#54 | Bar Zentral, Berlin, Germany
Last Visit: Fall 2024
There are many reasons why a bar would be on a list of ‘personal favorites’ for me and since we are finally going to look at another one of those names, let me talk about why Bar Zentral in Berlin is a masterclass in consistency. Judging by pictures alone, you could be mistaken that it was the design that convinced me most, but it was the fact that between my very first and very last visit, pretty much 10 years had passed and both times the bar delivered exactly what I wanted from it with an effortlessness that is missing from so many other places.
Copyright: Hidden Fortress
No question, the award-winning design and fittingly urban location right next to Bahnhof Zoo and the Waldorf Astoria add to create curiosity. Just like Buck & Breck, another 'Berlin classic' there is however a 'simplicity' and straightforwardness to Bar Zentral. The first time I visited, right around the height of the Curtain Club and me trying all the hotel bars in Berlin, including the Lang Bar at the Waldorf across the street, it was a spontaneous decision to go to Bar Zentral as the last stop of a long bar tour.
The menu was not that much different from how it is today, forgotten and slightly twisted classics with a good emphasis on spirits where needed, somewhat like a modern Tiki-style bar (which is an obvious connection giving the nearby zoo and the fact that their logo has a palm tree). A Rob Roy at that point I had only seen at Seiberts, Cologne and Rum Old Fashioneds, especially with non-standard and independently bottled Rum, I'd never expect in a bar basically located under tram tracks.
I still remember that them stocking Mezan Rum, which is perfect for those premium, but cost-effective Rum OFs, Rum Negronis etc., impressed me, as unfortunately their distribution was never strong enough to really be present on shelves around the country. Back then, they also already had their own Vermouth blends to suit all kinds of stirred drinks and tailor made suggestions.
Copyright: Hidden Fortress
So when we, that is Robin and me, went on our latest Berlin trip, we had the perfect opportunity to test Bar Zentral again, once more giving them a bit of a challenge. Robin had been by himself in between my first and last visit, and he will describe the drinks he had down below (as always marked by the ‘/rds’ after each drink). If that one night ten years ago was just my nostalgia talking, then it would have been obvious. Taking advantage of the opening hours, we went early and ahead of our regular (packed) schedule in the evening. Usually the time for bars when they would maybe scale down to Aperitivo menus, when in places like Munich they wouldn't even open up the bar for lack of customers, or the time when the less experienced staff would be on shift and the drinks might not deliver.
I wanted to go light, retain some energy for the evening ahead, so instead of going for the heavy Old Fashioneds, I went for one of my traditional tests: A Fizz. If you feel like reading why those matter in my bar journey, feel free to take a detour with this article.
2666
| Alipus Mezcal
| Cocchi Americano
| P.X. Sherry
| Plum Bitters
Absolute gem of a stirred cocktail. Also, one of my three favorites (including those John and Martin had!) on our last Berlin tour, visiting over ten bars. Simple, elegant, full of flavors but also absolutely balanced in terms of alcoholic strength. Zero burn, every part did shine through in the manner it should, Cocchi giving that nice, bright lightness to an otherwise quite dark and heavy combination of ingredients. Giving you overall a complex combination of earthy, slightly roasted agave notes, dates, plums, nuts and then some light grapes, meadow honey and herbs from the Cocchi.
/rds
Glamorama
| Finlandia Vodka
| White Port
| Lemon
| Vanilla Soda
| Orange Flower Water
White Port being one of our underrated spirits and me looking for a light cocktail both made the decision easy. The drink is definitely on the sweeter, instead of the sour side. I am not the biggest fan of the orange flower water drenched style of Ramos Gin Fizz that many bartenders love (and hate to make), but here the sweet florality goes well with vanilla and exotic yellow fruits from the port. It is also, as with all other drinks I ever had at Zentral, still retaining all of its ingredients (the vodka in its alcohol, not its flavor). A Fizz that goes back to high-end hotel bars and not to the many bad copies for the Spritz crowd.
Funchal Manhattan
| Wild Turkey 101 Rye Whiskey
| Talisker Single Malt
| Madeira
| Ruby Port
| Walnut Bitters
If I remember right, this was my first cocktail at Zentral a few years ago and immediately showed the strengths of the bar. Overall, quite similar to my other favorite above, the 2666. Meaning a combination of rather hearty, dark, almost rustic notes with a rather light and bright aperitif-style ingredient. There it was Cocchi, here Madeira. Nice notes of wild fields of rye, that slight smoke and chili from Talisker and then some red grapes and berries, with a slightly nutty, dry finish. Slightly stronger than the 2666, because of the ingredients, but also of course being a Manhattan and served straight up because of that. Overall, a great Manhattan riff, reminding me of good times in Les Fleurs du Mal in Munich.
/rds
Kafir Lime Ti Punch
| Banks 5 Rum
| Rhum Agricole
| Yuzu Sake
| Lime
| Kafir Lime Leaves
And the last example of an easily understandable but still greatly balanced riff on a classic, and certainly an underrated classic (at least in Germany) at that. The Ti Punch with its just slight sour notes, traditionally having just that bit of actual lime in it. It presents a good opportunity to add some additional sour complexity with the Yuzu sake and some slight green freshness through the Kafir Lime. With those additions it gets more sour than an old-school Ti Punch would have, but it’s still quite a way to a Daiquiri and that is a good thing, staying more true to its intended character. Fresh sugar cane, all kinds of citrus zests from the Banks 5, Yuzu and actual lime and then that slight culinary note from the Kafir lime leaves.
/rds
Parts of the menu during our visits (click for original size):
What I loved the most though, or rather what was the final piece in the puzzle, was the atmosphere. On that first night there were a couple of regulars and me as the complete stranger was welcomed at the counter immediately. When the bar officially closed, regulars were able to stay and the staff was sitting with us, talking about their newest ideas, bottles and trying out different things. There was never any sense of arrogance or waving around of awards, and the overall vibe was the same when we returned. Regulars were smoking cigars and this is the kind of bar where, due to the length, you won't be forced to sit close to the smokers if you don't want to.
I would rather have an experience like this, where of course the presentation of the Glamorama could be considered ‘outdated’ by the standards of a Wax On for example, than a bar that checks all the other boxes and delivers a mediocre drink.
There isn't really any kind of customer that I wouldn’t recommend Bar Zentral for. Maybe only if you want a larger selection of rare spirits, or if the crushing choice of newly opened exciting locations in Berlin is drawing you to somewhere else. After this visit, I at least want to go back any time I am in the city.
/jf
