There are few delights greater than settling into a comfortable stool and watching a bartender mix your cocktail with expertise and bonhomie. In fact, the only greater pleasure is being surrounded by others, in an atmosphere made more inviting by beautiful furniture, exquisite materials, or world-class art.
I don’t consider myself a connoisseur in the art of mixed libations, but I am an absolute snob when it comes to beautiful bars, and perhaps the best-in-class example would be Adolf Loos’ American Bar in Vienna. Opened in 1908, Loos used rich materials such as red marble, backlit onyx, and polished brass to create a luxurious and architecturally adventurous bar. And at a tiny 300 square feet, it is an intimate space— one of the more important aspects of a good cocktail bar.
For me, it is always about the total sensorial experience— because if you are going to pay the equivalent of a year’s subscription to the New Yorker for a couple of drinks, why not make sure the chair you’re sitting on is as well-considered as the martini in your hand? Below are a handful of my go-to haunts in cities around the world. From Tokyo to Milan, it’s five o’clock somewhere.
Higashi Yama, Tokyo
Tokyo is full of perfect little holes-in-the-wall, where you can join the salarymen in enjoying a house specialty – in fact, the entire neighborhood of the Golden Gai in Shinjuku is flowing with charming, if not so easy to find, tucked-away watering holes. But if you want a more elevated experience of a dark, moody Tokyo bar, nothing rivals Higashi Yama. Located in the nondescript neighborhood of Meguro, patrons pass a calm zen pond before encountering a dusky simple counter and, if you’re lucky, the bartender Seijiro Aikawa. “Danny,” as he’s also known, can make any drink you want, but during parts of the year he brings his own homemade umeshu, a plum-infused liquor which he mixes with other spirits for refreshing delights. If the plum liquor is still available, don’t pass it up. 1-chōme-21 Higashiyama, Meguro City, Tokyo 153-0043, Japan
Kronenhalle, Zurich
Switzerland is where high finance meets high art, as epitomized by the Kronhalle Bar. Designed in the 1960s by Trix and Robert Haussmann (who are better known for their later Post-Modernist designs), the dark wood, shipshape bar is full of art that would be at home at the local museum. Many of the artworks are gifts or “trades” by the artists that haunted the Kronenhalle, from Picasso to Miró and Chagall. The bronze bar stools and lighting were commissioned from Diego Giacometti, who also provided the chandeliers at the Picasso Museum in Paris. It’s martinis with a dash of Matisse. Try one of the local Swiss eau-de-vie, like the kirsch or prune. Rämistrasse 4, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
Ogata, Paris
There are no shortage of locations in Paris to have a drink and watch the crowds, one of the true delights of this city. However, if you want to have a drink without seeing anyone, the only place to go is Ogata. A two-level building with a restaurant, tearoom, and a sweet shop, this restored mansion has had Paris abuzz with its Japanese sophistication and minimalist design since its opening in 2020. The bar itself is an intimate, six-person sitting area with wabi-sabi built-in benches and partially hidden by a floating wall. When you want to channel Garbo in the City of Lights and “be alone,” this is the perfect hiding place that also serves some of the best sake around. 16 Rue Debelleyme, 75003 Paris, France
Bósforo, Mexico City
A few years ago, an eatery quietly popped up in the Centro neighborhood with no name (“sin nombre”), but that didn’t stop those in the know swarming there to get the perfect Oaxacan tlayuda or rabbit in mole. Bósforo opened next door to take in the waiting overflow, and within months became a destination in its own right. Sin Nombre closed during the pandemic, but Bósforo, which specializes in mezcal, tequila’s idiosyncratic cousin, remains animated as ever. Located behind an unmarked door, the space is candlelit with high ceilings and the aroma of steadily burning incense—a mezcal temple of sorts. Choices rotate weekly, if not daily, so there’s always a reason to come back. Luis Moya 31-local 2, Colonia Centro, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010, CDMX, Mexico
The Wolseley, London
The UK capital can be more of a pub town than a cocktail city, but there are a handful of spots where you can watch the Bright Young Things gather. Located in an Art Deco building in fashionable Mayfair, The Wolseley’s double-height space was originally built as a glamorous car showroom in 1921. Although its afternoon tea offerings rival the Ritz next door, stiffer drinks are served morning til past midnight. Take advantage of the excellent kitchen and order some blinis with caviar, along with a glass, or a whole bottle, of Pol Roger champagne. 160 Picadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9EB. United Kingdom.
