Top six European bars to visit in 2015

Paris continues to lead cocktail culture on mainland Europe, but there are glimmers of brilliance in other cities, writes Tyler Wetherall.

Looking across Paris, Antwerp, Istanbul, Amsterdam and Madrid, we list the top six European bars cocktail lovers should visit in 2015

With a spate of notable new openings at the end of 2014 alone, Paris continues to lead the cocktail culture of mainland Europe.

A second generation of bartenders, who earned their stripes at the likes of ECC and Candaleria, are going for gold and opening their own venues such as the brilliant Pasdeloup with Amanda Boucher and the Landais brothers; or Le Syndicat headed up by Sullivan Doh of Sherry Butt. Equally, the bigger groups are moving onto grander ventures with ECC’s first of three hotels due to open in Paris in 2015, and Little Red Door expanding to a second venue, Lulu White.

Other cities to look to in 2015 include Moscow, with bars like Delicatessen and Chainaya making waves across the continent. Pop up art space/restaurant/club Door 19 at Arthouse saw a number of high profile bartenders fly in to mix drinks, and more may come of the project. Milan is also staking a claim as one of the year’s destination cities. As the location of Expo 2015, the focus on food with the “Feeding the Planet” theme is bound to have a knock-on effect on the bar scene, and the Campari Academy has been attracting many top bartenders.

Finally, a few brilliantly fanatical individuals in Athens continue to push the scene forward, with a café-to-cocktail-style bar culture and a focus on botanicals and heritage ingredients.

In our November 2014 issue we enlisted the assistance of experts across the globe to help us pick the best bars in five regions that will rise to prominence over the next 12 months. They may not be open yet, or may be stalwarts on the local bar scene, but each one is most definitely pushing the boundaries of imbibing culture.

Click through the following pages to discover our pick of the European Bars to Watch in 2015, as well as our Bar of the Year.

Mabel – Paris, France

At the time of writing, Mabel had yet to open its Montorgueil doors after a series of delays, but the name has already been on bartenders’ lips for some time throughout Paris. With master shaker Joseph Akhavan, formerly of La Conserverie, behind the project the cocktails are bound to be worthy. The focus will be predominately on rum in all its guises, including stocking some lesser-known bottles with flights and tastings. With a friendly, low-key atmosphere, there will also be nibbles from lunch until late.

DOMO Lounge & Terrace by Cabera – Madrid, Spain

Since leaving Le Cabrera, Argentinean Diego Cabrera has been unstoppable. Multi-level gourmet market and entertainment complex Platea opened late summer 2014 with Cabrera and Luca Anastasio’s El Palco on the second floor serving innovative twists on classics. He’s also been advising on a 10-bar chain with NH Hotels of which the NH Collection Eurobuilding in Madrid has caused the most excitement in the hospitality world. A multi-million euro, high-tech affair, it’s seriously star-spangled in the culinary department. David Munoz’s three Michelin-starred DiverXO has relocated here, and Cabrera is working with two Michelin-starred Paco Roncero on DOMO by Roncero and Cabrera, as well as his own DOMO Lounge and Terrace alongside his original award-winning team. The bar and restaurant will collaborate, feeding off each other so to speak, with consistently strong cocktails and food expected. Rumour has it that Cabrera has two more European openings in the works for 2015. Watch this space.

Bijou, Balls & Booze – Antwerp, Belgium

Ben Belmans, the godfather of the ever-growing Belgian cocktail scene, will open this new spot in December. With its purposefully playful name – the Bijou refers to the 19th century cocktail and the bar will use only ice balls, he’s looking to counter the snobbery sometimes associated with cocktail bars, and make a cocktail bar with a convivial pub atmosphere. The glasses used will be about 60% smaller than usual, keeping prices lower and allowing drinkers to have a tapas style cocktail experience, trying several drinks in one sitting. There will be some rare spirits not usually available in Belgium, as well as Champagne. With an excellent team behind him, you may find Belmans behind the stick himself at least once a week. 

Tales & Spirits – Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam’s Tales & Spirits may be a veritable museum of old-world bar paraphernalia, but co owners Lydia Soedadi and Boudewijn Mesritz are definitely forging ahead when it comes to the cocktail programme. Open for two years already, the drinks are devised in line with the food menu, cocktail pairing being a fast-spreading trend, as well as inspired by the historical environs of the Red Light District. This is one of the bars that has begun to redeem the neighbourhood’s reputation as a cesspit of seedy stag parties to somewhere with real dining and drinking options.

Soho House – Istanbul, Turkey

The arrival of a Soho House outlet is often an indicator that a city has achieved cult hip status, and this is in no doubt when it comes to the design hub of Istanbul. Opening early 2015 in the Beyoglu district, the members’ club and hotel will occupy the grand Palazzo Corpi, the group’s biggest property to date. The House features a restaurant, two rooftop pools and an in-house club.

European bar to watch 2015: Copperbay, Paris

There are many elements that make this Paris opening stand out as one to watch next year among a host of other brilliant new cocktail bars in the city. Firstly, take the trio of partners, the so-called Mermaids of their “Mermaids and Magic Potions” tagline: Julien Lopez, who was trained by Julien Escot at Papa Doble in Montpellier and has an eye for top class talent; Aurélie Panhelleux who made waves at the city’s W Hotel; and Elfi Fabritius, formerly of HBC. Each take on a different role in the bar so everything from hosting to prep is meticulously covered.

The short list of cocktails features unusual garnishes – a dried apricot stuffed with ground green almonds for example, a playful use of scent, and interesting use of salt and vermouth. But what this bar signifies for Paris is a move away from the domination of the dark secrecy of the speakeasy towards wide open, bright and breezy bar spaces, something we’ll see Europe-wide in 2015.

With a wall of windows, high ceilings and a natural colour palette, CopperBay is light and airy. The kitchen island bar in the middle of the room acts as a gathering space for drinkers who watch the team at work. It’s a neighbourhood joint that wants cocktail culture to be accessible to anyone who walks past and cares to pop in, which in itself feels pretty new.