HBI Staff | Hyderabad 
Launched in February 2023, ZLB23, the Kyoto inspired speakeasy bar housed at The Leela Palace Bengaluru earns global recognition as it enters the coveted Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list. Recognised as ‘The Best Bar in India’ and ranked #40 at this year’s awards, it is the only Indian Bar in Asia’s Top 50. This trendsetting bar tucked away in the environs of The Leela Palace Bengaluru is the youngest and first ever Indian hotel bar to have achieved this unique distinction and is also the country’s only speakeasy in the five-star luxury hotel category.
Established as the most sought-after space for curated, exclusive and original experiences, ZLB23 has been home to a series of innovations like playing host to over 30 international bar takeovers and thereby creating a community of camaraderie amongst the industry at a global level.
The Leela pioneered curated luxury experiences across its city palaces and resorts. The fine artistry and craftsmanship at The Leela properties have elevated Indian hospitality onto the global stage. Notably, ZLB23 is the sole Indian bar in the top 50 and is a testament to the brand’s endeavour to lead and inspire for a greater impact in the Indian Food and Beverage luxury ecosystem.
ZLB23 has travelled Internationally by conducting bar takeovers in Asia. Adding to the overall experience one would get at ZLB23, it has also conceptualised and presented Magnetic Music S01 & S02, a platform for budding and established artists.
Preserved through the ages by a keeper of secrets and a legend herself, the secret hideaway, Zia’s Lounge Bar, – ZLB23. The hideout’s surreal decor and theatrical concoctions evoke an absinthe dream. With its hidden entrance, vintage décor and speakeasy style, it transports guests back in time to the era of Prohibition. The skilled mixologists have crafted a menu of prohibition cocktails, each with its own unique flavour and story. These might sound classic but are futuristic in taste, look and sense, such as the Kyoto Autumn which pays homage to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars was launched in 2016 with the purpose of showcasing the best and most innovative talent in the region’s drinks industry. The annual ranking is based on the votes of the Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy, comprising 265 of the most knowledgeable and travelled members of the bar industry, drinks media and mixology experts from across Asia. The well-structured voting system and procedures, which are overseen by global adjudication company Deloitte, ensures the list and awards have a credibility and influence that is renowned across the globe.
The Academy spans 14 territories and dozens of cities across the continent, reflecting the relative development and importance of bar scenes in different locations. Asia’s 50 Best Bars takes in seven voting regions, covering the following destinations: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Mainland China, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
The list reflects the diversity of the drinking scene in Asia, with cocktail bars in large hotels, backstreet speakeasies, tiki places, whisky bars and venues that major on wine and beer all included in the ranking. Drawing its strengths from the eclectic tastes of its panel of experts, who possess an undeniable intuition for detecting new trends and talents, Asia’s 50 Best Bars is the most authoritative and prestigious survey of cocktail tastes in the continent. Asia’s 50 Best Bars is part of the 50 Best brand, published by William Reed.
