The annual list of The World's 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be unveiled as part of a live awards ceremony in Hong Kong at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, an iconic structure with stunning views of Victoria Harbour on Wednesday, 8 October 2025, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

For its 17th edition, the most prestigious ranking in the global bar industry will once again return to Asia to showcase the achievements of the finest bars, bartenders and cocktail cities around the world. The global bar community are set to gather in Hong Kong to celebrate and honour the exceptional accomplishments of their peers who have been at the forefront of shaping cocktail culture across the globe.

Voted for by a handpicked Academy of more than 700 bartenders, consultants, writers and cocktail specialists from around the world, with a 50/50 gender split, the list of The World's 50 Best Bars is independently adjudicated by Deloitte. Further details of the voting process can be found at the bottom of this press release.

Emma Sleight, Head of Content for The World's 50 Best Bars, says: “We are thrilled to bring The World's 50 Best Bars ceremony to the incredible city of Hong Kong, whose bar scene continues to grow and develop year on year. As we gather to celebrate another phenomenal year in the global cocktail industry, we look forward inspiring cocktail lovers worldwide to discover their new favourite bar and join us in honouring the finest establishments around the world.”

Dane Cheng, Executive Director for the Hong Kong Tourism Board, says: "Entering the second year of the three-year partnership between HKTB and 50 Best, Hong Kong is set to welcome the biggest names in the global bar scene for the first time. The bar scene in Hong Kong reflects the city's rich cultural tapestry and forward-thinking spirit, making it a must-visit destination for cocktail lovers worldwide. We look forward to hosting this event in Hong Kong in October, which will kick off a month of culinary celebrations, culminating in the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, the iconic gastronomy event of the city, at the end of the month."

Highlights for the event programme in Hong Kong will include the Bartenders' Feast, hosted the evening before the ceremony for those talented individuals whose bars feature in this year's ranking. The hotly anticipated list of The World's 50 Best Bars will be unveiled at a grand ceremony on Wednesday, 8 October, with red-carpet arrivals and a drinks reception in advance of the live countdown and reveal of The World's 50 Best Bars 2025, including the much sought after title of The World's Best Bar, sponsored by Perrier.

Ahead of the awards ceremony, 50 Best will reveal the winners of two special awards designed to celebrate the exceptional achievements of one bar and one bartender over the past year, as well as those venues ranked in the extended 51-100 list:

• Michter's Art of Hospitality. This award is voted for by all members of The World's 50 Best Bars Academy, who are asked to name the bar where they received the single best hospitality experience during the voting period
• Altos Bartenders' Bartender. This award is voted for by the bartenders behind those bars on this year's list, who are asked to name one peer who has done more to further the craft of bartending than any other across the course of the 18-month voting period
• 51-100 list. 50 Best will reveal those bars ranked between 51st and 100th across its website and social media channels

Earlier this year, bars from all over the world, whether they feature in the list of The World's 50 Best bars or not, were invited to submit themselves for two special awards, the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award and the Best Bar Design Award, with the winners set to be announced at the ceremony in Hong Kong. Over the next few months, nominations will also open for the 50 Best Bars Scholarship, offering one trailblazing young  bartender the opportunity to expand their horizons with unique stages (internships) at two bars on the list of The World's 50 Best Bars. Further details on how to enter will be announced in due course.

The countdown of the list of The World's 50 Best Bars 2025, sponsored by Perrier, will also be broadcast live to a global audience. Bar and cocktail lovers are invited to join through The World's 50 Best Bars TV channel on YouTube.

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About The World's 50 Best Bars

The World's 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, provides a definitive list of the world's best drinking venues, voted for by an Academy of more than 700 experts worldwide. The World's 50 Best Bars list has been published annually since 2009 and has become the most anticipated ranking for drinks professionals and cocktail aficionados across the world, with the awards the highlight of the bar industry calendar. The list of Asia's 50 Best Bars has been published since 2016, while the list of North America's 50 Best Bars was launched in 2022. William Reed, which owns the 50 Best brand, is entirely responsible for the organisation of the awards, the voting system and the respective lists.

How the voting works

The list is compiled by votes from The World's 50 Best Bars Academy, which comprises more than 700 drinks experts with gender balance, including renowned bartenders and consultants, drinks writers and cocktail specialists from around the world. The Academy of voters is spread across 28 global geographic regions, each headed by an Academy Chair who selects their region's voters, with the distribution of voters designed to reflect the relative development and sophistication of the drinks sector, and the concentration of quality bars, in each region. Each voter casts eight votes based on their best bar experiences of the previous 18 months.

Voters are required to remain anonymous and voting is confidential, secure and independently adjudicated by Deloitte. 

About the host destination partner: Hong Kong Tourism Board

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is a government-subvented body tasked with maximizing the contribution of tourism to Hong Kong's economy and upholding Hong Kong as a world-class travel destination.

The HKTB works in partnership with relevant government departments and organizations, the travel-related sectors, and other entities related to tourism, to market and promote Hong Kong worldwide, while enhancing visitors' experiences through providing diverse and high-quality tourism products and services. The HKTB has a worldwide network of 15 offices and has representatives in seven different markets.

About the main sponsor: Perrier

For more than a century, Perrier® has collaborated with some of the world's most influential major artists, including Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, Bernard Villemot, and Jean-Gabriel Domergue, each of whom in their own way have demonstrated a certain artistic irreverence. With a history that began in 1863 in Vergèze, in the Gard region of France, the Perrier® brand is now recognized worldwide thanks to its iconic green bottle. Appreciated in more than 140 countries, the brand is acclaimed for its natural mineral water combined with the power of its bubbles.

Our Partners:

• Hong Kong Tourism Board – Official Host Destination Partner
• Perrier – Official Water Partner; sponsor of The World's Best Bar Award
• Michter's – Official American Whiskey Partner; sponsor of Michter's Art of Hospitality Award
• Nikka Whisky – Official Whisky of the World Partner; sponsor of Nikka Highest Climber Award
• Ketel One – Official Vodka Partner; sponsor of Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award
• Siete Misterios – Official Mezcal Partner; sponsor of Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award
• NOAM - Official Beer Partner
• Disaronno – Official Italian Liqueur Partner; sponsor of Disaronno Highest New Entry Award
• Roku Gin – Official Gin Partner; sponsor of Roku Industry Icon Award
• Altos Tequila – Official Tequila Partner; sponsor of Altos Bartenders' Bartender Award
• Naked Malt – Official Scotch Whisky Partner; sponsor of a Best in Destination Award
• Cointreau – Official Orange Liqueur Partner
• Remy Martin – Official Cognac Partner; sponsor of Remy Martin Legend of the List Award
• Campari – Official Bitters Partner; sponsor of Campari One To Watch Award
• Torres Brandy – Official Brandy Partner; sponsor of a Best in Destination Award
• St Germain Elderflower Liqueur – Official French Liqueur Partner
• Tia Maria – Official Coffee Liqueur Partner; sponsor of a Best in Destination Award
• Les Vergers Boiron – Official Fruit Purée Partner
• Mancino Vermouth – Official Vermouth Partner; sponsor of the ceremonial shakers
• Amaro Lucano – Official Amaro Partner; sponsor of a Best in Destination Award and the ceremonial shakers
• Scrappy's Bitters – Official Cocktail Bitters Partner; sponsor of a best in destination award