The World's Number One Rated Bar Is Intimate And Timeless - Here Are The Best Drinks To Order

Bar Leone can be found in the Central district of Hong Kong, the skyscraper-filled Asian city that was one of Anthony Bourdain's favorite food destinations. Its interior — dimly lit, intimate, and nostalgic — has a distinctly 1970s vibe, with its vintage décor. Upon its walls are old-timey movie posters, photos of famous soccer players, and prints of Italian spirits. On some nights, you'll hear the sounds of bossa nova; on others, throwback '80s pop or funky Italian disco. And the crowd is chill and unpretentious, much like the drinks, where cocktail popolari, or "cocktails for the people," is the concept. Here, the modus operandi is simple and classic with a twist — no fancy glassware or equipment needed.

This welcoming spot was opened in June 2023 by Lorenzo Antinori, an internationally renowned mixologist from Rome. The bar captures the spirit of Rome's convivial caffès, and its name is the Italian word for "lion" — the symbol of pre-Renaissance Rome currently used to represent the Trastevere neighborhood, where Antinori was raised. And although its doors opened recently, it's already racked up some impressive accolades.

In 2024, it nabbed first place on the list of Asia's Best Bars and second place on The World's 50 Best Bars. These prestigious awards, voted upon by over 800 drinks experts, celebrate excellence in the international bar scene. And in October 2025, Bar Leone surpassed even these soaring achievements: It ranked No. 1 on both lists, from a highly competitive roster that included opulent hotel bars and hidden speakeasies. Notably, this is the first time a venue in Asia has received the top honor. Through perusing travel, food, and drink publications that featured Bar Leone, along with first-hand reviews from previous visitors, we've put together a list of the best drinks to order from this award-winning bar.

At Bar Leone, simple is king. While the establishment offers a range of delightful seasonal cocktails, its current best-seller may surprise you: the Filthy Martini, Antinori's rendition of the iconic dirty martini. Made with Ketel One vodka and garnished with a giant olive, this seemingly standard aperitivo has a taste of its own due to the in-house smoked olive brine. As Antinori shares in a tongue-in-cheek Instagram post, "The principal is very simple: we smoke olives, we dump them back into their own brine, we hug and cry." This unique process involves high-quality Spanish olives and smoking with cherry wood in the bar's combi oven, resulting in a savory, barbecue-y brine to complement the smooth vodka pairing.

The Filthy Martini is rated 8 on the bar's drink potency scale, a 12-point classifying system where most of the cocktails fall between a 6 and an 8.5. A commenter on Antinori's Instagram page wrote, "Literally hands down the best extra dirty Martini I've ever had and I've had a lot." The drink is best paired with bite-sized, savory snacks, like the bar's signature smoked olives.

Most alcohol-serving establishments hold the recipes for their creative concoctions close to their chest — but not Bar Leone. In keeping with its cocktail popolari concept, it has made many of its drink specs available on its website, including that of the Filthy Martini. Head to the website, click on the Cocktail Popolari tab, and enter your email address to receive the recipes directly to your inbox. If you're making this martini at home, Antinori recommends using Manzanilla or Taggiasche olive varieties.

Another frequently requested option at Bar Leone is the Olive Oil Sour, a twist on the whiskey sour. Sugar, citrus, and spirit are the holy trinity that combine to make a traditional whiskey sour, and this Hong Kong-born riff is no different. Honey syrup, fresh lemon juice, and Woodford Reserve Kentucky bourbon form the base of the drink, while marsala gives it more depth and a rich nuttiness. A fresh egg-white helps to bond the ingredients and creates the characteristic layer of foam, garnished with aromatic grated nutmeg.

So what's with the name? Well, this cocktail's secret weapon is the teaspoon of extra-virgin Italian olive oil that's thrown in — a key ingredient that gives the iconic drink an innovative, buttery twist. As Antinori shared with Olive Oil Times in a 2025 interview, "The olive oil sour was inspired by my love for the Whiskey Sour, a timeless classic that perfectly balances sweet, sour, and spirituous elements. We wanted to pay homage to that classic while infusing it with a Mediterranean twist that reflects our Italian roots."

This drink's potency is rated at an 8. It's ideal for whiskey enthusiasts, and it's perfectly paired with the aforementioned smoked olives. As of this writing, 10% of this cocktail's proceeds are donated to the More Good Foundation, which provides nourishing meals to those in need.

Nothing screams Mediterranean summer more than the smell of basil and tomato in the air and a refreshingly sweet beverage in hand. And that's exactly what you'll get with Il Cacciatore, a cool, summery libation akin to a caprese salad in a glass. Just like the tomatini, which inspired this creation, it plays on the sweetness, rather than the savory elements, of the tomato. Its spirit base is The Botanist dry gin, made with foraged Scottish botanicals, which gives the drink earthy notes. It contains cherry tomatoes, bianco vermouth, mastika, sugar syrup, and lemon juice. To create this seasonal gem, these tomatoes are first muddled at the bottom of a shaker. The other ingredients are then added in, and the concoction is shaken with ice and strained into a tumbler. The garnish of a basil leaf and a cherry tomato is the perfect finishing touch.

Pair Il Cacciatore with the mortadella (cured-pork sausage) sandwich, a signature Bar Leone item that's as famous as the drinks. Heaped with a generous portion of sliced mortadella, creamy mascarpone and ricotta cheese, pickled green chilies, and, of course, smoked olives, this piece of focaccia heaven nearly overshadows the cocktails themselves. While it has its origins as an Italian street food staple, it might soon become just as popular in Hong Kong. The smoked mascarpone dip and chips, one of the bar's vegetarian options, is another excellent bite that works well with the beverage.

As the evening winds down, you may be looking for a pick-me-up. The bar's signature coffee drink, Caffè Paradiso, is just that. It's a playful riff on an Irish coffee, so you won't need to head to this medieval inn in Ireland to get your caffeine fix. The delightfully decadent bevvy packs a punch — but a small one, as it's a half-sized portion. It's enough to get those energy levels back up, but not enough to cause insomnia.

This drink swaps the traditional hot coffee for cold brew, along with Nikka From The Barrel Scotch, honey syrup, and salted double cream. And he adds in unique Italian flavors with Amaro Lucano and Torino vermouth. D.O.M. Bénédictine, a fragrant French herbal liqueur, also brings in a silkiness and light citrus notes. This satisfyingly creamy and aromatic treat is topped with a green cardamom pod and served cold. One commenter praised the drink on Bar Leone's Instagram page, calling it "the best coffee cocktail in the world." 

Bar Leone can be found on Bridges Street just steps away from the historic Hollywood Road, the world's "second coolest street" — look out for its name printed on the nondescript silver plaque. Note that the menu changes occasionally, based on the seasonality of certain ingredients and to feature new beverages. Prices range from $15 to $20 for drinks. The bar is open every day except Mondays from 5 p.m. until late. The 45-seat establishment doesn't take reservations, so come early and expect to wait. But despite the queue, this timeless bar is worth a visit. It combines the warmth of an intimate neighborhood haunt with innovative mixology and an eclectic range of cocktails — the perfect place for a libation-filled evening in Hong Kong.

For this story, Islands scoured a wide variety of blogs, articles, and news pieces on Bar Leone, written by those who had recently patronized the spot. Many were trusted travel sites, like Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler. Others were online publications covering lifestyle, the bar industry, and drinking culture, including Exquisite Taste, Imbibe, Inside Hook, Tasting Kitchen, Foodie, and 88 Bamboo. News stories related to the bar, its recent wins, and Antinori were also used for research, including those from The World's 50 Best, Olive Oil Times,  Escape, and Reporter Gourmet. Priority in the selection process for the best beverages was given to reviewers who had recently frequented the spot, as well as to those who had interviewed Antinori or other staff members.

Finally, we perused online reviews and comments about Bar Leone on sites like Tripadvisor and Reddit, noting which drinks locals and visitors were recommending or for which they were providing positive feedback. Social media comments on the bar's own Instagram account were also taken into consideration. The four cocktails that were eventually selected were the ones most often described positively across all the aforementioned articles and forums, taking into account the expertise of the writers, the recency of the pieces, and other factors.