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Top 5 bars in… Moscow

Moscow is unrecognisable from the drab grey city it was just a few years ago. Now the party involves very good drinks, not Communism, says James Lawrence.

SB presents the top 5 bars in Moscow, Russia

In the space of just over 30 years, Moscow has transformed itself from a city that barely had any privately-owned venues into an increasingly attractive destination for party animals in search of excitement and cocktails, regardless of those post-libation headaches. In recent years, an explosion of younger talent – and investment – has played a significant part in helping to fuel the capital’s burgeoning bar scene, which is now a million miles away from the Moscow of the 1980s.

Back then, the predominant entertainment on offer was in dire government-run cafés, visited by senior Communist party officials. Visitors would sooner starve than dine at these venues, Muscovite officials were fond of saying.

Yet today, locals describe Moscow as a “city that never sleeps”, a tagline not simply cooked up by creative PRs. For, as any visitor will readily testify, going to bed early in Moscow is a complete waste of time. From small, grungy bars to nightclubs where magnums of Cristal are de rigueur, the Russian capital has everything you could want for a memorable night on the town. Most of what’s on offer in Moscow varies enormously depending on the time of day – venues often shed their skin in the evening, transforming from an unassuming restaurant/café into a raucous nightclub, where partying doesn’t stop until the last punter leaves.

But this is only the start. A night out in Moscow can involve chilling at the city’s numerous arthouse cafés, sipping cocktails in live music venues, partying in a grungy club housed in a former factory, or paying extortionate amounts for a drink in Moscow’s A-list haunts.

Indeed, there is more than a whiff of East Berlin in Moscow at night, particularly in Krasny Oktyabr, a former chocolate factory across the river from Kropotkinskaya station. It’s now home to some of Moscow’s hippest nightlife, just as the Kreuzberg district has come alive in Berlin.

Meanwhile, those in search of talented mixologists and creative cocktails should stick to the more upmarket, sedate destinations, usually housed inside Moscow’s five-star hotels.

Just remember that wherever you end up, the Moscow security staff are king. It’s unwise to argue with them, however unreasonable they seem – you’ll regret it.

Click through the following pages to discover the top five bars in Moscow, Russia.

Mayak

Bolshaya Nikitskaya 19

One of the few venues without a constant soundtrack, Mayak is perfect for a relaxed evening with friends. Long favoured by the city’s intelligentsia, journalists, musicians and other arty types who arrive in their droves, the bar offers excellent cocktails and, by Moscow standards, friendly service. There is often live music as well to top it off.

Kalina Bar

Lotte Plaza, Novinskiy Boulevard 8

Come for the outstanding views of Moscow at night, but stay for superlative cocktails, overseen by chief barman Michael Novikov. A graduate of the Bartender Association, Novikov is one of the city’s most talented mixologists and a regular face in competitions. He champions fresh ingredients and fruit – try the signature Purple Velvet, a heady mix of vodka, exotic pineapple, rosemary and Tequila. It’s exquisite.

Rolling Stone Bar

Bolotnaya nab, 3, cmp 1

Boasting wall-to-wall musical memorabilia, thumping bass and crowds of revellers at weekends, subtlety is definitely not on the menu at Rolling Stone Bar. But it is a great place to party hard, and to meet a cross-section of Moscow’s colourful society. Just don’t upset the bouncers – they take no prisoners.

Kitaiskiy Lyotchik

Lubyansky Per 25/12

You could easily miss the impossible to pronounce Kitaiskii Lyotchik, but don’t. It’s a fantastic chameleon-like destination (bar-come-café/live music venue) that offers some of the warmest service in Moscow, and an excellent drinks list to boot. And the acts, while rarely A-list, are always memorable.

O2 Lounge

Tverskaya St, 3, Moscos

It’s hardly surprising that Moscow’s most glamorous destination – the Ritz Carlton hotel – also houses the city’s best cocktail bar. The vibe is decidedly Manhattan. Beneath a glass ceiling, contemporary furnishings and mood lighting set the scene for slick service, caviar, and, of course, prestigious Champagne. Yet there is as much substance as style; head bartender Philipp Glushakov is one of Moscow’s most talented mixologists, and will happily create any concoction you desire.

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