath of fresh air to the rankings, proving the international nature of the industry, while other Italian venues are gradually securing their seats in the mixology Olympus. In 58th place is Freni e Frizioni in Rome, in 63rd L'Antiquario in Naples, in 98th the speakeasy Jerry Thomas in Rome, and in 99th Gucci Giardino in Florence. After all, when it comes to Italy, a bit of fashion must never be missing.
