When we heard Lorenzo Antinori had opened a new drinking spot in Hong Kong, we knew—even before we found the place off the beaten path—that this was not going to be a dive bar. Hiking up to Bridges Street in that odd area between Sheung Wan and Central on a balmy evening (there is no other kind for the next six months), a chilled yuzu Negroni awaited on a platter—lighter than the classic, perfect for the season.
A relaxed, unpretentious venue serving fine bites and bubbles, Bar Leone certainly does not look or have the feel of the mixologist’s past gigs when he worked at The Savoy, or his long tenure with the Four Seasons group (where he led a winning trifecta—Charles H, Caprice, and Argo—to fantastic press and critical acclaim). Bar Leone is the sort of affable bar you’d find walking down cobbled streets of Rome (where Antinori is from), off tourist-heavy detours and distractions.
It’s a quintessential Italian bar, really—warm, inviting, and of a certain vintage (funny, because the bar opened just this past June)—with archival pictures, signage, and accoutrements studded on wood-panelled walls and cosy booths. Bright sunlight segues into a warm glow as stellar bar snacks are doled out of hand-painted ceramics filled with piattini and spuntini, small dishes and snacks ripe for the picking.
The smoked olives (perfect with their signature martini), Giardiniera-style pickles with Parmigiano, and artisanal cold cuts are irresistible. Antinori puts his personal touch on the menu by presenting his own childhood favourites, Roman stuffed pizza with mortadella and pane and anchovies.
“I realised I loved the whole experience of hosting guests and sharing fun moments with them, but what really hooked me was learning the craft behind cocktails and the stories behind each of them,” says Antinori, who has finally set up his own establishment after years of signage in others’. Famed for having led several bars up the ladder in several “Best Of” lists (Asia’s 50 Best and World’s 50 Best, among others), a place to call his own seems the most logical of steps.
Find his own take on the classic martini (Leone Martini), a resurgence of the classic Bellini and an ever-morphing cocktail menu that changes with the season. Antinori swears he won’t take a few things off the menu, such as the perpetually popular Spritz, the Piccoli for the grab-and-goers, and the house Negroni selection.
In a town teeming with over a thousand other licensed options, the challenge is not just to make a drinking spot memorable, but enduring—and the always approachable pseudo-therapist-priest (“People confess everything to me!”) is up for it. “I was up for the challenge,” nods the busy-bee barkeep, perfecting the last-minute touches to make this everyone’s preferred neighbourhood haunt. “Plus, I always loved Hong Kong for its dynamic and competitive F&B scene and the beauty of the city itself.”
15 Bridges Street, Central, Hong Kong
All images courtesy of Bar Leone.
