Berlin's Bars Scene 2014 ✏️ Copas-Alemania

With its well-deserved reputation as one of Europe’s primo party capitals, Berlin offers a thousand and one scenarios for getting your cocktails and kicks (or wine or beer, for that matter). Best of all, the bar landscape is becoming increasingly diverse and getting an ever sharper image thanks to a bevy of exciting new openings. So no matter whether you're into old-school classics, dive bars, concept bars, branded bars, wine bars, speakeasies, hotel bars or hipster lounges, you'll never be far from a quality thirst parlor.

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Here's a spirited crawl to the newest arrivals as well as a few classics that never stopped mattering.

Golden Times in Mitte

Mitte, Berlin's most dynamic and cosmopolitan neighborhood, is packed with handsome hangouts that are the darlings of the creative in-crowd but also manage to cast their spell on thirsty visitors. Most have well-thought bar concepts, sleek décor and drinks made with top-shelf spirits. Patrons tend to be older, more demanding and well-off, as is also reflected in the prices. In other words: In Mitte, Berlin demonstrates that it’s finally growing up.

One of the newest glamour haunts is Bonbon Bar, which is essentially an extension of the affiliated Dudu restaurant across the street. It’s a seductively lit and expensively decorated retreat whose eye-catching design accents and cheeky soundtrack in the bathrooms are likely to fuel any conversation. When big-name DJ’s hit the decks, the place gets delightfully dancy. www.bonbonbar.de

Nearby, Berlin bar supremo Mario Grünenfelder (Bar Amano, Mani et al) has again – twice – demonstrated his Midas touch of late. His G&T Bar is Germany’s first drinking salon entirely dedicated to gin-based libations. The classic gin & tonic here reaches new levels of complexity thanks to richly nuanced tea infusions, so-called G&T&Ts. Walls of this clubby English-style bar, incidentally, are sheathed in ‘Tanqueray-green’, the gin brand that cosponsors the concept along with Berlin-based tonic maker Thomas Henry. www.amanogroup.de/ ...tonic-bar/

Grünenfelder’s is also part of the crew behind Dean (named for James, not Martin), which has taken over the space of the iconic Delicious Doughnuts club on Rosenthaler Strasse. The trashy predecessor has morphed into a swank drink and dance parlor for grown-ups. Black and gold dominate the sleek design of the tunnel-shaped room that culminates in a small mirrored dance floor. Philipp Bischoff (formerly of Amano Bar) and Tino Riller (Reingold) shake things up behind the sturdy marble bar. www.amanogroup.de/eat-drink/dean/

Another exciting new arrival is Le Croco Bleu, overseen by cocktail luminary Gregor Scholl whose clubby Rum Trader in western Berlin has written bar history since 1976. His newest ‘laboratory’ occupies the machine room of the former Bötzow Brewery that’s been spruced up with taxidermied animals, mushroom tables and other fanciful Hansel-and-Gretel décor. Scholl and bar chef Michael Hanke have dug deep into their repertory to come up with extravagant twists on classics. Fairy Floss – a Sazerac topped with absinthe-laced cotton candy – is truly an eye-catcher. lecrocobleu.com/en

Those who lamented the 2012 demise of Trust on Torstraße will rejoice at finding out that Trust 2.0 is going strong in an unmarked cavern beneath the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn tracks. With two floors, the industrial-flavored reincarnation (exposed concrete enhanced with vintage chandeliers and bits of bling) is bigger than the original but the drinks concept is much the same: spirits, wine and champagne are available by the bottle only. As a concession, beer is served as well, albeit in a brown paper bag. www.facebook.com/Trust.Berlin

Around the corner, flatteringly lit The Liberate drips in black-and-gold opulence that would not look out of place in Paris or New York. Only top-shelf spirits find their destinations here in classic potables poured amid décor that includes a mirror and chandelier scavenged from the demolished Palace of the Republic, East Germany's former seat of parliament. www.theliberate.com/de

More happening Mitte bars:
Bravo Bar – signless shabby-chic drinking den
Buck and Breck – classic cocktail parlor for serious drinking
Butcher’s Bar Berlin – Speakeasy entered via a sausage parlor
King Size Bar – hole-in-the wall party haven
Neue Odessa Bar – fashionable candle-lit haunt



Hip Hotel Bars
In Berlin, hotel bars are no longer the neglected stepchildren of drinking culture but hip haunts with a large local following. Amano Bar (Hotel Amano) and Curtain Club (Ritz-Carlton Berlin) were among the first to pave the way for this sweeping trend, which has of late also engulfed the City-West.

First on the scene was the Lang Bar at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Named for the 1920s pioneer of German cinema, it appropriately oozes film-set glamour thanks to its endless marble bar, curvaceous booths and wispy curtains. In keeping with the theme, bar chef Wieland Hartauer whips up matching Prohibition-era drinks and also makes his own bottled- and barrel-aged cocktails. www.waldorfastoriaberlin.com/ ...s/Lang-Bar

January 2014 saw the opening of the Monkey Bar at the much anticipated Berlin branch of the hip 25 Hours hotel chain. On the 10th floor of the revitalized Bikini-Haus, this ‘urban jungle’ hotspot delivers fabulous view of the city and the Berlin Zoo – in summer from a sweeping terrace. Drinks-wise, the list gives prominent nods to tiki concoctions and gin-based cocktail sorcery. The Tiki Reviver, made with apricot brandy and homemade nutmeg syrup is a signature drink. www.25hours-hotels.com/ ...y-bar.html

Meanwhile, Hotel am Steinplatz, a reborn art deco jewel with a 100-year-old pedigree, fielded its stylish Bar am Steinplatz, the latest liquid playground of cocktail whisperer Christian Gentemann. The classic and creative drinks (how about a porcini-infused martini?) often showcase regionally produced spirits, and even the draft beer is crafted by the Berlin-based Rollberg microbrewery. Bar bites complement the drinks, and on Thursdays renowned DJs from the stable of local nightclub impresario Cookie helm the decks. www.marriott.com/ ...collection

Already a fixture on the hotel drinking circuit is the bar at the boutique hotel Das Stue. Although ensconced in a pompous 1930s building, the interior stays true to its name, which is Danish for living-room. Light installations and animal sculptures pave the way to the bar where serious mixologists give classic cocktails from the 1920s and ‘30s a contemporary makeover. Also available: rare whiskeys and cognacs and a wine gallery stocked with 400 German, Austrian and Spanish vintages. www.das-stue.com/ ...r/stue-bar

Back in Mitte, the stylish new budget Hotel Monbijou has gotten into the game with its Bar Bijou, which is indeed a jewel with the sparkle of a 21st-century gentlemen’s club. Behind the bar, veterans Steffen Zimmermann and Andreas Künster whip up everything from an Aviation to a Whisky Sour as well as some of their own creations. Suckers for suds should appreciate the smooth Robinson’s Old Tom Ale. www.monbijouhotel.com/ ...aurant.php


More great hotel bars:
Amano Bar at Amano Hotel — Elegant and cosy lounge with innovative drinks
Bebel Bar at Hotel de Rome — Exclusive ambiance, in summer on the rooftop terrace
Curtain Club at Ritz-Carlton Berlin — Chic woodpaneled lounge-bar with ‘perfume-cocktails’

New Horizons in Kreuzberg & Neukölln
The hipster hoods of Kreuzberg and Neukölln have thus far been better known for over-the-top partying than civilized cocktail sipping. Of late, though, several new arrivals have notably elevated the ‘liquid art’ scene. Most are overseen by next-gen mixologists not shy about applying their classic training to boundary-pushing experimental riffs. Fortunately, as befits these bubbly neighborhoods, even the fanciest sipping stations are delightfully devoid of attitude.

Case in point: Schwarze Traube, the homebase of Atalay Aktas who snagged the title of Germany’s Best Bartender in 2013 with ‘My Destiny’, a refreshing blend of herb-infused vodka, lime and agave syrup. There is no printed menu in this pintsized drinking parlor decorated with fleur de lis wallpaper and (empty) birdcages. Instead, the bar staff first ascertains each imbiber’s mood and preferences, whittles it down to a few choices, then fashions a bespoke concoction with just the right fit. Just as the boho-chic crowd likes it. www.facebook.com/ ...8574917399

Maverick mixer Marcus Wolff has also been following the ‘no menu’ concept for some time. He presides over nearby Bar Marqués, a tiny and sophisticated shrine to spirits tucked beneath the eponymous Spanish restaurant. Its velvet sofas, antique tables and, in winter, a lustily roaring fireplace give patrons the feel of hiding in a stylish 1920s New York speakeasy. The emphasis is on drinks that have written cocktail history – Martini to Negroni – served in stylish cut-glass tumblers. www.facebook.com/thebar.marques

The sexy glamour of the Golden Twenties gets a classy reboot at Prinzipal, a jewel-box-sized burlesque bar right on funky-punky Oranienstrasse. Once buzzed past the steel door, patrons plunge into a cheeky parallel world where the female servers wear corsets and feathers. The bar is modeled after old European apothecaries and the cocktails are named after famous dancers (Date with Dita, Monroe’s Kiss). On some nights, burlesque performers swing from the ceiling and a makeup artist turns patrons into vamps. prinzipal-kreuzberg.com

Limonadier is a relatively new kid on the Kreuzberg block but has already garnered most-favored status among local cocktail lovers. Walls are sheathed in yellowed book pages, and next to the bar a big portrait channels Harry Johnson, whose 1882 bartenders’ manual is still the profession’s ‘bible’. The drinks menu too shows a dedication to the classics, supplemented by locally inspired modern interpretations (Berlin at Night, Kreuzberg Spritz). Budget imbibers come for the daily happy hour. www.limonadier-barkultur.de

Neukölln barflys with a hankering for finely crafted cocktails flock to the softly lit Das TiER. With its top-shelf spirits, smartly clad pro bar staff and no-groups-over-six-people policy, the vibe feels a lot more grown up than at the area’s usual improv hipster dives. Standouts among the luscious libations are the Old Fashioned and the Blood and Sand. Adventurers can order the delightfully wicked absinthe-based Schierlingsbecher (Hemlock Cup). de-de.facebook.com/ ...0052737091
Also recommended:
Würgeengel – Art Deco cocktail cavern
Lugosi – beer, wine and long drinks for purists


Berlin’s New Generation of Wine Bars
Trends need a while to develop, then suddenly reach a tipping point and burst into bloom with energy and creativity. Oenophiles rejoice: If the recent crop of exciting newcomers is any indication, wine bars seem to be approaching their zenith in Berlin. Many of them are bar-shop hybrids; some of them also serve food. Run by wine enthusiasts, the mood is egalitarian rather than elitist with wines for all budgets on offer.

Cordobar, a casually sophisticated Mitte outpost, is the joint effort of a music producer, a movie director and two sommeliers. Characterful German and Austrian vintages dominate the well-curated wine-by-the-glass list, which is kept in frequent flux. So is the hearty, globally inspired small-plate menu that might feature kimchi risotto or tuna udon salad. www.cordobar.net

A long-time top address in Mitte is Muret La Barba, a shop-bar-restaurant where a huge inventory of Italian wines lines the floor-to-ceiling shelves. Be it perky prosecco or sensual Sangiovese, all wines can be ordered by the glass and consumed right in this bustling venue whose rustic authenticity instantly transports cognoscenti to the Boot. Crave-worthy nosh featuring top ingredients imported from the motherland support the liquid offerings. www.muretlabarba.de

Nearby, Swiss-born Maxime Boillat debuted his own wine bar – Maxim – in early 2014, following stints as sommelier and maitre d’ in several of Berlin’s finest restaurants. The selection reflects his penchant for ‘natural wines’ – those that are not just organically grown but also handled with minimal chemical interference. Most hail from Italy, Spain and France as well as, somewhat surprisingly, from Slovenia. The wine is on equal footing with the upscale bar menu, which includes irresistibly gooey cheeses. www.facebook.com/ ...32?fref=ts

Down in Neukölln, Vin Aqua Vin also does triple duty as a wine shop, bar and eatery amid a homey, anti-snob vibe that takes out the intimidation factor and makes even wrinkle-free hipsters drop by for a sip. Instead of expensive trophy wines, owner Jan Kreuzinger pours and sells a shifting set of affordable boutique favorites, many from small next-gen German producers with a willingness to experiment. A must-try: his own sparkling wine label SEKOi. vinaquavin.de
Long before the current wine bar trend took root, there was Klemkes Wein- und Spezialitäteneck in Charlottenburg. Since 1983, Berlin-born Werner and Elfriede Klemke have been running their wine shop cum nosh spot at Mommsenstraße 9, earning it the right to be called an institution. Amid old-fashioned décor, Werner is the man behind one of the city’s best curated wine selections that features only bottles from vintners he knows personally. Elfriede, meanwhile, feeds classic German ‘hausfrau-style’ weekday lunches to office jockeys, cabbies and lawyers crowding around simple bar tables.

Classic Cocktail Culture in Schöneberg
Dapper drinking has long been fashionable in Schöneberg, exemplified by the Green Door that has welcomed cocktail lovers since 1995. A pattern of checks and waves decorates the walls of this ribbon-shaped bar presided over by top-flight publicans flaunting a 500-drink repertory. Though not a speakeasy, the name harkens back to the Prohibition era when green doors pointed to premises serving alcohol. www.greendoor.de

A celebrity haunt in the 1990s, the Bar am Lützowplatz was recently kissed back to life after an eight-month beauty sleep. Under the leadership of Thomas Pflanz (aka ‘Mr T’), who oversaw the place for 17 years during its heyday, the classic American bar has been given a Zeitgeist-compatible makeover. Still there: the superlong bar. Gone: the raucous happy hour. Instead, the drinks menu has been whittled down to around 30 umbrella-free cocktails, the full range of premium spirits as well as beer, liqueurs and vodka from Berlin producers. www.baramluetzowplatz.com

Victoria Bar has been a beacon of sophistication on gritty Potsdamer Strasse since being founded in 2001 by passionate veteran barkeepers Beate Hindermann and Stefan Weber. 'The Pleasure of Serious Drinking' is the motto of this communicative space teeming with arty regulars. If you want to feel like one of them, order the off-menu ‘Hilde’, created in memory of German singer-actress Hildegard Knef. www.victoriabar.de

Another Schöneberg flagship is Lebensstern, ensconced in elegant, antique-filled rooms of the 19th-century villa of silent movie star Henny Porten. Its shelves hold a dazzling selection of rare and noble spirits, including 600 types of rum. Ever since Tarantino filmed scenes of Inglorious Basterds here, there's also a drink by that name (featuring gin, brandy, fresh lime juice and ginger beer). www.lebens-stern.de/en

Still comparatively new on the booze circuit is Stagger Lee, a cozy cocktail saloon complete with swing door, brown Chesterfield sofas and burgundy-red walls. It's mostly about classic drinks, but inspired new compositions – such as the Stagger Lee Beer Old Fashioned, made with bourbon and beer sugar – are well worth a try. Stagger Lee, by the way, was an infamous 19th-century murderer immortalized in song by the Grateful Dead, Nick Cave and many others. www.staggerlee.de

More information: visitBerlin.com

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Última Actualización: 18/06/2014 - 19:13