Hong Kong's Bar Leone named world's best bar for second year

Travel and food desks worldwide led with The World's 50 Best Bars 2026 on 10 October, after the 18th edition of the list was unveiled at a ceremony in Milan. Hong Kong's Bar Leone, co-founded by bartender Lorenzo Antinori and inspired by Rome's Trastevere district, retained the No. 1 spot for a second consecutive year, becoming the first bar in Asia to achieve back-to-back wins and joining London's Milk & Honey, Artesian and Connaught Bar as the only venues ever to do so. The bar's 'Cocktail Popolari' philosophy focuses on simple, affordable drinks served alongside snacks like smoked olives and a mortadella sandwich, in a room full of wood finishes and football memorabilia. Hong Kong tied with Paris and New York for the most entries in the top 50, with four bars apiece; Argo at Four Seasons Hong Kong returned at No. 25, while Antinori's new Montana debuted at No. 36 and Gokan at No. 41. Several outlets, including SCMP, Vino Joy and Drift Travel, kept the story at the top of their most-read travel pages on 10 October.