Bar Leone in Hong Kong has been named the world’s best bar for a second year running. The 50 Best Bars 2026 list, the 18th edition of the ranking, was announced at a ceremony in Milan on 7 October. It covers 50 venues in 26 cities and includes 14 new entries.

The top of the list

According to the organiser’s announcement, Moebius Milano in the host city placed second, followed by Alquímico in Cartagena, Bar Us in Bangkok and Line in Athens. Euronews reported that Moebius Milano rose from seventh last year.

Bar Leone was founded in Central, Hong Kong, in 2023 by Italian bartender Lorenzo Antinori, according to Hashtag Legend, and first took the top position in 2025.

Bar Mauro in Mexico City was the highest new entry at No.10. Schmuck in New York, at No.11, was named best new opening. The Bar in Front of the Bar in Athens climbed 28 places to No.19, the largest rise.

Where the bars are

Hong Kong, Paris and New York each have four bars in the top 50. Bangkok, London and Athens have three each. Europe holds 18 of the 50 places, and Euronews noted that Paris has overtaken London as the continent’s most represented city for the first time.

Regional titles went to Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City for North America, Alquímico for South America, Mimi Kakushi in Dubai for the Middle East, at No.42, and Caretaker’s Cottage in Melbourne for Australasia. The best bar in Africa, Front/Back in Accra, sits at No.80 on the extended list. Singapore has two entries, Jigger & Pony at No.18 and Nutmeg & Clove at No.38. Trade site Spirited Asia noted that the city had six in 2021.

Hotel bars on the list

Several ranked venues are operated inside hotels. Connaught Bar, in The Connaught in London’s Mayfair, is No.8 and the city’s highest entry. Country & Town House reported that it has now appeared on the list 17 times and was ranked first in 2020 and 2021.

Three Four Seasons bars appear: Argo at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong at No.25, BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River at No.30, and Virtù at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi at No.48. The organiser’s announcement does not identify which bars are hotel operated, so this count covers only venues THD could confirm from other published sources and may not be complete.

Among the special awards, the best bar design award went to Saikindō in Abu Dhabi, the sustainable bar award to Line in Athens and the industry icon award to Shingo Gokan, whose Hong Kong bar Gokan entered the list at No.41.

The ranking is voted on by an academy of more than 800 drinks experts across 29 regions. Each casts eight votes based on bars visited in the previous 18 months. The organiser does not publish vote counts or margins between places.

THD’s reading

The following points are THD analysis.

  • Analysis: independents dominate, but hotel bars can still compete. Only a handful of the 50 are confirmed hotel venues. Connaught Bar’s 17 appearances show that a hotel bar with stable leadership and a clear identity can hold a position for years, which is a long return on a relatively small footprint.
  • Analysis: Four Seasons is getting repeat recognition from a group-level bar strategy. Three bars in the top 50 across three Asian cities is not an accident of one property. Owners weighing whether a destination bar justifies its capital and payroll can point to that consistency.
  • Analysis: the voting window rewards investment in visiting trade. With votes based on the previous 18 months of visits, bars that host guest shifts and industry events stay visible to voters. That is a marketing cost operators should budget for explicitly.
  • Analysis: Hong Kong and Bangkok are Asia’s bar capitals for now. Together they hold seven places. Hotels in Singapore and Tokyo face stronger regional competition for the same travelling drinks audience.