Must-see nightlife in Eastern Europe

  • Closer

    Kyiv

    More than just a nightclub, Closer is a bohemian tour de force that epitomises Kyiv's emergence as a hub of creativity and counterculture. Heavily…

  • Noor / Electro

    Moscow

    There is little to say about this misleadingly unassuming bar, apart from the fact that everything in it is close to perfection. It has it all – prime…

  • Pravda Beer Theatre

    Lviv

    The latest addition to Lviv's drinking scene is this dramatically industrial, multistorey beer temple right on pl Rynok. The master brewer here creates…

  • Alchemist Bar

    Kyiv

    Kyiv's best bar is set in an intimate basement space on vibrant vul Shota Rustaveli. No pretensions, no strict feiskontrol (face control), just an…

  • Pink Freud

    Kyiv

    Pink Freud reckons it can cure you with quality cocktails. It may be right: its talented mixologists have created an original drink for every mood and…

  • Pyana Vyshnya

    Lviv

    It's easy to find this one-drink bar – just look for the crowd of people on pl Rynok holding tiny glasses of something crimson, any time of the day. The…

  • Pržionica D59B

    Belgrade

    Throughout history Lower Dorćol, with dozens of Jewish and Turkish stores, has had a special relationship with coffee. It’s no wonder that the tradition…

  • Na Stanislavskogo

    Kyiv

    Billing itself as a 'theatre cafe' (due to its proximity to the playhouses on nearby pl Ivana Franka), this place is an arty delight. It's all scuffed…

  • Zaokret

    Belgrade

    Indie-music lovers will feel right at home with carefully selected playlists of resident and guest DJs at Zaokret. Thematic evenings, occasional gigs and…

  • Bar Central

    Belgrade

    This is the HQ of Serbia's Association of Bartenders, a fact made evident after one sip of any of the sublime cocktails (515RSD to 1165RSD) on offer. With…

  • Svit Kavy

    Lviv

    Pick of the bunch on pl Katedralna, with no theme, no gimmicks, just a focus on Lviv's best coffee-making traditions (hence it's always packed with locals…

  • Grădina Verona

    Bucharest

    A garden oasis hidden behind the Cărtureşti bookshop, serving standard-issue but excellent espresso drinks and some of the most inspired iced-tea and…

  • Klub 20/44

    Belgrade

    Retro, run-down and loads of fun, this alternative splav (river-barge nightclub) is named for Belgrade's map coordinates. Open year-round, it has become…

  • Kharms

    Kyiv

    This indie cafe at the back of the House of Scientists has a creative atmosphere, excellent coffee and a strong wi-fi connection – a perfect spot to plant…

  • The entrance to Bard is literally a 'hole in the city walls'

    Bard Mala Buža

    Dubrovnik

    The more upmarket and slick of two cliff bars pressed up against the seaward side of the city walls. This one is lower on the rocks and has a shaded…

  • Old Town Brewery

    Skopje

    The siren call of tasty craft beer sings to locals and tourists alike at Skopje's only microbrewery, which is justifiably popular for its Weiss beer, IPA,…

  • Ziferblat

    St Petersburg

    A charming multiroom 'free space' that has started a worldwide trend, Ziferblat is the original anticafe in St Petersburg. Coffee, tea, soft drinks and…

  • Commode

    St Petersburg

    Stopping in for drinks at Commode feels more like hanging out in an upper-class friend's stylish apartment. After getting buzzed up, you can hang out in…

  • Redrum

    St Petersburg

    One of St Petersburg's best drinking dens, Redrum hits all the right notes. It has a cosy, white brick interior, a welcoming, easygoing crowd, and a…

  • Restoran Tabor

    Belgrade

    If you want an authentic Serbian Friday-night experience, this wildly popular (reserve several days ahead) kafana (tavern) in Zvezdara has it all:…

  • Union Bar & Grill

    St Petersburg

    The Union is a glamorous and fun place, characterised by one enormous long wooden bar, low lighting and a New York feel. It's all rather adult, with a…

  • La Bodega

    Zadar

    With slick, eccentric, semi-industrial decor, a bar with a line of hams and garlic hanging above, Portuguese-style tiles and a welcoming, open-to-the…

  • Art Kuća Sevdaha

    Sarajevo

    Sit in the intimate fountain courtyard of an Ottoman-era building sipping Bosnian coffee, juniper or rose sherbet, or herb-tea infusions while nibbling…

  • Radio

    Tirana

    Named for the owner's collection of antique Albanian radios, Radio is an eclectic dream with decor that includes vintage Albanian film posters, deep-1950s…

  • Jazz Inn

    Ohrid

    This unassuming little jazz-themed bar sways to a different rhythm than the strip of bars down on Ohrid's lakefront, with an alternative vibe, a distinct…

  • Dit' e Nat'

    Pristina

    'Day and night', a bookshop-cafe-bar-performance space, is a home away from home for bookish expats and locals alike. There's a great selection of books…

  • Komiteti Kafe Muzeum

    Tirana

    Styled as a cafe-museum, this little bohemian place looks like a flea market. Every spare centimetre is crammed with communist-era relics, farming…

  • Zlatna Ribica

    Sarajevo

    Sedate and outwardly grand, the tiny and eccentric 'Golden Fish' adds understated humour to a cosy treasure trove of antiques and kitsch, reflected in big…

  • Nomads

    Vilnius

    This intimate little cocktail bar with velvet bar stools runs with a globe-roaming theme, with each of their nine cocktails (changing every month) driven…

  • Black Bar

    Lithuania

    Imagine you're on a date with a vampire. This is exactly the sort of place the stylish undead would take you to: dark wood and leather banquettes, black…

  • Hat

    St Petersburg

    The wonderfully retro-feeling Hat is a serious spot for jazz and whisky lovers, who come for the nightly live music and the cool-cat crowd that make this…

  • Moonshine

    Vladivostok

    This exceptionally well-stocked and stylish place right by the seafront offers cocktails and a small but tantalising bar menu as well as wine by the glass…

  • Kvartirnik

    Belarus

    Homel's best bar is down by the river in the basement of Provence restaurant. DJs, live music and vinyl nights ensure a lively crowd every night of the…

  • Genys Taproom

    Kaunas

    A heavy-rock soundtrack, black walls and Kaunas' best craft beer is what Genys Taproom is all about. There are nine or 10 house brews on tap, from the…

  • Fontaine Palace

    Latvia

    A legendary music venue across the Baltics, there is live music almost every night in this former port warehouse. The never-closing bar extends over two…

  • Old Fashioned

    Vladivostok

    This fabulous cocktail lounge is a low-lit and beautifully set-out space, with a gorgeous wooden bar and gloriously comfortable sofas and chairs to lounge…

  • Barissimo

    Constanţa

    Worth a trip to admire the stunning steampunk-inspired interior of tiles and colours and big bar built from stacks of pulped paperback books. Great coffee…

  • Hooligan

    Minsk

    The haphazard look is very much by design at this brick-walled hipster hangout on vul Kastrychnitskaya. Belly up to the recycled-wood bar, play table…

  • Marcvs Marvlvs Spalatensis

    Split

    Fittingly, the 15th-century Gothic home of the 'Dante of Croatia', Marko Marulić, now houses this wonderful little 'library jazz bar' made up of small…

  • Kira's Club

    Chişinău

    More than a club, this intimate basement venue might better be described as a multifaceted counterculture haven. DJs are the norm, but on any given night…