St Pauli & Reeperbahn
One of our favourite little perches in St Pauli, this gorgeous cafe does buttery croissants, cakes and other pastries, with fine coffee to nurse as you…
Must-see nightlife in Germany
Munich
Urbane and sophisticated, Schumann's shakes up Munich's nightlife with libational flights of fancy and an impressive range of concoctions. It's also good…
Munich
One of a gaggle of clubs at Maximiliansplatz 5, this nightspot with its cherry logo is one of Munich's hottest nights out, with the DJs spinning their…
Oberstdorfer Dampfbierbrauerei
Bavarian Alps
Knock back a few 'steamy ales' at Germany's southernmost brewery, right next to the train station. The brewery runs free tours in German at 11am every…
Münster
Huge trees soar over the passel of tables at this lovely beer garden right off the Promenade near the Aasee. Unsurprisingly it gets very crowded,…
Hanover
One of the newest cocktail bars on the Hanover scene, sleek Bukowski's mixes leather couches with exposed brick walls and industrial-style stools. Spirits…
Cologne
Expect plenty of local colour at this convivial, family-run beer hall attached to a brewery in business since 1858. It serves the popular Mühlen Kölsch…
Bremen & the East Frisian Coast
Brick dividing walls and a blue-and-white-tiled fireplace give this microbrew-pub, named for beloved ruler Fraülein Maria, a homey feel. For an…
Leipzig
One of eastern Germany's oldest techno clubs, Distillery has been going for over 20 years and remains among the best. With an unpretentious crowd, cool…
Hamburg
A collective of Hamburg industry insiders present established and emerging DJs and bands, as well as clubbing events and parties. Look for the spray…
Cologne
Busy and boisterous, Päffgen has been pouring Kölsch since 1883 and hasn’t lost step since. In summer you can enjoy the refreshing brew and local…
Munich
One of the hottest addresses in the city centre for those who like to spend the hours between supper and breakfast boogieing to an eclectic mix of…
Rostock
This cellar and garden joint has been rocking Rostock’s learned youth for years. Check the website for parties, DJ sets and other events. There's a well…
Bremen City
This bar and lounge mostly gets a relaxed 20s and early-30s crowd, who hang out on the sofas – which explains the name ‘Living Room’ – or lounge around on…
Kreuzberg
Ritter Butzke has origins as an illegal club but is now a Kreuzberg party circuit fixture. Wrinkle-free folk hit the four floors in a former bathroom…
Berlin
Another baby by Berlin cocktail maven Arnd Heissen, Fragrances claims to be the world's first 'perfume bar', a libation station where Heissen mixes…
Prenzlauer Berg
Both vintage and industrial elements contribute to the unhurried, dapper ambience at this darkly lit cocktail lab. Bar chef Frank Grosser whips unusual…
Heidelberg
Fronted by a red-painted, blue-grey-shuttered facade, Heidelberg’s most historic student pub has black-and-white frat photos on the dark wooden walls and…
Frankfurt am Main
At any one time this contemporary bar (and attached shop) has between 90 to 120 craft beers from around the world – everywhere from Hawaii to Norway – in…
Weimar
Stylish and welcoming, with a veritable cornucopia of Thuringian, German and international wines to keep adventurous oenophiles occupied, this is a lovely…
Kreuzberg
It’s cold beer, crispy pizza and fine electro at this summertime day-to-night-and-back-to-day chill and party playground in an old canal-side boat shed…
Berlin
Heavy drapes lead the way to this gentlemen's club–style bar with thick carpets, marble tables and leather armchairs. It's presided over by cocktail…
Erfurt
This classy, art-bedizened wine shop and bar offers a fantastic introduction to local drops, including some hard-to-get bottles from the nearby Saale…
Berlin
Hugging an idyllic canal in Neukölln, Griessmühle is a sprawling indoor-outdoor space with a funky garden strewn with tree houses, Trabis (GDR-era cars)…
St Pauli & Reeperbahn
This elegant bar, above Clouds Restaurant at the eastern entrance to St Pauli, is popular with an upmarket crowd who come here for the highballs (of…
Hanover
With the blue-and-white square-patterned floor matching the Delft pottery, and a curved ship’s staircase and maritime paintings creating a subtle nautical…
German Wine Route
Run by Deidesheim local Markus Badura, whose intricate coffee etchings have seen him crowned the German latte art champion, this laid-back cafe has…
Schleswig-Holstein
Flensburg may not have a beach worthy of the name, but this cutesy outdoor bar has lounge chairs and even a handful of classically German Strandkorb …
Kreuzberg
For a swish night out, point your compass to this stylish art deco–style bar with lots of chandeliers and shiny black surfaces. It’s always busy but…
Erfurt
Good times are pretty much guaranteed at this student-focused 'Kulturzentrum' (cultural centre), whether you hunker down for beer and a chat in the…
Bonn
Here's a Bonn drinking game: every time a barge passes below this beer garden with gorgeous views of the Rhine, have a drink. You won't last an hour. It's…
Berlin
On summer weekends, an old dog-food factory about 2km southeast of S-Bahn station Ostkreuz turns into a hedonistic indoor-outdoor party village that…
Ulm
Ranked in the Mixology Bar Guide as one of Germany's best bars, Rosebottel time-warps you back to a more decadent age with its dark wood panelling,…
Berlin
American friends Tom, Matt and David became Berlin craft beer pioneers when they started their small batch brewery in 2011. In their earthy-chic taproom,…
Stuttgart
If you're serious about your beans, this new retro-flavoured cafe just south of the centre is surely a little slice of heaven. As tiny and well loved as…
Kreuzberg
A palace of camp and kitsch with pink furry walls that Barbie would love, Roses has been a glittery fixture on the LGBT-and-friends Kreuzberg booze…
Neukölln
Weekends wouldn't be the same without Aishah Bennett's soul-restoring brunches (killer pancakes, great Bloody Marys), but swinging by this seductively lit…
Friedrichshain
Residents and visitors hungry for an eclectic techno shower invade this midsize dancing den with its industrial warehouse feel, top-notch sound system and…
Cologne
The name translates as Vault so it's quite apropos that you have to negotiate a maze of small rooms to arrive at the main floor at this underground club…
Stuttgart
Swim away from the mainstream at this postindustrial space 2km north of the centre, where club nights, gigs and workshops skip from Balkan-beat parties to…
