Małopolska
A fabulous, affable old-style bar on the Mały Rynek. The wood walls and floors are decades old but the vibe is fresh. There's good craft brews on tap and…
Must-see nightlife in Central Europe
České Budějovice
Arguably the city's best cafe-bar, offering coffee-prep methods from standard espresso to filter and aeropress, and using carefully sourced and roasted…
Prague
One of the most eye-catching of a slew of industrial-style cafes to open around town in the past few years. Light bulbs hanging from cords, mix-and-match…
Neukölln
Embraced by a mellow soundscape and complexion-friendly lighting, well-mannered patrons pack this narrow burrow named for American jazz giant Thelonius…
Lublin
The iconic Perla brewery runs this excellent brewpub. Count on at least a dozen of its beers on tap, including unfiltered, honey and several lagers. The…
Warsaw
It's best to make a reservation if you want to be sure of getting a table at the eternally popular 'In the Fumes of Absurdity' bar. Old carpets and an…
Wrocław
This lovely, jumbled-together, bohemian-baiting little cafe sits on a nondescript side street north of the Rynek. Inside you'll find books, board games…
Kraków
After all of those tiny, cramped Kazimierz bars, spacious Hevre, occupying an enormous former Jewish prayer house, is a breath of fresh air. By day, Hevre…
Kreuzberg
Mixologist Atalay Aktas was Germany’s Best Bartender of 2013 and hasn't missed a step since. He and his staff still create their magic potions in this…
Friedrichshain
For dolce vita right on socialist-era Karl-Marx-Allee, head to this charmingly nostalgic Italian wine bar ensconced in a former stamp shop. The original…
Olomouc
Locals come in droves to this funky cafe beside the Olomouc Museum of Modern Art for coffee and its famous chocolate pie (50Kč). Some people still…
Bieszczady
Counterculture comes to the Bieszczady in the form of this welcoming, brightly painted clapboard cafe, bar and venue. Grab a coffee or beer, scout out a…
St Pauli & Reeperbahn
The uniqueness of this Reeperbahn classic begins from the moment you pass through the long laneway and between the legs of the large 'receptionist'…
Budapest
This fabulous, recently relocated cafe is as close as you’ll find in 21st-century Budapest to the old-style intellectual hangouts that were so prevalent…
Prague
Popular neighbourhood cafe serves fair-trade coffees, as well as teas, other drinks and light meals (such as hummus, soups and salads) in a comfortably…
Vienna
A hidden wonderland with a convivial local atmosphere, Wieninger has a magical lantern- and candle-lit garden draped with vines and a cosy, wood-panelled…
Hamburg
Hamburg's original beach bar is a must for primo beer, burgers and people-watching. All ages and classes gather, mingle and wriggle their toes in the sand…
Ljubljana
It's hard to put a finger on what makes Magda so special. Maybe it's the expertly prepared espresso (just €1 a cup purchased at the bar) or the unique …
The Salzkammergut
Das gute Leben is many different things at once. Between 10am and 2pm it serves breakfast as well as its excellent open sandwiches (€5.20 to €9.80), and…
Warsaw
Play pinball and old-school arcade computer games at this cute, circus-themed bar where the beers go for a bargain 10zł. On your way up from the bigger…
Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter
This grand one-time copper factory dating from 1907 sports a chilled ground-floor bar, a small venue downstairs and a fantastic garden courtyard, which is…
The Julian Alps
This is an excellent coffeehouse that does double and triple duty as an art gallery and a local cultural centre. Check the website for events, including…
Thuringian Forest & the Saale Valley
The network of historic wine cellars of this iconic club, resurrected by students in the 1960s, now echo to DJs, live acts, readings and other cultural…
Łódź
Tucked away unexpectedly to the side of the crumbling concrete facade of the YMCA, this mellow bar and tree-shaded beer garden feels like a secret…
Małopolska
Zamość's best coffee is served in this cheery and cosy cafe on the Rynek. Pass the time playing a board game, or trying some of the exquisite homemade…
Gdańsk
Is it a bar or a junk shop? You decide as you relax with a cocktail or a glass of excellent Polish perry on one of the battered sofas, illuminated by an…
Warsaw
In the mid-20th century, this club-bar in an elegant tenement building was a hang-out for Warsaw's arty and theatrical set. Revived, it has bounced back…
Munich
Thomas Mann and Hermann Hesse used to knock 'em back at this well-scuffed and wood-panelled thirst parlour. A bookish ambience still pervades, making this…
Karlovy Vary
This cool upstairs space with modern art on bare brick walls, '80s tunes on the sound system and comfortable armchairs serves the best coffee in town,…
Plzeň
Cool heritage cafe, pub, expansive exhibition space and occasional art-house cinema – the elegant art nouveau Mêšťanská Beseda is hands-down Plzeň's most…
Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter
Arguably the best coffee on this side of the vaguely recalled Iron Curtain, this little place on two levels (look for the not-so-true sign proclaiming 'I…
Munich
This one's hard to ignore because of its English Garden location and pedigree as Munich's oldest beer garden (open since 1791). Camera-toting tourists and…
Kraków
Harry Potter fans should head to this quaint basement cafe hidden away on ul Grodzka. It's aptly decorated from tip to toe with magical memorabilia,…
Munich
Follow the gold-lined passageway off Sonnenstrasse to what some regard as one of the best Elektro-clubs in the world. Nights here are an amazing alchemy…
Vienna
Spilling onto the Volksgarten's lawns, these early-19th-century premises are split into three areas: the Wintergarten lounge bar with vintage 1950s…
Eger
This rather precious wine bar in the cellars of master vintner Tibor Gal has tastings and serves wine by the glass and bottle. A large, comfortably…
Podgórze
In a highly creative re-use of an old communist-era eyesore, the Hotel Forum has been repurposed as a trendy, retro coffee and cocktail bar – and…
Bohemia
You won't find a better flat white anywhere in town, or for miles around for that matter (Moccacafe uses specially roasted beans). It also serves…
Erzsébetváros & the Jewish Quarter
This 'Shanghai-inspired bar' – but aren't tuk-tuks (like the one on the pavement outside) from Bangkok, we cry? – is an ever-so-Asian gay hang-out at the…
Coastal Mecklenburg – Western Pomerania
They claim to be one of the oldest harbour bars in Europe, and the first historical record of a bar on this site dates back to 1332. The interior is dark…
