The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 List Revealed

The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 list features bars from 29 cities with 8 new entries spread Athens, Bratislava, Guangzhou, Lima, New York, Oslo, Tirana and Tokyo.

COMPILED BY Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Courtesy of The World’s 50 Best Bars

The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 were unveiled on 8 October at a glittering ceremony in Hong Kong, with Bar Leone taking the top honour as The World’s Best Bar for 2025.

This is the first time a bar from Asia has claimed the No.1 spot on the prestigious list, and the first time the title of “The Best Bar in Africa” and “The Best Bar in the Middle East” has been awarded as part of The World’s 50 Best Bars. Mimi Kakushi in Dubai (No.36) took the title as The Best Bar in the Middle East, while Nairobi’s Hero Bar has been crowned The Best Bar in Africa, after ranking at No.69 in the extended list announced a fortnight ago.

This year’s top bars

No. 1 Bar Leone

Nestled in Hong Kong’s vibrant Central district, Bar Leone is the brainchild of renowned bartender Lorenzo Antinori, whose storied resume encompasses some of Europe and Asia’s most beloved hotel bars, including London’s American Bar at The Savoy and Dandelyan (now defunct). Built on the philosophy of ‘cocktail popolari’ – or ‘cocktails for the people’ – Bar Leone pays tribute to the neighbourhood bars of Rome, where locals gather for coffee, aperitivi and casual conversation. The interior is a love letter to the city in the 1980s and ’90s and is designed to be approachable, unpretentious and deeply rooted in Italian culture and hospitality.

No. 2 Handshake Speakeasy

Tucked away in the Colonia Juárez neighbourhood of Mexico City, Handshake Speakeasy is one of the capital’s best-kept open secrets. Hidden behind a secret door in a dimly lit room stocked with an impressive array of vintage spirits, the bar’s interiors masterfully evoke the bygone age of the Hollywood speakeasy.

While the atmospheric black marble, rich brass detailing and moody lighting of the interior are akin to stepping back a century, the innovative cocktail menu is rooted firmly in the future. Bar Director Eric van Beek effortlessly melds tradition and innovation, elevating the classics through cutting-edge techniques developed in the on-site lab, revolutionising familiar recipes with unexpected flavours and a complex palate. Homemade tinctures and infusions add signature Art Deco flare alongside the use of considered rare and aged spirits.

No. 3 Sips

Sips, situated in the L’Antiga Esquerra de l’Eixample district of Barcelona, is a fusion of sophisticated design and cutting-edge mixology expertise, co-founded by industry leaders Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez. Caporale, known for his role in leading London’s Artesian to four titles of “The World’s Best Bar,” and Álvarez, with nearly a decade of experience at the pioneering elBarri restaurant group by Ferran and Albert Adrià, bring a disruptive approach to creative mixology. Sips offers innovative haute couture cocktails at accessible prices.

The bar’s ambience features a contemporary design with muted pastel tones and gold accents, replacing the conventional bar with a futuristic workstation. This unique design promotes a seamless interaction between guests and bartenders, creating a multi-sensory, immersive drinking experience.

Special award mentions

Campari One To Watch Award: Bar Mauro in Mexico City, which reached No.54 on the extended list of bars ranked 51-100, was named as this year’s recipient. The award recognises a bar that the 50 Best team perceives as having strong potential to join the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars in the future.  

Best Bar Design Award: Tigra + Disco Pantera in Sydney took top honours. Two distinct yet complementary spaces created by Scottish brothers Gordon and Ross Purnell, Tigra embraces the vibrant laneway cultures of Barcelona and Tokyo, influenced by Joan Miró’s playful modernism, while Disco Pantera channels the retro glamour of 1970s New York, featuring vintage lighting, reclaimed materials, and standout elements like a hand-sculpted teak bar front.

Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award: Backdoor Bodega in Penang took home the award for The Backdoor Bodega Guide to Penang. Styled like an indie travel zine, each drink is presented as a narrative entry that spotlights the stories, flavours, and landmarks that define their island home, blending personal anecdotes with cultural heritage.

Roku Industry Icon: Simone Caporale has been named Roku Industry Icon. Simone Caporale, renowned for his groundbreaking work at Artesian at The Langham – named The World’s Best Bar four years in a row – is an award-winning bartender and entrepreneur based in Barcelona.

Disaronno Highest New Entry Award: Joining the list for the first time at No.25, Bratislava’s Mirror Bar is awarded the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award. A sleek cocktail lounge blending nature-inspired design with elegant vintage touches, Mirror Bar serves inventive cocktails that blend world-class mixology with visual storytelling.

Three Cents Best New Opening: Sip & Guzzle in New York took top honours in this category. A bi-level cocktail bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, co-founded by Shingo Gokan and Steve Schneider, Sip & Guzzle blends Japanese elegance with New York energy.                          

Nikka Highest Climber Award: The award goes to Milan’s Moebius Milano. Rising 31 places to No.7. Moebius Milano is a dynamic gastronomic and cultural venue in the heart of Milan, combining a Tapa Bistrot, a fine dining experimental restaurant, and a cocktail bar within a renovated textile warehouse. The concept blends culinary innovation, live music, and design, offering an immersive experience that reflects the venue’s philosophy of continuous transformation.

Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award: The award has been bestowed upon Baba au Rum. Founded by Thanos Prunarus in 2009, Baba au Rum is a visionary cocktail bar known for its deep appreciation of rum and its role in shaping Greece’s modern bar scene.

Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award: The Cambridge Public House in Paris was named this year’s winner of the award. The first independent bar to achieve B Corp certification, co-founders Hugo Gallou and Hyacinthe Lescoët have driven lasting change beyond sustainable mixology through a series of creative initiatives, including adopting six United Nations goals to support global communities through The Cambridge Community Plan and the launch of Shaken Leaf, a platform empowering bartenders worldwide to adopt sustainable practices.

Other special award winners, announced in the run-up to the awards, include Uno Jang, winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award, and Lady Bee, Lima, named the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award. | theworlds50best.com/bars/

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