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.
There’s something wonderfully alluring about a hard-to-find bar, particularly in a destination as saturated as Bali. Enter 40 Thieves. Hidden above a ramen restaurant on Jalan Petitenget, this New York-style speakeasy relies purely on word of mouth, making it that much sweeter when you finally stumble into its dark and moody interior.
With an industrial themed decor adorned with black and white photographs and plush brown chesterfield couches, the bar does away with umbrella-spiked daiquiris and the usual Balinese themes. 40 Thieves offers a selection of delicious crafted cocktails and artisanal spirits with quirky names like Corpse Reviver, Thai Whore Smashes and Tropical Tea Time. Once you’ve had a look around this hidden gem, choose your favoured libation and boogie down to the DJ set.
Byron Bay, the epicentre of Australia’s counter-culture where hippies and surfers share their idyllic coastal space with backpackers and other transients, has a hot new address where you can blow the froth off a few and watch the waves roll in.
The Rooftop is Byron’s newest and only rooftop bar, located right in the heart of town among the smoothie bars, yoga studios, crystal stores and designer swimwear shops that the coastal hamlet has become renowned for. Best of all though, it’s only a hundred metres from Main Beach.
It’s part of The Surf House, an affordable new boutique property that oozes cool vibes with its bright and breezy interiors and modern facilities. Upstairs, The Rooftop is full Byron surf chic with a little nod to old-school coastal California – think artisan rugs, whitewashed walls and vintage Aussie surf posters and photos, including one featuring a young Bob Hawke.
After a day of sun, sea and sand, it’s the ideal place to kick off a laid-back Byron evening by indulging in a pint from the local Stone & Wood Brewery or a Brookies G&T from Cape Byron Distillery. The menu’s chock-full of some pretty tasty bites, too.
For those who want to bunker down for the night there’s a range of accommodation options to suit every traveller’s needs, including private suites with balconies and shared rooms for up to eight people. The Surf House also offers complimentary boards to all guests, meaning you can hit the waves nice and early – provided you haven’t had a late one up at The Rooftop.
Ring the doorbell on the black door and a member of the waitstaff, in full face paint and enchanting costume, will transport you into a world of ‘drink me’ potions. Stepping into this dimly lit bar is a little bit like falling down Alice’s rabbit hole. Taking its inspiration from the Märchenbrunnen (fountain of fairytales) across the road in Volkspark Friedrichshain, this tiny establishment gets full marks for its air of mysticism.
Everywhere you peer there seems to be a secret door, cabinet of curiosities or mirror that contorts facial features so you may not recognise yourself. Or perhaps that’s thanks to the cocktails. Each is expertly crafted and perfectly presented. The Cinderella, for instance, is served in a glass slipper. The drinks lists are fairytale books and when you take a browse, you will be greeted with a special surprise…no spoilers!
You won’t find stereotypical tropical shirts and straw-roofed hats at the tiki-themed Wahtiki Island Lounge. Here, old-school reggae booms from the speakers, infusing a laid-back vibe to this tropical third-floor bar in Wyndham Street, Hong Kong. Wicker furniture borders timber-finished tables, and the walls are decorated with Polynesian motifs enhanced by scattered fronds of green foliage and subtle warm lighting.
It’s the cocktail list that really captures the tiki-imagination of party-goers, though. Created by resident mixologist, Shi Wah Lee, who has more than 40 years’ experience shaking things up in tiki-themed bars throughout London, Asia and the Middle East, the menu offers a selection of classic tiki cocktails, sharing drinks and tiki-style shots. While tropical fruits and rum play a heavy role in the drinks menu, seafood and Polynesian fusion takes the spotlight in the food department.
What do miniature golf and cocktails have in common? Nothing, until now. By combining the fun of whacking balls past obstacles with delicately crafted cocktails, Holey Moley Golf Club has transformed a former church in Brissy’s Fortitude Valley into an entertainment mecca.
If you like witty puns (and who doesn’t?) you’ll froth over the drinks from the Caddyshack Bar, featuring concoctions with names like the Putty Professor, Tee-quila Mocking Birdie and Long Island Iced Tee. Juggle your putter in one hand and a beverage in the other as you make your way around the 18 holes, split into two different courses and each decorated with a unique theme. Book online to avoid missing out and remember to bring two pairs of pants (in case you get a hole in one – geddit?).
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