At the 18th edition of The World’s 50 Best Bars, announced in Milan on October 7, Hong Kong’s Bar Leone has retained the world’s best bar title for the second year in a row. The list features bars from 26 cities, with 14 new entries, and highlights Asia’s growing influence on the global cocktail scene.
Bar Leone, Hong Kong
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Asia has a strong showing in this year’s top 50, with bars across Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo bringing distinct regional identities to the list. Rather than simply reproducing Western cocktail traditions, many are drawing on local ingredients, culinary influences and drinking cultures. Greater exchange between bartenders across cities has helped ideas and techniques travel, while allowing individual bar scenes to develop their own character.
Hong Kong, Paris and New York lead the rankings with four bars each. Bar Leone, at number one, brings a slice of Rome’s Trastevere district to Hong Kong’s central neighbourhood. Its philosophy, Cocktail Popolari, or “cocktails for the people”, favours well made classics and easy going hospitality over elaborate techniques. Wood finishes, football memorabilia and nostalgic Italian décor give the bar the feel of a neighbourhood local, with smoked olives and mortadella sandwiches adding to the experience. The city’s other entries are Argo at number 25, Montana at number 36 and Gokan at number 41.
Bar Leone, at number 1, brings a slice of Rome’s Trastevere district to Hong Kong’s central neighbourhood.
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Bangkok has three bars on the list, led by Bar Us at number 4, followed by Dry Wave Cocktail Studio at number 27 and BKK Social Club at number 30. Seoul’s Zest ranks seventh, with a focus on sustainability and inventive cocktails.
Singapore has two bars in the top 50: Jigger & Pony at number 18 and Nutmeg & Clove at number 38. Founded by Guoyi Gan and Indra Kantono in 2012, Jigger & Pony has built its reputation on classic cocktails, careful technique and warm service.
Nutmeg & Clove draws on Singapore’s history, ingredients, and everyday language. Its illustrated menu uses comic style characters inspired by bartenders, friends, and regulars to introduce guests to “Singlish” (Singaporean English), making the menu a portrait of the city as much as a guide to its drinks.
Tokyo also has two entries: Bar Benfiddich at number 44 and Virtù at number 48.
Nutmeg & Clove’e Alamak or their take on the Singapore Sling
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Paris, which has overtaken London as Europe’s most represented cocktail destination, home to The Cambridge Public House secured the 13th position, Bar Nouveau at number 15, De Vie at number 23 and Danico at number 26. The Cambridge Public House brings the warmth of a British pub to the Parisian cocktail scene, while De Vie takes a more experimental approach, using seasonal ingredients and serving pre-diluted cocktails without ice. Danico draws on flavours from around the world for its inventive drinks.
Sip and Guzzle, New York
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New York’s four entries reflect a similarly varied scene. Schmuck, a new entry at number 11, takes an irreverent approach to the cocktail bar, pairing boundary pushing drinks with a deliberately unpretentious, hospitality first ethos. Sip & Guzzle at number 14 offers two contrasting experiences under one roof: Japanese precision upstairs and a more relaxed setting for highballs and beer downstairs. Martiny’s at number 46 combines Japanese hospitality with American influences, while Bar Snack ar number 49 puts playful twists on classics alongside hearty food in a space inspired by the 1970s.
Alquímico, Cartagena’s
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Far west, Cartagena’s Alquímico is ranked number three and named the best bar in South America, while Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy secured the sixth berth and the best bar in North America.
The extended 51–100 ranking also features an Indian bar: Boilermaker in Goa, at number 57. Founded by craft beer entrepreneur Nakul Bhonsle and mixologist Pankaj Balachandran, the Siolim bar pairs craft beer with inventive cocktails while embracing Goa’s laid back susegad spirit.
The 50 Best Bars 2026
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The awards also recognised achievements beyond the rankings. Shingo Gokan received the Roku Industry Icon Award, Athens bar Line won the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award for its focus on fermentation and zero waste practices, and Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons was recognised for its cocktail menu, “Transcend”. Abu Dhabi’s Saikindō, hidden behind a fashion atelier, received the award for best bar design for its immersive take on the Japanese listening bar, built around sound, acoustics and layered interiors.
Published – October 10, 2026 01:59 pm IST
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