After being crowned the Best Bar in Asia at the recent Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 on July 16, the Italian-themed drinking joint Bar Leone, led by Lorenzo Antinori, has just received the award for Best New International Cocktail Bar at the 18th annual Spirited Awards ceremony held at the Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC) conference in New Orleans on July 25.
It has been an exciting month for the local bar, and according to Antinori, they cannot wait to keep spreading that ‘cocktail popolari’ (cocktails for the people) gospel, “This is for Hong Kong,” he says in his recent social media post. “This is a World Cup,” he adds.
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"We are over the moon, and it’s a validation of the work the team has put in," Antinori says. "We are proud to have been keeping the Hong Kong flag flying high in the bar scene," he adds. So, what does this back-to-back accolade mean for Bar Leone? "It means we will work even harder to maintain the consistency of our bar experience," Antinori states, "We keep our feet on the ground and won't change our ethos of being a bar for everyone," he enthuses.
The Spirited Awards is a highly prestigious recognition in the spirits and cocktail world, celebrating the achievements of bar and beverage professionals. This year’s theme, ‘Inspire,’ honours individuals who exemplify excellence in innovation and community engagement within the industry. Award recipients were meticulously chosen by a panel of over 250 industry experts, with Charlotte Voisey leading the judging process as the Overall Chair of the Spirited Awards.
The top awards include the World’s Best Bar received by Alquímico of Cartagena de Indias in Colombia and The International Bartender of the Year award given to Eric van Beek of Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City. In addition to Bar Leone in Hong Kong, another Asian bar, BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, was awarded the Best International Hotel Bar accolade.
See the full list of awards at talesofthecocktail.org.
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