Bar Leone is drenched in Italian kitsch – portraits of famous (and not-so-famous) Serie A footballers, vintage movie posters of Al Pacino, even Vacanze di Natale ’91. Now, after being crowned Asia’s Best Bar for the second year running at this week’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards in Macau, perhaps it’s time staff found room on the wall for one more poster – of Rocky.

Bar Leone’s story mirrors Sylvester Stallone’s underdog tale. Like Rocky Balboa – the unknown brawler who shocked the world by going the distance with champion Apollo Creed – this Bridges Street cocktail bar burst onto the scene, barely a year old, and achieved a historic result, clinching the title of Asia’s Best Bar before being announced runner-up at World’s 50 Best Bars later in the year.

In the sequel, Balboa cemented his legitimacy by defeating Creed. Similarly, Bar Leone topped the Asia rankings again this year, proving last year’s result was no fluke.

“When you get validated a second time by something like 50 Best, it’s amazing,” says co-founder Lorenzo Antinori of his establishment’s latest triumph, flashing a grin. “But we’ve never really worked towards a number. We work towards creating good experiences,” he adds with perfect Italian charm.

Antinori is no stranger to success. His bar programme at The Four Seasons’ Argo earned widespread acclaim, and within the F&B industry, he’s well-liked and respected for his work across continents. But Bar Leone’s success feels different.

The constant line outside is a clear sign of Bar Leone’s new-found prominence, signalling a shift in Hong Kong’s bar scene from (former number one) Coa and Shin Hing Street to Bridges Street. Yet inside, little has changed. The staff are still welcoming despite heightened customer expectations, and the food and drinks are of the same stand-out quality despite the surging number of guests and orders. “Nothing changed but everything changed,” muses Antinori of the past 12 months.

Last time we spoke, Antinori asserted that Leone’s success was “not about the drinks” – a seemingly fanciful claim for a cocktail bar charging not insignificant sums. After all, why pay for vibes at Leone when cheaper options exist?