Here you drink the best gin and tonic in the world
From speakeasies to rooftop bars and from The Hague to Singapore. These are our favorite bars for a more than perfect G&T.
HOTEL BARS
Taiko Bar, Conservatorium Hotel, Amsterdam
At Taiko Bar, everything revolves around the holy trinity: Asian flavors, international luxury and local roots. You’ll find world-famous gins from Japan, such as Nikka Coffey, wonderfully mixed with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic. Alongside cocktails of unparalleled quality, you can enjoy incredibly delicious Asian bar snacks. From first-class sushi, sashimi and dim sum to oysters with Wagyu and the classic ‘TFC’, Taiko Fried Chicken.
Holborn Dining Room Gin Bar, Rosewood Hotel, London
London’s largest gin collection can be found here, with more than 500 gins and 30 tonics, creating over 14,000 (!) combinations. From major international brands to small, local distillers, this is the place for both gin novices and seasoned gin lovers!
Brabant conviviality in the cosmopolitan rooftop bar VANE. The cocktails come from master shakester Tess Posthumus, known for her Amsterdam cocktail bar Flying Dutchmen Cocktails. Order the signature cocktail Windhaan (vane in English), inspired by the Netherlands’ trading history, with Bobby’s Jenever taking center stage. Sip and see all of Eindhoven.
COCKTAIL BARS
The place to be for a generous dose of Rotterdam madness. A must-try: a gin and tonic with the Dutch gin Loopuyt, named after ‘t loopt een beetje uit schat’ (‘it’s running a little late, darling’). That’s standard practice here.
The Five Points Bar & Drink Society, The Hague
Five Points is named after the New York neighborhood and criminal gangsters of Five Points. The interior catapults you back to the era of this lowlife, but this living-room-style bar is anything but dangerous.
SPEAKEASY BARS
Speakeasies, the bars that emerged during American Prohibition in the 1920s, are shrouded in mystery. The location, the special number you have to call to get in. Here, that’s +31615591955, and the bar is located in a vaulted cellar that previously served as a wine bar and cellar. Upon entering, Mr. Smith’s motto is immediately visible. I hope to arrive to my death late, in love and a little bit drunk. Take a seat at the bar and you’ll feel as though you’re in a theater, with the bartenders on stage.
ULTIMATE GIN BARS
A distillery inside a bar: unique! At the Mofongo distillery, two master distillers work full-time on their own creations. The ‘Groningin’ with lemon peel, clove, ginger and Fever-Tree Aromatic tonic is spectacular: spicy, piquant and subtly sweet. In addition to the various house-distilled gins, there are around 25 other gins on the menu. After you order, the gin is retrieved from the high back bar by a robotic arm. Time to catch the train north.
This is what heaven looks like to gin lovers. An iconic building, an incredible bar, an interior that is a feast for the eyes and a gin collection numbering over a thousand (!) bottles. Here you’ll find gins from every corner of the world, including 74 different Dutch gins. From Moldova to Colombia, from Switzerland to India, each one more spectacular than the last, such as the Wynand Fockink Genever from 1900. If they don’t have it here, they don’t have it anywhere. You could almost fly to Singapore for it.
What’s g-in a name? This Czech bar serves fantastic gin and tonics, and the variety is enormous. Take a seat in the peaceful courtyard and indulge in the extensive menu of gins and bites. A must-try: the flight of grilled foie gras, duck breast fillet and homemade foie gras ice cream. Ask the bartender for the matching gin and tonic, because these Prague protagonists know how to create exceptional blends.
Pop art meets Orientalism, summed up in the name: Andy (Andy Warhol) Wahloo (which means ‘nothing’ in Arabic). This retro cabinet of curiosities is hidden in the 3rd arrondissement. But seek it out, because this is cocktail culture in an uber-cool vibe. Thanks to the décor, the DJ and last but not least: the extensive and original cocktail menu. With Moroccan owners, it will come as no surprise that you can order Arabic tapas with your G&T. A golden find, an absolutely excellent spot.
Header image ATLAS: EK/YAP
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