A Rome-inspired cocktail den in Hong Kong's Central district has held onto its crown. Bar Leone has been named the world's best bar for 2026 in The World's 50 Best Bars awards, voted on by more than 800 drinks industry experts and announced at a ceremony in Milan on 7 October. It's the second consecutive year the venue, which opened in 2023, has topped the list.

The 2026 ranking spans 26 cities, with 14 new entries from as far afield as Athens, Buenos Aires and Bangkok. Milan itself did well: Moebius Milano came second, while Alquímico in Cartagena took third and Bar Us in Bangkok fourth.

London kept its footing among the elite, with the Connaught Bar — a Mayfair institution — landing at number eight. Two other London spots made the top 50: Satan's Whiskers in Bethnal Green at 29 and Waltz in Shoreditch at 32. Mexico City scored two top-ten venues, Handshake Speakeasy at six and Bar Mauro at ten, cementing the Mexican capital's reputation as a cocktail heavyweight.

Paris, Hong Kong and New York each placed four bars on the list. Paris highlights include The Cambridge Public House at 13, Bar Nouveau at 15 and De Vie at 23, while Hong Kong's representation beyond the winner includes Argo (25), Montana (36) and Gokan (41). New York's showing features Schmuck at 11 and Sip & Guzzle at 14. There were accolades elsewhere too: Edinburgh's Panda & Sons picked up the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award for its Transcend menu.

For travellers who plan trips around what's in the glass, this list is effectively a ready-made pub crawl across four continents. The top ten alone gives you reasons to drink in Hong Kong, Milan, Cartagena, Bangkok, Athens, Mexico City, Seoul, London and Lima — and lower down the list you'll find strong showings from Medellín, Guadalajara, São Paulo, Tirana and Bratislava, which suggests the next cocktail hotspots aren't only the usual suspects.

Worth remembering: these bars are popular, and several are small. If you're travelling specifically to tick one off, book ahead where reservations are accepted, or arrive at opening time — many of the speakeasy-style entries don't take bookings at all. The full list was compiled by The World's 50 Best Bars, an annual ranking published since 2009 and sponsored this year by Perrier.