Hong Kong just made history. It’s October 8th, and the city hosted The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 ceremony for the first time, bringing together the planet’s cocktail elite at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal for a night of serious sips and industry-shaking announcements. The results: the World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 was a fresh shake-up of the global rankings, with new names claiming their moment and some familiar favorites proving they’re here to stay. Here’s the full breakdown of who took home the glory.
Last year’s ceremony in Madrid witnessed Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy (who we caught up with for some champagne and hugs at the closing party) claim the crown for the first time, marking a historic moment as the first Mexican bar to secure the World’s Best Bar title.
Hong Kong’s Bar Leone made a jaw-dropping debut at No.2, snagging both Best Bar in Asia and the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award – the highest new entry in the awards’ history – while Barcelona’s Sips, the 2023 champion, dropped to No.3. (Reluctant to rest on their laurels, Bar Leone’s Lorenzo Antinori and Sips’ Simone Caporale opened Montana in Hong Kong together this summer, bringing Havana’s golden age to Hollywood Road.) Then, London’s Tayēr + Elementary held strong at No.4, with Singapore’s Jigger & Pony rounding out the top five.
In addition to that, Edinburgh’s Iain McPherson (who we had some undiluted fun with last November) took home the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award, Monica Berg of Tayēr + Elementary was honored with the Roku Industry Icon, Seoul’s Zest claimed the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award.
Paris’s The Cambridge Public House surged 19 places to win the Nikka Highest Climber Award, and Buenos Aires’ Florería Atlántico earned the Rémy Martin Legend of the List accolade. Plus, Oslo’s Himkok (who we interviewed last May to celebrate their 10th anniversary) secured the Bareksten Best Bar Design Award for its sustainable reimagining of a 200-year-old space.
A First Fix Of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025
The global cocktail community got its first fix ahead of the World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 in September, with the reveal of the extended list of bars at 51-100.
Announced online, via the World’s 50 Best Bars’ YouTube channel, the World’s 50 Best Bars 2025’s 51-100 reveal cemented itself as a pivotal moment in the awards circuit – a space where fresh talent broke through and established names proved their staying power, all backed by votes from a body of over 800 industry tastemakers.
This year’s World’s 50 Best Bars 2025’s extended roster spanned 34 cities globally, welcoming 16 debut entries from Bangkok, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Florence, London, Medellín, and New Delhi. The USA flexed its dominance with eight bars across five cities – New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco – while Europe commanded the spotlight overall with 15 bars, including four each from Spain and Italy.
Asia Represents In The 51-100 List At The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025
Asia secured twelve spots on this year’s World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 extended list. The lineup featured Bar Cham in Seoul (No.53), Argo in Hong Kong (No.56), Smoke & Bitters in Hiriketiya (No.67), Vender in Taichung (No.74), and Native in Singapore (No.84). Hong Kong led the regional charge with three entries: Argo, Gokan (No.70), and The Savory Project (No.86). Japan was represented by perennial favorites The SG Club (No.65) and Bar Trench (No.94), while Bangkok doubled down with two exciting additions: Dry Wave Cocktail Studio (No.88) and Opium (No.92). And India made its mark with New Delhi’s Lair (No.96).
Before the event, two additional honors were announced: Uno Jang of Jigger & Pony received the peer-voted Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award, while Peru’s Lady Bee earned the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars Announced Back In July
Back in July, Asia’s 50 Best Bars crowned Hong Kong’s Bar Leone Best Bar in Asia for the second consecutive year. Across the Pacific, Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy retained its No. 1 North American title – also for the second year running.
All of which sets us up neatly for the main event. On October 8, Hong Kong made history as it hosted The World’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony for the first time – only the second time the global event has touched down in Asia (remember that hot night in Singapore in 2023?).
If the location feels familiar, it’s because Hong Kong hosted Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2023 and 2024. But this marked its debut on the world stage.
The action unfolded at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, where the live countdown of the top 50 bars was streamed globally via the 50 Best TV YouTube channel, with Victoria Harbour providing the backdrop.
A Few Predictions Ahead Of World’s 50 Best Bars 2025
Bar Leone went into the evening as many people’s favorite to claim the No.1 spot at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 thanks to its meteoric rise. With Bar Leone’s dual dominance, historic momentum, and home advantage, the expectation was that the Italian-inspired Hong Kong bar would claim the ultimate crown.
Handshake Speakeasy from Mexico City was seen as facing an uphill battle, as only three bars have ever won the World’s 50 Best Bars back-to-back, and in the past eight years, just once has a bar retained its title.
Other strong contenders this year included Barcelona’s Sips (the 2023 winner), London’s Tayēr + Elementary (a perennial top-10 fixture), and Singapore’s Jigger & Pony. But, as always, the World’s 50 Best Bars is prone to throwing up a surprise or two.
The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 Big Reveal
And so it came to pass, as Bar Leone took the No.1 spot.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves. Before that reveal, and besides Uno Jang receiving The Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award and Lady Bee The Michter’s Art Of Hospitality Award, in the awards announced on the night the Campari One To Watch on the 51-100 list, selected by the 50 Best team, went to Bar Mauro in Mexico City.
Next, the Three Cents Best New Opening Award and a bar also at No.39, went to Sip & Guzzle, New York.
The Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award, with a side chat with Shen from Backdoor Bodega on how they won the Asia’s 50 Best Cocktail Menu Award, also went to Backdoor Bodega. It was a double win that surprised everyone, especially Backdoor Bodega’s founder, Shen, interviewed live during the awards for what he thought was a recap on his previous award.
The Rémy Martin Legend of the List, at No. 27 on this year’s World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 list, went to Baba Au Rum, in Athens.
The Disaronno Highest New Entry Award at No.25 in the World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 list went to Mirror Bar, Bratislava. The Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award, at No.20 this year, went to The Cambridge Public House in Paris, France. The Nikka Highest Climber Award went to Moebius, Milan, Italy. And The Best Bar Design Award, judged by a special panel, went to Sydney’s Tigra + Disco Pantera. And The Roku Industry Icon Award went to Simone Caporale.
Which left us with the countdown of the World’s 50 Best Bars 2025.
50 Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
49 BKK Social Club, Bangkok, Thailand
48 The Bellwood, Tokyo, Japan (new energy)
47 The Bar In Front Of The Bar, Athens, Greece
46 Overstory, New York, USA
45 Virtù, Tokyo, Japan
44 Jewel Of The South, New Orleans, USA
43 1930, Milan, Italy
42 Maybe Sammy, Sydney, Australia
41 Double Chicken Please, New York, USA
40 Drink Kong, Rome, Italy
39 Sip & Guzzle, New York, USA
38 Coa, Hong Kong
37 Salmon Guru, Madrid, Spain
36 Mimi Kakushi, Dubai, Middle East
35 Rosa Huset, Stockholm, Sweden
34 Panda & Sons, Edinburgh, Scotland
33 Sastrería Martinez, Lima, Peru (New Entry)
32 Svalen, Oslo, Norway, (New Entry)
31 Scarfes Bar, London, UK
30 Danico, Paris, France
29 Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou, China
28 Nouvelle Vague, Tirana, Albania (New entry)
27 Baba Au Rum, Athens, Greece
26 Cochinchina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
25 Mirror Bar, Bratislava, Slovakia
24 Tan Tan, Sao Paulo, Brazil
23 Tlecan, Mexico City, Mexico
22 Locale, Florence, Italy
21 Satan’s Whiskers, London, England
20 Cambridge Public House, Paris, France
19 Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne. Australia
18 Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo, Japan
17 Bar Nouveau, Paris, France
16 Zest, Seoul, South Korea
15 Bar Us, Bangkok, Thailand
14 Himkok, Oslo, Norway
13 Lady Bee, Lima, Peru
12 Superbueno, New York, USA
11 Alquimico, Cartagena, Colombia
10 Tres Monos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
9 Jigger & Pony, Singapore
8 Line, Athens, Greece
7 Moebius, Milan, Italy
6 Connaught Bar, London, UK
5 Tayēr + Elementary, London, UK
4 Paradiso, Barcelona, Spain
3 Sips, Barcelona, Spain
2 Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, Mexico
1 Bar Leone, Hong Kong
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