Six bars and their signature drinks

No two drinks are the same: On a taste excursion through the Düsseldorf bar scene

The longest bar in the world is getting even longer - and more exciting! Because the fun-loving Rhinelanders don't just toast to the good life in the cult breweries. The metropolis is peppered with cool bars in all parts of the city, where you can extend the evening almost indefinitely. We have filtered out six establishments for you that not only offer an atmospheric ambience, but also particularly sophisticated signature drinks. Does the past day call for exoticism, a taste experiment? Or a sober version of a classic? Our excursion into the world of late nights has it all. After all, one thing is certain: nobody goes to bed thirsty in Düsseldorf.

Beuys Bar

In Neubrückstraße, less than 300 meters from the art academy where Joseph Beuys proclaimed his provocative theses as a professor, his descendants are now toasting his well-being. "Not a few are called, but all," Beuys said at the time. And this idea of inclusion, which elevates everyone to the status of artist, lives on in the bar named after him. Students and business people, tourists and fans of the old town - the audience is a good mix. The signature cocktails, such as the "Beuys in the Hood", are also free from convention. It combines popcorn bourbon, maple syrup, lime, egg white and apple foam to create an eclectic chord. Beuys would have been delighted.    

Petit Punch

Sandra Carrara Rey and Marcel Dalbeck have been mixing delicious cocktails in a former confectionery in Pempelfort since 2018. Almost 50 types of rum are on the menu at Petit Punch, whose name refers to a drink that originated in the French Antilles. The "Ti Punch", as locals and connoisseurs abbreviate the eponymous sour made from rhum agricole, lime and cane sugar, is also Carrara Rey and Dalbeck's house drink, albeit in a slightly less strong version than the one available in Martinique. "Adapted to the local palate," says Dalbeck with a laugh. The Clean Cut Basil, a crystal-clear version of the usually squeaky green Basil Smash, and the Saffron Daiquiri, which is inimitable, are also very popular with the gastro couple. It combines a proprietary rum blend infused with saffron, homemade orange liqueur, homemade saffron syrup, fresh lime juice and buttermilk to create a creamy drink with a subtle orange note. Be sure to try it!    

Lupin Gin Bar

What rum is to Petit Punch, gin is to Lupin. Countless varieties of juniper schnapps can be found on the shelves of Lupin on Ackerstraße and gin and tonic lovers are spoiled for choice. There are also countless tonics in the range. The fact that the cozy bar even serves non-alcoholic gin varieties shows just how in tune with the times it is. After all, sober bars are the trend of the moment. The establishment has no fewer than five signature drinks, of which the Lupin Smash made from Italicus bergamot liqueur, blackberries, fresh mint, lime, sugar and cranberry juice is the most popular.  

Bar Ellington

Close to the central station, between betting shops and erotic stores, the ambience is cosmopolitan and urban. Thanks to its large windows, the stylishly furnished Bar Ellington offers an excellent view of the turbulent street life of this area that never sleeps. That's the first plus point. The second: owner Robert Potthoff's cocktails are among the best in the city, especially the James Bond-inspired signature drink Q based on vodka, lime, cucumber and sugar syrup, which is given a spicy, refreshing note by the addition of wasabi. The elegance of the Ellington is no accident. Bar legend Potthoff not only knows a thing or two about spirits, he is also a qualified interior designer. 

Squarebar

David Rippen, the owner of the cozy Squarebar on Derendorfer Collenbachstraße, does not rely on conventional ingredients. He always puts home-made ingredients in the glass. Depending on the season, fresh vegetables, fruit or herbs enhance his alcoholic drinks. But dried fruit, pickled herbs and vacuum-cooked vegetables also form the basis of his in-house specialties, such as the beetroot tequila or the cypress dill. Rippen has christened a particularly unusual in-house creation "Love will Pear us Apart". He combines Nashi pear with Leblon cachaca, verjus, Grafschafter apple herb, cardamom and white chocolate.  

Elephant Bar

"The elephant is active both day and night and is a very social creature," says Walid El Sheikh, explaining the choice of name for his small but exquisite establishment on Kurze Straße. The exceptional restaurateur, who has already brought Düsseldorf Sir Walter, Oh Baby Anna, Boston Bar and Paradise Now! to the city, has big plans. El Sheikh's goal is to bring cultivated bar culture to the old town. For the Elephant Bar, he arranged mahogany wood, brass and green marble to create a modernist men's room, where drinks are accompanied by old-school hip-hop sounds. The signature drink at Elephant is a whisky sour based on a Wild Turkey 101, which tastes great!

Cover picture: pureX Event