Three bars in Athens among the best in the world for 2025

Every October, the global cocktail community turns its attention to the announcement of the World’s 50 Best Bars list, a ranking that began in 2009 by William Reed and has evolved into an international benchmark for creativity and hospitality.

The Bar Leone at the top

Bar Leone in Hong Kong won the title of best bar for 2025. Created by the famous bartender Lorenzo Antinori, the bar represents a new approach to hospitality, based on simplicity and directness. His motto, cocktail popolari (“cocktails for the people”), combines high quality with the avoidance of pretentiousness. The list’s content head Emma Sleight said, “This is not only the first time an Asian bar has topped the list, but it’s also a shining testament to the commitment of Lorenzo and the entire team at Bar Leone to redefine excellence in hospitality.”

International overview

This year’s list reflects the constantly changing geography of the bar scene. In total, bars from 29 cities were included in the list, with eight new entries. London, New York, and Paris continue to lead with multiple entries, while Barcelona has proven its strength again with two bars in the top five. Mexico City took second place with Handshake Speakeasy and another entry in the top 25.

Eastern Europe first appeared with the Mirror Bar in Bratislava (No. 25) and Nouvelle Vague in Tirana (No. 28), while Scandinavia made a strong presence with Himkok in Oslo (No. 14), Svanen (No. 32) and the Röda Huset in Stockholm (No. 35).

Athens on the world map

The Greek capital maintains its position as an international cocktail hub, with three bars on this year’s list:

Line (No. 8), among the top ten bars in the world.

Baba au Rum (No. 27), consistently among the best.

The Bar in Front of the Bar (No. 47), which strengthens Athens’ position on the international stage.

These distinctions prove that the city has now established itself on the global map of bar culture, competing with metropolises with tradition, such as London, New York, and Barcelona.

The full list of the 50 best bars in the world for 2025

1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong
2. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
3. Sips, Barcelona
4. Paradiso, Barcelona
5. Taylor + Elementary, London
6. Connaught Bar, London
7. Moebius Milano, Milan
8. Line, Athens
9. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
10. Three Brothers, Buenos Aires
11. Alchemical, Cartagena
12. Superbueno, New York
13. Lady Bee, Lima
14. Himkok, Oslo
15. Bar Us, Bangkok
16. Zest, Seoul
17. Bar Nouveau, Paris
18. Benfiddich, Tokyo
19. Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne
20. The Cambridge Public House, Paris
21. Satan’s Whiskers, London
22. Locale Firenze, Florence
23. Telecan, Mexico City
24. Tan Tan, São Paulo
25. Mirror Bar, Bratislava
26. CoChinChina, Buenos Aires
27. Baba au Rum, Athens
28. Nouvelle Vague, Tirana
29. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou
30. Danico, Paris
31. Scarfes Bar, London
32. Svanen, Oslo
33. Martinez Tailor Shop, Lima
34. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
35. Red House, Stockholm
36. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai
37. Salmon Guru, Madrid
38. Coa, Hong Kong
39. Sip & Guzzle, New York
40. Drink Kong, Rome
41. Double Chicken Please, New York
42. Maybe Sammy, Sydney
43. 1930, Milan
44. Jewel of the South, New Orleans
45. Virtù, Tokyo
46. Overstory, New York
47. The Bar in Front of the Bar, Athens
48. The Bellwood, Tokyo
49. BKK Social Club, Bangkok
50. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore