Bars & Cigars: Prague

Photo: L’Flur Bar Prag | L’Fleur Bar: Enjoy fabulous cocktails in a splendid atmosphere

Please take note of the general indoor smoking ban that came into effect in the Czech Republic on May 31, 2017.

The individual watering holes are fundamentally different in their conception, interior layout, and techniques of drinking and cocktail culture. But the places do have something in common: they all have a very high standard of mixology.

In the Czech capital city, the bar lover can get into a Grandma’s Walley (Chivas 12yo, Angostura, homemade syrups, Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut) at the well known Hemingway Bar (ranked among the top 50 bars worldwide); work your way through three bar menus (using a special black light to scan the menu, choosing your drink by perfume or odor, or via slideshow) in the Kafkaesque AnonymouS Bar; and enjoy creatively out-there drinks made by partially masked barmen; as well as do a Rorschach test in a speakeasy. After completing the test, you are served a cocktail that suits your personality. The concept originates from the recently opened AnonymouS Shrink’s Office, a follow-up project by AnonymouS. The vote on the drink is kept a secret by the bar team (homemade rum, whisky or agave blends are used). The cigars in the humidor are not, however, unknown ones, and a Torpedo Maduro goes perfectly with the drink that has the agave blend.

If you go to the beginning of the booming bar scene, you’ll land in Bugsy’s Bar, which has been running since 1995. Here there is also still a humidor, and a Trinidad Vigia goes fantastically with the Dirty Martini that’s made with homemade DNA gin. Just around the corner from Bugsy’s is L’Fleur. The beautiful, excellently stocked bar of Miloš Danihelka and the Diageo World Class finalists Adrián Michalcˇík and Víteˇzslav Cirok stands out due to its generous, contemporary ambience and the splendid bar menu. The first Follow the Freedom cocktail (Cognac, lavender cordial, crème de cassis, Champagne …) by Régis Roig- Roux you’ll want to follow with a second or third. In any event, in the fascinating vaulted cellar of the Black Angel’s Bar you should try the Bohemian Manhattan (Czech Hammer Head whisky, Becherovka …), and once the accompanying clouds of dry ice have dissipated, study the exciting bar menu.

The Parlour isn’t so easy to find. Jakub Ondrˇíšek and Martin Tomášek’s bar in the basement is absolutely convincing with their concept that is built on aromas, smells and flavors. There’s no menu; every drink is created based on person- al preferences – and through their talent, both guys always get the individual penchants right with their creations.

Bonvivant’s of Eduard Ondracek and Tomáš Palicˇka is likewise a valuable bar. In addition to obliging hospitality and delicious tapas, guests are served a fabulous Negroni Twist (juniper spirit by Spišska Borovicˇka, Suze, Dolin Vermouth and Lagavulin 16yo) by barman Peter Minarcˇic.

With its excellent offering, “Zlatá Praha” (Golden Prague) will take on a new, spiritual meaning for bar passionados.

Bars

Hemingway Bar

www.hemingwaybar.eu

AnonymuS Bar

www.anonymusbar.cz

AnonymuS Shrink’s Office

www.shrinksoffice-cz

Bugsy’s Bar

www.bugsysbar.cz

Black Angel’s Bar

www.blackangelsbar.cz

L’Fleur

www.lfleur.cz

Parlour Bar

www.parlour.cz

Bonvivant’s Bar

E: bonvinants.ctc@gmial.com
T: +420 775 331 862

This article was published in the Cigar Journal Autumn Edition 2017. Read more