Planted in one of the country’s most conservative states it’s a wonder this downtown whiskey saloon ever came to be. Not only does High West pour a mean Old Fashioned, but it also produces the very Rendezvous Rye that goes into it. Yet there’s more: unsatisfied with merely flying in the face of draconian local liquor laws and winning numerous awards, High West also holds the mantle as the globe’s only ski-in distillery.
Pass under the original Wild West wooden facade with your cheeks still cold from the breath of the mountains, and emerge later among the snow-clad streets warm with the glow of aged Yippee Ki-Yay whiskey and its cinnamon spice notes. Or settle in for the night with a homemade chicken pot pie and a High West 101 whiskey flight, watching the snow flutter past the windows.
In the age of social media maintaining anonymity can prove tough. Go incognito at Anonymous, a cocktail bar down an alley in Prague’s Old Town. The brothers who opened the bar based it on a trilogy of familiar symbols of anarchy: Guy Fawkes, V for Vendetta and the hacktivist group, Anonymous. These inspirations are encapsulated in every aspect of the decor.
Once you’ve tracked down the boozy take on V’s hideout, order a cocktail from a mixologist sporting a Guy Fawkes mask and set to work figuring out how to unlock the secret drinks list. Consuming several brews is enough to wipe your memory, though that Instagram pic you posted will provide some proof the evening took place.
Deep in the heart of Texas two Spanish engineers have delivered a venue that combines two of our greatest loves: beer and books. By day you can get a coffee here, but by night this cute bookstore bungalow turns into a bar. Browse the shelves, where you can find the work of plenty of local authors, order a tosta (a Spanish-style bruschetta topped with prosciutto or salmon) and a pint.
Local breweries Texas Ale Project, Peticolas and Four Corners are all represented. Then either flip through some pages or eye what the person sitting opposite is reading. On many evenings, you might also stumble across an event – movie screenings, readings, wine tastings, DJ sets and book signings are all on the agenda.
In the depths of Helsinki, you can meet Jackie, a real Finish beauty. She has a moody aesthetic with steely forest-green walls, marble tabletops and 60s-inspired timber furniture, accompanied by a single tan leather sofa that runs the length of one wall. Her gold-trimmed bar will lead you to her finest poisons, but what you’ll love most about Jackie is her ability to transport you back to the eras of 60s Italian lounge and 70s French cosmic disco.
That’s the true inspiration of Jackie’s sublime design and soul. Jackie offers a variety of wines, accompanied by a selection of pizzas created by Antto Melasniemi, a food visionary who blends his interests of design, music and art and weaves them into culinary masterpieces. And if you were wondering why Jackie…it’s named after 60s pop icon Scott Morgan’s 1967 song.
Bringing the concept of urban jungle to a whole other level, Living Room is situated at the heart of Johannesburg’s built-up and bohemian Maboneng Precinct, yet it offers a nourishing pop of greenery. Relaxing in a hammock chair, surrounded by potted ferns, vases of flowers and vertical gardens, this inner-city oasis will make you feel a million miles from the hubbub five floors below. But if you’re looking to take things more up-tempo, stop by for their famous Sunday soirees – just remember to book a table.
Either way, be sure to try one of the cheekily named cocktails – the Minty Magic Unicorn is supposedly a new classic – perhaps paired with some tapas, while admiring the stellar views of the city.
Córdoba might not be South America’s nightlife capital, but the up-and-coming barrio of Güemes looks set to plant Argentina’s second city on the map. Design-led Capri is the latest joint to lead the charge, with a colour palette inspired by the famed island resort, coupled with 80s-style minimalism and an urban finish that creates a vibe ripe for carousing. Pop in for the signature Fresh, a combination of English breakfast tea and gin, spiced with ginger and grapefruit juice.
A marble countertop skirts the frontage and a total lack of doors means the boundary between interior and exterior is blurred, allowing eyes to wander and drawing in passers-by intent on savouring the night-time delights of Córdoba. For a hit of nostalgia, take the weight off in one of Capri’s ‘college’ chairs – old-school-style furniture given a modern makeover and a dash of real-world comfort. It’s a thoughtful nod to this thriving city’s title as Argentina’s major university town.
Plump for a two-headed beast of a night with a visit to the Jane in Copenhagen’s oldest neighbourhood, Indre By. As dusk falls, curl up with friends on Chesterfield sofas in a fireplace-filled corner lined with leather-bound tomes and lit by candlelight. The bar’s wood panelling, leather upholstery, moody tones and vintage-style artwork lend a Mad Men feel – and that is exactly the intention. But when the clock strikes midnight and the expertly crafted negronis are coursing through your veins, compelling you to move, there’s another world to infiltrate.
Creep behind the sliding bookshelf to shimmy up beside the DJ on the dance floor, where it’s modern warehouse rave vibes all the way. Whether you want to chink glasses over quiet D&Ms or boogie while a giant mural of a horned Patrick Swayze stares you down, there’s a space for everyone at the Jane.
No need to scale Everest for a dose of Himalayan hospitality – there’s a Nepalese hill station plonked in the heart of Broadway Market. Tooting’s tiniest tavern pays homage to intrepid trekkers, with a range of cocktails guaranteed to elevate your spirits without inducing vertigo. Reach new heights with Hillary’s Hibiscus (rum shaken with hibiscus syrup and fresh lemon juice, topped with prosecco), or sample some Yak’s Milk (Yunnan tea, whiskey, tamarind paste, egg white, lemon juice and, thankfully, no actual yak’s milk).
Worked up an appetite? Dial the chef directly on the retro Bakelite phone for a flat iron steak burger or mountain cheese platter. If your pockets are almost clean, partake in the Abominable Happy Hour (6 to 7pm) for buy one, get one free cocktail.
If ramshackle beach bars are your thing, then Escape 3 Points is paradise. Sitting pretty at the southernmost tip of Ghana, the bar offers a chill zone on a secluded sweep of silica that’s flanked by two rivers that flow to the sea and bordered by mango trees and coconut palms. With chairs and tables assembled from driftwood, recycled green bottles forming a couple of makeshift walls and nothing but sand below your soles, the feel is so exceptionally rustic that you might think the establishment coined the term.
The fruit and spices grown in Escape’s very own organic garden infuse its homemade akpeteshie, a Ghanaian moonshine made by distilling palm wine or sugar cane. Though for the less adventurous the regular gamut of cocktails, wine and beer are all on offer. With a drink in hand, relax in the comfort of your own wooden throne as the sun sinks over the Atlantic. The solar-powered speakers will provide the perfect soundtrack to your own slice of paradise.
Walking into Amsterdam’s Bar Botanique is like entering a botanist’s paradise; there’s so much green you’d be forgiven for thinking you had left the Netherlands and arrived in the jungle. Designed by interior designers Studio Modijefsky, this Dutch cafe turned all-day bar has been revamped into a chic open space.
Pink feature walls stand in contrast to the myriad greens throughout. Double-storey windows make up the facade of the corner building, allowing light to spill in over the dreamy palms, ferns and monsteras that hang from the railings, ceilings and walls. Open from 9am, Bar Botanique serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with menus that include a healthy array of vegetarian options, accompanied by wine, cocktails, tonics and, of course, plenty of beers.
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