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European bars to visit in 2020

Europe has long been home to some of the best bars in the world. Tireless innovation keeps the region’s watering holes fresh, exciting and relevant.

Once again, London has treated the world to a huge raft of new bars in 2019 – from chic hotel spots to dreamy drinking dens, the city has it all. Highlights from this year’s crop include Vestal Vodka owner William Borrell’s Camden‐based Ladies & Gentlemen, Homeboy from Irish duo Aaron Wall and Ciarán Smith (formerly of Callooh Callay and London Cocktail Club) and a new one from the Venning brothers – Top Cuvée.

One of the biggest stories of the year was the hotly anticipated new incarnation of Dandelyan from Ryan Chetiyawardana, which re‐opened its doors in March, in the form of Lyaness.

Meanwhile, Hacha came along in May, courtesy of Diageo Reserve luxury Tequila ambassador Deano Moncrieffe – and, unsurprisingly, the bar centres around all things agave.

Following on from the opening of Fare last year, 2019 has seen its share of all‐day, multi‐functional venues, including Serata Hall in London, Margot in Belfast and Sheffield’s Ambulo – an interesting all‐ day concept from Arctic Monkeys’ drummer Matt Helders and the folks behind Sheffield bar Public, which was one of our top picks last year and it hasn’t disappointed.

Looking out across Europe and Chetiyawardana struck again, this time in Amsterdam with Super Lyan. In Barcelona, Moe Aljaff and AJ White’s “five‐star dive bar” Two Schmucks reopened its doors in June after an extensive refurbishment. Staying in Barcelona, Lilith & Sons also came into being in 2019; it’s the work of three industry friends and definitely one to look out for down the line.

Click through the following pages to discover Europe’s top bars to watch in 2020.

Not to be missed: Tayer + Elementary – London, UK

“Tayēr is super unique because the menu changes literally every day,” explains co‐ founder Alex Kratena. “Since opening, we have created over 350 cocktail recipes, and the constant pressure to move forward and create something new makes the bar stand out from others.”

The venue, which was opened in June by Kratena and Monica Berg, also features a collaboration with Tātā Eatery’s Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng.

“We are ultra‐excited about working with Meng and Ana,” says Kratena. “Our true pleasure is to see the kitchen counter evolving and we love the results of working with like‐minded people.”

At the front, the venue offers coffee, casual snacks and a few cocktails. At the back, there are no brands in sight at the impressive workshop‐style bar and kitchen counter space.

Kratena says that in the next 12 months, we can expect more exciting innovations across the board, from fashion to spirits, wine and beer, as well as “more collaborations beyond the world of culinary arts”. Pull up a stool and expect the unexpected.

Tayēr + Elementary has been named our overall Europe Bar to Watch 2020. 

The Court – Rome, Italy

If cocktails with a view are your thing, then how about a bar that overlooks the Colosseum? The Court is the new watering hole at the five‐star Palazzo Manfredi hotel. What’s more, the bar has substance to back up its style – globe‐trotting bar supremo and amaro expert Matteo ‘Zed’ Zamberlan presides over the drinks.

He describes a “very high‐level bar programme where rotovap redistillation, low‐ temperature cooking and other important mixing techniques give life to fancy and easy cocktails”.

The all important apéritif moment is supported by food from the hotel’s Michelin‐ starred Aroma restaurant. And Zamberlan has exciting plans for the next 12 months, including celebrity guest hosts and appearances by some of the best bartenders in the world.

Kwānt – London, UK

May saw bar industry supremo Erik Lorincz open the doors to Kwānt, a 19th‐century‐style cocktail bar and lounge underneath London’s Momo restaurant. Lorincz won Diageo’s World Class bartender competition in 2010 and counts head bartender at The Savoy’s American Bar among his former job titles.

At Kwānt, the spotlight is on Highballs, bespoke glassware and bar‐grown garnishes. Complex prep takes place behind closed doors, and this bar is part of the new wave of ‘sophistication that appears simple’.

Lorincz says he set out to create a “liquid experience” using ingredients you might not normally see in cocktails – including the likes of spirulina. He also emphasises a respect for ingredients, ensuring sustainable measures are in place to use every part of a plant or fruit.

In the next 12 months, expect Lorincz’s famous hospitality to continue with the addition of live music and an even greater ‘wow factor’ for guests.

Drink Kong – Rome, Italy

Though technically a late‐2018 opening, Drink Kong has turned heads in 2019. So many heads that it won the ‘one to watch’ gong at 50 Best. The bar is the work of Patrick Pistolesi, who describes the concept as “based on the retro future”.

He tells The Spirits Business: “I was inspired by a lot of things that in my 20‐year career have influenced me as a professional and as a man. Our bar has many layers – like a Blade Runner future. Our menu is based on instinct and our drinks are totally based on the taste; we obviously make classics but our creations have their own life and are not twists.”

Pistolesi also has a downstairs lab, where the future will involve attempts to break new “taste/emotion boundaries”. From bright neon lights, to slinky shadowed corners, Drink Kong has a definite vibe.

Wolf at the Door – Manchester, UK

This three‐floor neighbourhood eating, drinking and lifestyle space in Manchester’s Northern Quarter is the work of Lyndon Higginson (The Liars Group, Junkyard Golf Club and Bunny Jackson’s), Dan Morris (formerly of Cottonopolis), and Mat Lake and Bart Murphy (also of Junkyard and Bunny Jackson’s). The space, briefly known as Wilderness Bar + Kitchen, offers an all‐day vibe on the ground floor with beers and Highballs on tap.

On the first floor, the cocktail bar takes centre stage and the founders say that the space has been “designed to remove barriers between those making the drinks and those enjoying them”. There’s also a basement ‘innovation room’, where chefs and bartenders explore new flavours and host tastings, as well as private dinners.

Mof Gimmers, the resident record buyer at sister site Wilderness Record Store, is in charge of the tunes, while Higginson himself designed and curated all of the artwork.

Super Lyan – Amsterdam, the Netherlands

No list of influential bars or people is complete without a mention of the mighty Ryan Chetiyawardana. This time, we head to Amsterdam for the new Super Lyan, an all‐day neighbourhood cocktail bar and garden offering “kick‐ass coffee, vegan doughnuts, brunch and bites during the day, then cocktails, beers, wine and bitterballen late into the night”.

The venue, which opened in April, is part of the Kimpton De Witt hotel just opposite the Centraal Station. As well as classics, shakes and floats, the bar also offers cocktails on draught, including the Bay Cosmo, made with Ketel One Vodka, cranberry, bay leaf, lime and pink grapefruit, and the Panacea, a mix of Johnnie Walker Black, lavender and honey shrub, lemon and sage dust. Amsterdammers can pop in for a spot of breakfast, then stay for cocktails.

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