Capella Kyoto's bar and night dining venue Yoi is hosting a one-night-only collaboration event on September 1 (Tuesday). Bartenders from Hong Kong's Bar Leone, ranked No. 1 in the world in "The World's Best Bars 50 2025," and its sister bar Montana will join Yoi's mixology director Mario La Pietra behind the counter. Together, the three bartenders will blend their individual craft and creativity into a lineup of cocktails available only for this one evening, paired with Capella Kyoto's signature hospitality.
Bar Leone and Sister Bar Montana Join Forces With Yoi
Bar Leone opened in Hong Kong's Soho district in 2023, drawing inspiration from the bar culture of Rome — particularly the historic Trastevere district — the hometown of founder Lorenzo Antinori. Built around the concept of "Cocktail Popolari," or classic cocktails beloved by everyday people, the bar takes a low-intervention approach that puts ingredients, producers, and seasonality first, pairing simple cocktails with warm, approachable hospitality that has won over guests from around the world. In 2025, Bar Leone topped both "The World's Best Bars 50" and "Asia's Best Bars 50" rankings.
Montana, Bar Leone's sister bar, was born from a collaboration between Antinori and Simone Caporale, the bartender behind Barcelona's celebrated Sips and Boadas. Located on Hong Kong's Hollywood Road, the bar draws on the golden age of Cuba and 1970s Miami culture, along with the legendary Cuban bartenders' association Club de Cantineros, serving rum-forward classic cocktails alongside Latin flair and warm hospitality. Montana was newly selected for "Asia's Best Bars 50" in 2026, debuting at No. 47. Though each bar carries its own distinct character, both are grounded in a deep respect for classic cocktails and have helped shape Hong Kong's bar scene.
Bar Leone's bar manager, Taki Lee, is one of the rising stars of Hong Kong's bar scene, recognized with honors including the Hernö Gin Cocktail Awards 2023 and the Time Out Hong Kong Future Shaper Award 2024. Montana's key bartender, Mike Tse, built his experience behind the bars of Hong Kong's luxury hotels and now anchors the counter at Montana.
Speaking about the event, Yoi's mixology director Mario La Pietra said the collaboration is, for him, less about hosting internationally acclaimed bars and more about reuniting with peers who share the same approach to hospitality. He noted that Bar Leone and Montana have built their global reputations not only on technical skill and craftsmanship, but on making classic cocktails approachable and caring for each guest individually — values that closely echo what Yoi strives for every day. He added that he has known Mike since his own days working at The St. Regis Bar Hong Kong, and has watched Taki grow from a young bartender into one of Hong Kong's leading figures, making it especially meaningful to share a bar with them again, this time in Kyoto. He hopes the evening introduces guests to a new side of bar culture while also building new ties between Yoi and the global bar community.
Bar Leone's Taki Lee said he is delighted to stand behind the bar with Mario again, and that sharing the Italian spirit Bar Leone has cultivated, along with the bond the two have built over the years, at Yoi carries special meaning for him. He hopes guests will enjoy a memorable evening along with the cocktails prepared especially for the occasion. Montana's Mike Tse said he is looking forward to visiting Kyoto together with Taki, representing Montana, and joining Mario behind the bar once again. Having each built their experience in different settings, he is glad they can come together again and share a new cocktail experience, hoping to deliver a special evening for guests through their own brand of hospitality.
Cocktails for One Night Only
Guests can look forward to signature cocktails from each bar, including Bar Leone's Negroni, Olive Oil Sour, and Caffe Paradiso, alongside Montana's Montana Daiquiri, Buena Vista Fizz, and Coconut Old Fashioned.
Event Overview
Date: September 1, 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: From 7:00 PM
Price: Cocktails from ¥2,800 (tax and service charge included)
Reservations: By phone at 075-541-8877 (hotel main line)
About Yoi
Yoi is a bar and night dining venue where guests can also enjoy Japanese cuisine built around seasonal ingredients. Seasonal Japanese dishes prepared by an in-house chef are paired with delicate drinks, creating an experience where food and drink unfold together. Housed in a building that carries the memory of its former life as an elementary school, the space has a quiet, nostalgic warmth that invites guests to settle into a relaxed Kyoto evening.
Seats: 46 total, including 10 counter seats
Hours: 5:30 PM to 12:00 AM (last order: food 10:00 PM, drinks 11:30 PM)
Instagram: @yoibar.kyoto
About Capella Kyoto
Capella Kyoto opened on March 22, 2026, in a rare location near the Kamo River, facing the 800-year-old Zen temple Kennin-ji and set within the Miyagawa-cho geisha district. The building, designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates, reinterprets traditional machiya architecture in a low-rise form that blends into the Higashiyama streetscape while bringing together the memory of the site with a fresh design sensibility. Built alongside the reconstruction of the Miyagawa-cho Kaburenjo Theatre, the hotel preserved and transplanted existing trees from the elementary school that once stood on the site, carrying forward the area's history. Its 89 guest rooms draw on 1,200 years of Kyoto tradition while embodying the highly personal style of stay Capella is known for, and six suites come with their own private onsen. Aurica Spa offers wellness programs centered on renewal and balance. Dining options include the signature restaurant SoNoMa by SingleThread, the French brasserie Lanterne, and the bar and Japanese restaurant Yoi, alongside an in-house contemporary art collection and cultural experiences that celebrate Kyoto's living traditions.
Address: 130 Komatsu-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
Phone: 075-541-8877
Rooms: 89 total (including 29 suites)
Facilities: Signature restaurant, bar and Japanese restaurant, French brasserie, pastry boutique, spa, banquet hall
Instagram: @capellakyoto
