Bar Leone is expanding its footprint, aiming to win over another major nightlife capital in the East. After the Hong Kong flagship climbed to the top of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025, the brand has now opened a second outpost in Shanghai’s Huangpu district. The philosophy remains unchanged: “cocktail popolari,” a tribute to Italy’s neighborhood bars—especially the Roman kind, and more specifically the ones you’d find in Trastevere. Still, co-founders Lorenzo Antinori and Justin Shun Wah have introduced a few additions tailored to their new home.
Bar Leone Shanghai is Now Open
Since opening in June 2023, Bar Leone Hong Kong has become a case study in rapid ascent. It reached the No. 2 spot on The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2024, then delivered a remarkable streak in 2025: No. 1 on both The World’s 50 Best Bars and Asia’s 50 Best Bars, plus The Best International Cocktail Bar at the Spirited Awards during Tales of the Cocktail. Antinori was also named International Bartender of the Year.
With such solid groundwork, Shanghai launches under the best possible conditions. Antinori and Shun Wah are betting on a formula that already works: simple, seasonal cocktails built on thoughtful ingredients rather than high-tech wizardry. The guiding principle is restraint.
Two Floors, Two Personalities
In Shanghai, Bar Leone unfolds across two levels. On the ground floor is a recreation of the classic “bar di passo”—a casual stop-in bar where people gather, talk sports, and drink cocktails designed for quick enjoyment. The aesthetic leans into Italian pop culture from the ’80s and ’90s: film posters, vintage objects, and a relaxed aperitivo mood, with a focus on low-ABV drinks.
At the center of the ground floor is the Spritz Bar, pouring seasonal spritzes on tap. Among them: the Spumoni, made with Earl Grey-infused Campari, grapefruit cordial and quinine; and the Leone Vermouth Service, a house blend served on ice with orange foam, paired with taralli and hard cheese.
Upstairs at Bar Leone Shanghai
The first floor echoes the Hong Kong original, with the feel of an Italian living room from the ’70s and ’80s. The highlight here is the section titled Vecchi & Rari, dedicated to aged cocktails and vintage spirits—like a Dry Martini matured for 24 months and a Manhattan aged 21 months.
Some Hong Kong signatures return on the food menu, including the focaccia with mortadella and the Negroni tiramisù. Shanghai also gets its own additions: the Leone Affogato with pistachio gelato, and a fiordilatte gelato served with olive oil and sea salt.
The constant throughout both floors is a warm, unpretentious Italian sense of hospitality. Bar Leone Shanghai is open seven days a week, from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., at 525 Fuxing Middle Road.
Images courtesy of Bar Leone
