Awarded within less than a year of opening, Bar Leone in Hong Kong is the best bar in Asia. Leading it, Italian Lorenzo Antinori: “I make drinks for everyone, not exclusive.”
The award
In his first solo venture, and only a year after opening, Lorenzo Antinori has achieved an accolade that sketches the success of a career: his Bar Leone in Hong Kong is ranked No. 1 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 list, as recounted by the prestigious online network. “I really had no idea, it will take time to process what just happened,” he commented at the awards ceremony incredulously and overjoyed, not only for the achievement, but especially because this milestone encapsulates what most represents him: a place where he has put himself and a tribute to his hometown, Rome.
"Bar Leone is a celebration of simplicity. We try to create an experience that is for everyone, embodying our idea of hospitality, that reflects the neighborhood bars where people meet and hang out." A neighborhood bar then, because indeed the place looks like an ordinary Roman bar, where framed soccer players' jerseys, vintage Italian spirits prints stand out on the wall, and the atmosphere smells like “home.” Yet, there is a "but". Antinori has pooled his experience in the industry there, a long career with the Four Seasons group, to create something technically fantastic and inclusive.
Drinks are almost entirely made using liqueurs found in bars around the world, in a global journey, returning to Italy by favoring its bottles. The philosophy is based on popular and more sophisticated cocktails. Classic aperitif services take center stage, driven by a desire to focus on 'cocktails for the people.' And of course a few signatures that make a difference, although the real difference is the style. The kind of hospitality idea that starts with a welcoming smile and accompanies sip after sip. A beer, a glass of wine, a soda, and a coffee, here have the same value of time to spend and devote to each other.
And then there's food, another essential element of Bar Leone's offerings. In this aspect, too, Antinori expresses himself with rigorous attention to detail, so as to offer a small but sought-after selection of goodness to enjoy. An example? The focaccia with mortadella, ricotta, mascarpone, green chilies and olives, a sort of must-have for every customer.
