21 November 2025
GQ Local Heroes： Lorenzo Antinori
Lorenzo Antinori has elevated Bar Leone to the heights of global recognition with the heartfelt spirit of a "neighbourhood bar," making it the top establishment in the "The World's 50 Best Bars" list and redefining the status of Hong Kong's nightlife. Bar Leone is not only a destination bar for celebrities and international visitors but also a bright corner that warms the community.
This year’s “Global 50 Best Bars” ceremony was held in Hong Kong, and when Bar Leone was announced as the best bar in the world, the cheers were deafening. I was filled with excitement, knowing that this small city had produced yet another world champion! Only those who live here understand how challenging it is to be seen by the world. Bar Leone’s victory instilled a sense of pride in me as a Hongkonger, epitomising one of the essential qualities of Local Heroes. From that moment on, Lorenzo Antinori became our top choice for the editorial team. For Lorenzo, this achievement is not just a personal milestone but also a recognition of his years of dedication in Hong Kong. It highlights not only his success but also his strong connection to the city: “It shows that I’m well-rooted in this city, and people appreciate the work that I’ve done.” The ‘best in the world’ remains proud yet humble: “I think that there are so many amazing and talented people within the list. It’s a real honour for me to be associated with them.”
Bar Leone opened in June 2023, and it has soared to become the best bar globally in just over two years. Lorenzo admits that reaching this pinnacle has always been his dream: “I believe that dreams can come true, but dreams don’t come true because somebody hands them to you. You need to go and get it.” He emphasises that success requires action: “I think it’s about working hard, finding ways to evolve, being consistent, passionate, and curious.” For him, the award is not the endpoint but a new beginning: “For me, the awards are a consequence of the work that has been put in the bar and in my career, but also I think I like to see them as a starting point for something else that eventually will come.”
Bar Leone’s guiding principle has always been cocktail popolari, meaning “cocktails for the people”, which he insists is the soul of Bar Leone. In Hong Kong’s crowded high-end bar scene, this model of accessibility and community connection is unique. “For us, being a neighbourhood bar carries certain values that we are very attached to—it means being very accessible, being approachable, being open to everybody and at the same time being well connected to our community.” These values extend beyond Bar Leone to his other Cuban-style bar, Montana, and future projects, including a new location in Shanghai. While each has a different creative concept, “being very approachable, but at the same time being very curated” are the cornerstones of Lorenzo’s establishments.
For me, the awards are a consequence of the work that has been put in the bar and in my career, but also I think I like to see them as a starting point for something else that eventually will come.
During the interview, I discovered that beneath Lorenzo’s outgoing and passionate personality is a calm and clear mind. For Lorenzo, who studied law in university, the bars he creates are not merely places to drink. “There is a lot of interest in seeing how we can create something that is more than a bar, but a brand, and I think that’s really the powerful thing.” Achieving this requires clarity of vision: “What it is that you’re doing, the brand that you want to create and the audience that you’re talking to.”
Lorenzo’s journey to the top began in 2010, starting at the legendary American Bar in London, followed by his role at Charles H. at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. Afterwards, he joined the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong, transforming the classic Caprice Bar and opening the flagship bar, Argo. “Argo was an important project to me because it allowed me to learn a lot. It was a big learning curve because we opened a brand new space. We created a new brand with Four Seasons, so there was definitely a lot of effort and a lot of creativity put into the project.” In contrast, Bar Leone carries a more personal touch: “Bar Leone, being a personal project, allowed me to really express who I am and bring to the table my background, my memories, and things that are very important to me. “
From the moment he arrived, Lorenzo formed an indelible bond with Hong Kong, seeing it not just as a site for his “career” but as his “home.” When asked if he ever envisioned building his dreams here, he candidly replied, “No, I never thought about it. I think these are things that just happened, and I’m glad that I stayed ” What makes him stay? “I think it’s an amazing city—very vibrant and full of culture. It’s a melting pot of personalities and cultures, which makes it very unique. I’m competitive, and I sort of want to prove myself in any sort of situation. Hong Kong is also a very competitive city, and I think that’s really what I love the most. It’s like if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.” As he approaches his seventh year in Hong Kong, Lorenzo will soon have three stars on his Hong Kong identity card, officially becoming a true Hongkonger. “It’s truly crazy!” I asked, “Is Hong Kong your favourite city?” “It’s one of my favourite cities, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”
I’m competitive, and I sort of want to prove myself in any sort of situation. Hong Kong is also a very competitive city, and I think that’s really what I love the most. It’s like if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.
Achieving the title of “best in the world” doesn’t mean Lorenzo has slowed down to enjoy the limelight of his career; his focus remains on the new Shanghai project. “Shanghai is the main project, and it’s gonna require a lot of effort.” He plans to fully immerse himself and even relocate to Shanghai for a month. “There will be a lot of things that won’t be perfect at the beginning and probably will never be perfect,” Lorenzo laughs. “But I think our main priority is to make sure that we are catering to and we are welcoming the Shanghai community as best as possible, and create those bar experiences. I think that’s very important to us.”
With a burgeoning bar scene in Hong Kong, Lorenzo maintains an optimistic view on competition. “I think the more we are, the better it is. It’s more competitive, but as long as quality remains, I think that’s the most important thing. There are many players. Just because we won awards doesn’t mean we are the number one player. No, we want to be part of the community like the others, we want to help our bar scene to grow.” As a leading figure in the industry, he generously shares insights with the new generation of bartenders and young people planning to open their own bars. “Stay curious and always challenge yourselves. Never stand still, but always try to evolve, because at the end of the day, knowledge is power in any sort of field. For those interested in opening a bar, you should create something that connects to you and that you truly love. Finding the right partners is very important because it’s like a football team, right? Nobody’s irreplaceable. It’s up to us as business owners to nurture our team members, the new generation of hospitality workers, and we can do that only by building a strong culture within our business model. The team members are the ambassadors of the brand, and without them— somebody passionate—we won’t go far. But we need to install in them this fire, this passion.”
From Italy to Hong Kong, and now heading to Shanghai, Lorenzo has firmly established Bar Leone as a benchmark in the global cocktail scene with his genuine philosophy of a “neighbourhood bar.” His success stems not only from his exceptional skills but also from his willingness to challenge the status quo and his commitment to quality, innovation, and the passion of his team, all embodied in his meticulously crafted cocktails, creating a legendary narrative in Hong Kong’s cocktail culture.
Photography: Ivan Wong
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