Bamberg
Amid the palaces and ecclesiastic institutions of the Domberg stands this small pub serving beers from all of Bamberg's breweries and a good selection of…
Must-see nightlife in Germany
Schöneberg
Tiger Bar is a stylish and slightly trippy jewel for curious imbibers. Sustainability is key for bar manager Phum Sila-Trakoon, which is why discarded…
Kreuzberg
An old furniture store has been recast as this pleasantly trashy and always-busy drinking den with cheap Polish beer and a friendly crowd, which is…
Neukölln
Vin Aqua Vin does double duty as a wine shop and wine bar where you can sample hand-picked wines amid candlelight and a homey, anti-snob vibe, which…
Schöneberg
This elegant, antique-filled bar in the 19th-century villa of silent-movie star Henny Porten holds a dazzling selection of rare and noble spirits,…
Trier
To appreciate the Riesling, rivaner, Elbling and chardonnay at this rustic seven-generation Weingut without worrying about driving, its bus can pick you…
Museumsinsel & Alexanderplatz
With its urban-contempo looks and big terrace, this concept-driven craft beer outpost shakes up the gastro wasteland of Alexanderplatz. Aside from the…
Friedrichshain
The down-to-earth crowd at this charmingly trashy dancing den defines the word eclectic, and so does the music. Dive deep into a sound spectrum ranging…
Prenzlauer Berg
Past Samuel Beckett's portrait, the art of cocktail-making is taken very seriously. Settle into a heavy armchair in the warmly lit lounge and take your…
Bremen & the East Frisian Coast
This cocktail lounge features midcentury-modern decor, dark-wood panelling and dim lights, as well as a comprehensive cocktail menu. The pièce de…
City West & Charlottenburg
On the 10th floor of the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin, this mainstream-hip ‘urban jungle’ delivers fabulous views of the city and Zoo Berlin while the menu…
Friedrichshain
Confirming all those stereotypes about LGBT people having good taste, this candle-lit and pretence-free drinking cove makes most of the competition look…
Friedrichshain
A star in the Friedrichshain cocktail firmament, the Chapel Bar has a delightfully cluttered living-room look and a convivial vibe, thanks to a crowd more…
Leipzig
One of Europe's oldest coffeehouses, this cosy multifloor warren has been going since 1720. It's an atmospheric, if rather touristy, spot to try the…
Frankfurt am Main
Mismatched vintage furniture – '70s couches, rocking chairs, timber packing crates and cushioned cane armchairs – creates an outdoor lounge room on the…
Schöneberg
An artist hang-out since the 1920s, this woodsy Old Berlin pub is where Jeffrey Eugenides penned his bestseller Middlesex (upstairs, at the round table in…
Berlin
Is it art? Is it a cafe? Is it a bar? Answer: it’s all three. This glass-and-chrome pavilion in the quiet and pretty courtyard of the KW Institute for…
Schöneberg
Belly up to the polished wooden bar or plop down on chocolate-hued Chesterfield sofas at this sophisticated cocktail saloon. Barkeeps mix and pour both…
Prenzlauer Berg
With its flirty vibe, wallet-friendly drinks prices and a pretension-free crowd, this local institution scores a trifecta on key ingredients for a good…
Kreuzberg
Melitta Sundström was the artist name of a famous queer Berlin soul singer who died of AIDS in 1993. This cheerful cafe with an '80s pedigree and look-at…
Berlin
In the Stue hotel, light installations and animal sculptures pave the way to this glam bar where serious mixologists give classic cocktails from the 1920s…
Heidelberg
With its wood-plank floor, chairs from a Spanish monastery, black iron chandeliers and an enchanting beer garden, this brewpub is an atmospheric spot to…
Kreuzberg
Gravity is literally upended at this David Lynchian booze burrow, where the furniture dangles from the ceiling and the moulding is on the floor. There are…
Munich
Bibite, panini, giornali (drinks, sandwiches, newspapers) is the holy trinity served up at this Italian cafe, which takes you back to the days of the…
Heidelberg
With just 13 seats, the interior of this retro-style bar can be cramped, but its big draw is its sun-drenched terrace on a riverfront square – a…
Leipzig
This legendary (sub)cultural centre in a warren of cellars of the old city fortifications keeps an all-ages crowd happy with parties (almost nightly),…
German Wine Route
On the town's liveliest square, Petersilie is a great spot to try local wines (including organic wines) by the glass, or to knock back a frothy beer…
Frankfurt am Main
The aroma of freshly roasted coffee lures you through a covered alley and cobbled courtyard to this hidden spot. Kaffeerösterei Wissmüller has been…
Hanover
This popular, sprawling 'American-style' sports bar and restaurant seems standard at first, but head downstairs for a world of bar games, with 20…
Berlin
A project by the artists' collective Dead Chickens, this subculture survivor is filled with metal monster sculptures and hosts concerts, parties and…
Historic Mitte
A hushed, refined ambience reigns at the rooftop bar of the exclusive Hotel de Rome, where you can keep an eye on the Fernsehturm (TV Tower), historic…
Düsseldorf
In 2010 Düsseldorf's established breweries got competition from this new kid on the block. No-fuss Brauhaus Kürzer captures the design zeitgeist with…
Berlin
This glamour vixen at the budget-hip Hotel Amano juxtaposes a cool green-marble bar with warm furnishings and lighting and attracts global sophisticates…
Berlin
The 'Bad Boy Bar' is a cafe by day (breakfast until 2pm, homemade cakes!) and dimly lit antihipster haunt for wine and chat in the evening. Despite the…
Neukölln
This ’70s retro-look haunt in a former slot-machine factory takes its name from a haunted mansion in Ireland; you half expect a ghost to lurk behind the…
Kreuzberg
One of Berlin’s artiest and most experimental clubs holds forth in the battery room of a massive defunct power station that also houses the legendary…
Kreuzberg
Prince Charles is a stylish mix of club and bar ensconced in a former pool and overlooked by a kitschy-cute fish tile mural. Electronic music shares…
Nuremberg
From the outside this place looks like a secondhand furniture shop, the vitrines packed with 1970s coffee tables, old school desks and 1980s high-back…
Friedrichshain
Resisting temptation can be tough. Forget about it when visiting Tentacion (Spanish for ‘temptation’); its main ammo is the Latin American cult spirit…
Berlin
Everything about this bar speaks of refinement, but without an iota of stuffiness: the dim lighting, the plush seating, the carpeted floors and the luxe…
