Is New York’s Bar Leone a copycat of Hong Kong’s ‘World’s Best’ original?

I was at a dinner the other night when a guest excitedly asked: “Did you know Bar Leone just opened in New York City?” The original Bar Leone is a famed Hong Kong cocktail bar on Bridges Street in Sheung Wan. Opened in 2023 by Italian bartender Lorenzo Antinori, the popular watering hole has already been named Asia’s Best Bar twice (2024-5) by 50 Best and is its current World’s Best Bar. Last year, it opened its second location in Shanghai’s Huangpu district. In March, the team served cocktails...