The Basics Drinking Out

The Czech Republic’s Cocktail Movement. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Put down that beer, and pick up a cocktail at these top-notch bars.

By
Jake Emen
Jake Emen
Jake Emen
Jake Emen is a writer with more than a decade of experience covering food, spirits and travel. He is based in San Diego.
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Updated 09/11/20
A cocktail at AnonymouS Bar in Prague. The bartender is wearing an Anonymous mask and sparks are coming from a blowtorch near a cocktail glass

AnonymouS Bar

Nobody drinks more beer than the citizens of the Czech Republic, data which tends to create much pride among its people. According to a 2017 study, Czech citizens drink 137 liters of beer annually per capita. Consider that the U.S. lags far behind with a meek 74.9 liters.

In this beer-mad country, how do craft cocktail bars find their footing? They amp up their creativity with wildly inventive concepts, intricately designed spaces and drink menus that command attention. Welcome to the crazy world of the Czech Republic’s top cocktail bars.

“It’s true that we, as a country, lead the world in beer consumption,” says Filip Stránský, the head of the growing collection of AnonymouS concept bars in Prague. “But times are changing!”

His spaces are among those spearheading the Czech cocktail movement. Stránský and his peers are well-studied in classic cocktails and the finer points of the technique and craft of bartending. But sometimes it takes a little magic to pry the masses away from Prague’s countless beer halls and into a cocktail den.

“Each year, the bar standards here are higher and higher,” says Stránský. “There’s a constant influx of new bars, restaurants and hotels that are putting more and more effort, time and money to educate their staff in cocktails and mixology.”

Stránský is one of the young contingent in Prague spurring along the cocktail scene and doing so with an endless assortment of tricks to keep his guests intrigued, entertained and coming back. So put down that pilsner and check out these top cocktail spots in the Czech Republic.

  • AnonymouS Bar

    A cocktail at AnonymouS Bar. A dark maroon liquid fills a white mug and it is garnished with raspberries and a mint sprig

    AnonymouS Bar

    It might take you a minute to find AnonymouS Bar, as the space sticks to the anonymous theme with an unlit exterior located down a winding alley. Once inside, Stránský may be serving a Negroni through a customized IV-drip rig, though you might not know it’s him given the Guy Fawkes mask he’s donning. Or maybe you’ll receive a toy pistol next to a glass wearing a red bandana and be forced to choose wisely with whatever you do next.

    Every November 5, on Guy Fawkes Night, AnonymouS Bar unveils its latest concept. One year, Stránský introduced the “Virus Collection” menu inspired by legendarily destructive computer viruses. “The guest gets a floppy disk with an email address to which he or she will send an email—at his or her own risk—and will receive an instant reply with our cocktail menu,” he says. You can also opt for one of the house classics such as the Remember, an Old Fashioned riff with Bulleit bourbon, Frangelico, cold-brew coffee syrup, walnut bitters and an orange peel garnish.

  • AnonymouS Shrink’s Office

    A smoking cocktail being poured from a mixing glass into a snifter at AnonymouS Shrink’s Office

    AnonymouS Shrink’s Office

    At AnonymouS Shrink’s Office, Stránský veers more traditional with a smaller, quieter basement space. “Here, we are more or less back to the roots that translate into a more minimalistic service and presentation,” says Stránský. Even so, the menu is based on Rorschach inkblots. Don’t worry about the minutiae of the house-made ingredients in the drink. Just see how you feel.

    “Currently, our patients get our own custom-made Rorschach tests that evoke in the customer different flavors and tones of each cocktail,” says Stránský. Flip through the cards to pick the drink that fits your mood. “The success rate of the customer getting the right drink based on those tests is around a staggering 90%.”

    Sign up for a prescription next time you’re in Prague. You’ll be picking based on your response to the different colors and designs on the inkblots. If you’re a whiskey drinker, you may find your way to the Number 2, with a house-made blend of Speyside whiskies boosted with a star-anise-and-lemon simple syrup and herbal bitters. Meanwhile, gin drinkers may stumble upon the Number 4, featuring a blend of London dry gins with chamomile-infused dry vermouth and Green Chartreuse.

  • Super Panda Circus

    A cocktail at Super Panda Circus. It is served in a small milk bottle of sorts and tufts of pink cotton candy are pulling over the top of the glass near a pink straw

    Super Panda Circus

    The city of Brno is a two-and-a-half-hour train ride from Prague and a convenient waypoint for rail travelers who may be headed to Vienna or Bratislava. It’s also home to cocktail wonderland Super Panda Circus. Do you really need to know anything else?

    Envision elevated stadium-style seating with the gazes of everyone fixed on the bar, where a team of bartenders speed around churning out the latest offerings, grabbing bottles stored between stuffed animals and rubber ducks. Think it’s a gimmick? You won’t when you peruse the incredibly deep list of rare Japanese whisky or speak with a knowledgeable bartender for a recommendation on a cocktail or spirit.

    During a recent visit, the menu showcased a child’s puzzle board, with different toys atop the wooden sticks used to move the puzzle pieces around. Pick the toy that you think corresponds with your ideal drink, with each selection offering a choice of two drinks—one classic and one revamped.

  • The Bar Which Doesnt Exist

    The Bar Which Doesnt Exist, looking onto a beautifully backlit collection of booze bottles with stools in front of it
    Jake Emen

    The Bar Which Doesn’t Exist does indeed exist, and you’ll find it in Brno. Despite the name, the bar is more classic than campy. The two-story spot from the team behind Super Panda Circus serves food in addition to a collection of spot-on classic cocktails alongside new creations listed on a magazine-style photo menu. The bar team is also happy to create a drink based on your specifications. So if you can’t get that marshmallow-infused Last Word from Super Panda Circus out of your head from the night before, see what the crew can assemble for you instead.