What makes a really good bar? Is it the tasty drinks, the friendly barkeepers or the welcoming atmosphere? And what does it take to turn a good bar into a great bar? We went in search of cocktail bars with that certain special something that makes them stand out from the crowd – be it an imaginative menu, a good selection of high-quality bar food or a fantastic interior. It’s the small things, sometimes quite unremarkable, that make a favourite watering hole a second living room. These four fabulous Cologne cocktail bars are sure not to disappoint!
A magnificent mix: Rosebud
It’s fair to say that Rosebud, a wonderful little place in the Latin Quarter of Cologne, is an institution in Cologne, having opened 30 years ago. Friends Alexander Schleeweiß, Philipp Hainke and Robert Siegel took over the bar with the green and purple neon rose in 2019. And ever since, they’ve been mixing their own blend of things that might not seem to go together but definitely do belong together here: creatives and bankers, hip-hop in a sophisticated setting and high-quality ingredients at affordable prices. Located just a few metres behind bustling Zülpicher Straße, Rosebud is the perfect union of a superior cocktail bar and a laid-back neighbourhood meeting place.
Whether it’s classics like a whiskey sour or negroni or signature creations with original names like Dill Gates, the young and friendly team are nimble, professional and always eager to deliver high-quality drinks. Which cocktail can’t you leave Rosebud without trying? “We have a varied range of house creations but the one that stands out is the ginger basil smash,” Philipp Hainke, one of the managers, tells us. “It’s a refreshing variation on the mule theme, with gin, basil, hazelnut, lime, Angostura and ginger beer.”
The Rosebud team are also big on sustainability. All the drinks are vegan so there are no egg whites or cream and they make maximum use of ingredients by doing things like using the zest (for syrup) and leftover pieces (for decoration) of any lemons they squeeze.
Rosebud, Heinsbergstraße 20, 50674 Cologne. Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 10am – 2pm, closed Sunday
A cross between a corner pub and a stylish cocktail bar: Suderman
“Contemporary, timeless design with a touch of the 1950s” is how Felix Engels describes Suderman. He and Dominique Simon opened the bar in Cologne’s Agnesivertel district in 2015. The concept is a cross between a corner pub and a stylish cocktail bar. Elegant without being pretentious. The patrons are mainly locals who come to sip top-notch drinks in a totally chilled, pomp-free atmosphere. The uncomplicated, neighbourly vibe is rounded off with live music at the weekend, featuring a range of different DJs.
Our recommendation for your visit to Suderman is the “Chic”. “It’s one of our bestsellers at the moment,” Felix reveals. A mouth-watering mix of London Dry Gin, basil, strawberry, cherry & elderberry tea and lemon. If you prefer the standards, the “Classic of the Night” is sure to put a smile on your lips – and your tastebuds. Hardier drinkers can look forward to the “beer & shot option” known as Herrengedeck.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the fantastic tacos here either. In the summer, the huge terrace is the best place to enjoy this authentic street food, which comes courtesy of the popular Dos Pedros taqueria.
Suderman Bar, Sudermanplatz 3, 50670 Cologne; opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 6pm – 1am, Friday and Saturday, 6pm – 3am
Cocktail creations with a spicy twist: Toddy Tapper
Anyone who’s ever visited this place can confirm what magazines like Falstaff or Mixology had already declared: Toddy Tapper is one of Germany’s best bars. Famed bartender Indika Silva opened this cocktail bar in Cologne’s Agnesviertel neighbourhood in 2016, naming it after the workers in his home country of Sri Lanka who climb to daunting heights to harvest the precious palm nectar from coconut trees at sunrise and sunset.
Sri Lankan flavours and spirits feature strongly here. The majority of the house creations are based on Arrack, a spirit distilled from pure palm nectar or sugar cane and rice. Toddy Tapper also uses lots of spices like cumin, turmeric, cardamom and tamarind, and out-of-the-ordinary ingredients, whisking the drinker away to a world of new flavour experiences. We recommend the fresh and tangy Ceylon mule with yuzu, palm sugar, ginger beer and Ceylon Arrack.
And if you love the Ceylon Mule, Glamorous Colada and all the other first-class cocktails at Toddy Tapper as much as we do, you’ll be glad to hear you can buy them bottled from the Toddy Tapper boutique to stock up your bar at home.
Toddy Tapper, Schillingstraße 27, 50670 Cologne; opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 7pm – midnight, Friday and Saturday, 7pm – 2am
Democratic drinking: Trink-Genossin
Strictly speaking, Trink-Genossin in the neighbourhood of Ehrenfeld isn’t your usual cocktail bar but it’s definitely worth a visit nonetheless! It’s actually a cooperative-style bar project where the idea is that patrons come together to manage the bar as well as to drink in it. In this “drinkers’ democracy”, anyone interested can buy shares and then have a say in the running of the place. “There were already lots of active members when the project started,” bar manager Maurus tells us. “Now there are more than 200.” They all pitch in to run the cooperative bar, manage the drinks menu and organise events. Small gigs and art exhibitions are held here regularly too.
The team at Trink-Genossin mainly serve chilled Mühlen Kölsch or Hellers Pils beer but classics like Aperol & Limoncello Spritz and long drinks like gin and tonic are also available. If you get the hunger pangs while you’re here, you can order pizza, falafels or a burger nearby and eat it here.
Trink-Genossin, Subbelrather Str. 254, 50825 Cologne. Opening hours: Tuesday – Wednesday from 7pm, Thursday from 6pm, Friday – Saturday from 7pm, Sunday and Monday closed
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