Neighbourhood cocktail bar Bar Leone is the brainchild of mixologist Lorenzo Antinori, who left his role as beverage manager at the Four Seasons Hong Kong earlier this year. Located on Bridges Street, Sheung Wan, this hotspot is inspired by Antinori’s hometown Rome. He tells us how the bar showcases his signature sense of humour and dazzling Italian cocktails and bites
Were you nervous about opening your first independent venue?
Yes, terrified. Mainly because I left a very safe job and an extremely structured organisation. Even the most confident of people would have their minds filled with question marks after taking such a big step. My fear has quickly been replaced with excitement, and now, I’m very happy and comfortable with the direction I took. There is a feeling of freedom, yes, but there’s definitely more responsibility. There’s no time for procrastination. I am much more productive, since it’s all down to me.
What inspired you to take the leap?
The realisation that great opportunities don’t come along very often. I met [those who would eventually become] my business partners and we immediately had the same vision for what type of business we wanted to set up. I also felt the need to start something which is totally me. Aside from Bar Leone, I also set up a food and beverage consulting company, Lorenzo Antinori Studio, which focuses on helping operators and brands find creative solutions to their questions.
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How is Bar Leone inspired by your hometown?
Rome is a city with a big heart. People are very genuine, straight-forward and have a very irreverent sense of humour. The city is a pop culture melting pot, where you can always hear people talking about football, food, music, politics and religion. I wanted to recreate that vibe, with a touch of nostalgia and great cocktails. In food and drink, nostalgia is fundamental because it triggers emotions and makes us feel at ease.
How does it showcase your sense of humour?
A bar is a place to have fun in. I wanted to strip away the technicality of the cocktail-making process and focus more on what would make people have a laugh and hopefully, want to come back. At Bar Leone, I encourage guests to walk around the venue and spot the different fun elements which make up our universe [the artwork on the walls and the arcade games in the bathroom].
You claim to have the cheapest espresso in Hong Kong—apparently cheaper than McDonald’s—how did this come to be?
I wanted to create the Italian experience of going into a bar, standing at the counter, and getting a quick espresso while chatting with the barista. It’s a no-frills ritual, which, in Italy, is very important. With our coffee, we want to celebrate accessibility, the simple things in life and recreate that little ritual around it. As for the price, because we use the same coffee to make cocktails like our espresso martini, it offsets the cost of the espresso.