A bartender stands behind the counter with tall chairs in the vaulted room of Lovis Bar in Berlin. Pendant lights and line drawings accentuate the arches; armchairs and curtains appear in the back.

Artful Bar in Charlottenburg

Tucked away in the enchanted courtyard of the Wilmina Hotel, the Lovis Bar reveals itself behind a black ivy-draped door.

We descend a few steps into a historic vaulted cellar, where French artist Laurent Ajina has adorned the walls with delicate black lines on white lime plaster, giving the space a distinctive charm.

A shelf of uniform glass bottles lines the back of a bar at Wilmina Hotel Berlin. The bottles are arranged in rows against an arched wall with a circle of light and fine line patterns.

But it’s not just the design that sets the Lovis Bar apart. The drinks are as artful as the setting - imaginative, intricate concoctions crafted from mysterious, unlabeled bottles, measured and mixed with tiny beakers and pipettes.

Alongside these exquisite cocktails, the bar serves refined bar food that not only pairs beautifully with the bold drinks but could easily hold its own as a light dinner.

On a dark table at Lovis Bar in Wilmina Hotel Berlin are cheese, bread, pickled vegetables, canned sardines and two glasses of white wine. A small table lamp casts light on the arrangement.

Wilmina’s signature sourdough bread with whipped butter, house-made mixed pickles, a cheese selection from Blomeyer’s, and vintage sardines all helped keep our heads (relatively) clear while also providing a delightful culinary experience in their own right.

In fact, arriving a little earlier to enjoy all the Lovis Bar has to offer is a highly recommended plan.

Displayed is an open drink menu at Lovis Bar in Wilmina Hotel Berlin. The menu lists numbered flavor profiles with ingredients like apple, smoke, lemon, dill or walnut under a warm desk lamp.

The Lovis cocktail menu is designed like a coordinate system, categorizing drinks from sweet to dry and light to intense.

Descriptions such as „White Blossom-Apple-Smoke“ or “Rowan Berry-Pine-Lemon” hint at the flavor profiles, but the specifics remain a mystery.

The bartender, like the amber-toned bottles, keeps his secrets close, adding an element of intrigue and adventure to every order.

For those who aren’t quite ready to stray from the familiar and insist on Gin & Tonic or Aperol Spritz, the attentive and skilled bartenders are happy to oblige.

However, even for these staples he relies on highest quality ingredients rather than the usual branded fare.

And when we overhear a neighboring table order a Rum & Cola, we’re impressed by the bartender’s poise.

“We have rum. We have cola. I’ll make it for you,” he says with a smile.

Needless to say, it’s not Coca-Cola that is meant.

We opt for “Mirabelle-Rice-Coffee” and “Pear-Caramel-Herbs“ and we are thrilled.

Two cocktails in elegant glasses stand on a dark table at Lovis Bar, Wilmina Hotel Berlin, accompanied by water glasses, cutlery and a dimmable table lamp in a vaulted interior.

Emboldened, we next try “Grape-Licorice-Gummy Bear” and “Red Fruit-Chalk-Minerals.”

The latter earns us a nod of approval from the bartender for our daring choice - it sits firmly in the bottom-right corner of the flavor chart - very intense and very dry.

The chalky note takes getting used to - but is nevertheless fascinating!

Lovis Bar

Artful Bar in Charlottenburg

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