Editorial
Prague is famous for beer, but its modern cocktail scene is one of Central Europe's most underrated. Hemingway Bar opened in 2009 and gave the city a serious classics-driven cocktail bar. The nine below show how Prague's cocktail vocabulary has evolved. Most sit in or near the Old Town.
Hemingway Bar opened near the Charles Bridge in 2009 and set the standard for Prague cocktails. The room is small, dark and absinthe-literate, with a deep rum list and a serious approach to classics. Reservations are close to essential. Order an absinthe drink or let the bartenders read you. Best early in the evening, before the Old Town crowd arrives.
Anonymous Bar trades on a Guy Fawkes theme and a menu built around surprise. At its Shrink's Office room you choose drinks blind from inkblot cards. The cocktails back up the gimmick. The space is dim and masked. Best for a group that wants theatre with the drink. Book ahead, since the small rooms fill on weekends.
Black Angel Bar sits in a vaulted cellar under the Old Town Square, all crystal chandeliers and 1930s detail. The list draws on bartender Alois Krcha's recovered cocktail diaries, so the classics run historically accurate. A pianist plays most nights. Best for a slow, formal drink rather than a fast round. Go midweek to avoid the square's tourist surge.
Groove Bar runs in the city centre from 5pm to 3am on weekdays and 4am at weekends. The room is warm and low-lit, the service polished, the list broad. It works as a long-haul option when other rooms close. Best late, as a final stop. Expect a mixed crowd of locals and visitors after midnight.
Cobra sits in Holešovice and runs as cafe, bar and gallery across one long day, from late morning to past midnight. The cocktails are capable and the design-led room draws a creative crowd. It closes Sundays. Best in the early evening before the dinner tables turn, or late when it shifts toward drinks. A good base away from the Old Town.
Cash Only Bar is an Old Town room that takes its name literally, so bring notes. The cocktails are well made and the welcome is easy, with none of the speakeasy ceremony. It draws regulars and industry staff. Best as a relaxed mid-evening stop. Go on a weeknight, since the small room gets loud once the weekend crowd lands.
Bar and Books Týnská is the Old Town outpost of the cigar-and-cocktail format, dark wood and leather throughout. The list runs long on whisky and classic cocktails, with a smoking room attached. Dress smart. Best for a late, unhurried drink after dinner. Go midweek for a quiet seat, since weekends draw a heavier crowd.
L'Fleur is the Old Town room for champagne and floral-leaning cocktails, listed on the World's 50 Best Bars Discovery guide. The space is bright and polished, the presentation precise. It suits a date or a celebration more than a rowdy night. Best early evening for the calmer service. Reserve for weekends, when the small room books out fast.
Parlour is a tiny room on Krakovská Street near the top of Wenceslas Square, seating about twenty. The bartenders work classics with care and the crowd is mostly in the know. There is no spectacle, just good drinks in a small space. Best for a couple early in the night, before the seats are gone. Walk-in only and often full.
Becherovka and absinthe are the local spirits, and Hemingway Bar takes both seriously. The nine above are the rooms doing real cocktail work in a city better known for beer. Most peak between 10pm and midnight, and a few run until 3am.
Fredrik Filipsson covers flagship-city bars for barsforKings. He rates Hemingway Bar for the absinthe list and Groove Bar when nothing else is open.