Prague's buzziest new cocktail bars shake up the summer season

Open in "tasting mode," Nalyvky Bar brings a taste of Lviv to Prague’s New Town. The newly opened Ukrainian craft bar incorporates the potent liqueurs of Ukrainian tradition (flavors of cherry, prune, horseradish, and honey, among them) with modern mixology. The bar is the tasting room of Nalyvky from Lviv, a certified spirit maker in Ukraine that has recently begun presenting its franchise project abroad.

A host of summer-ready cocktails, including a refreshing Ukrainian limoncello, can be paired with small plates of sizzling sausages or shrimp or a new take on local chlebíčky, whole sardines with a lemon wedge on crusty toast. Tasting flights are also available.

Newly arrived on Prague’s Hybernská Street, The Cloud One Hotel’s sixth-floor bar and lounge features a sweeping terrace that seats over 100 and boasts stunning views of Prague landmarks, including Prague Castle and Petřín lookout tower. If the menus from their New York and Hamburg locations are any indication, guests can expect Golden-City-themed drinks made from top-shelf spirits in addition to classic cocktails. The drinks list also boasts 50 curated wines from the Czech and Moravian regions. Thursday is for elevated drinks, bites (pastrami sandwiches and organic cheese platters are menu highlights), and DJs at the weekly Sounds in the Cloud event.

The Era pop-up bar, a temporary cocktail lounge in the Parnas Restaurant connected to the iconic Café Slavia, ended its short but buzzy stint earlier this month. From July, the operators will relocate to a permanent space, Forbína in Lažanské Palace across from the National Theatre. Shaking things up with cocktails named for famous productions like Swan Lake and Don Giovanni and a theatrical art deco-inspired decor (think leather armchairs, velvet curtains, and statement chandeliers), cocktail enthusiasts will applaud the new location. Era’s drinks list, showcasing bold flavors like gin with capers and soda or whiskey with rosemary and cider, will be a tough act to follow.

Now open beneath the historic cellar of Alma restaurant, Klub Alma pays homage to 1970s disco cocktails with playful, colorful drinks from top-shelf ingredients. Stand-out cocktails include an espresso martini of ghee butter, fino sherry, strawberries, and a cold brew, or a modern twist on the vintage Tiki fog cutter that combines four different spirits, triple sec, lime, and red orgeat syrup. Klub by Alma will also serve as a DJ space and digital art gallery, showcasing video projections and neon light fixtures by artist Alex Jindrák of Modified Studio.

Earlier this year, Carola Urru and Štěpán Šimánek, Czech flair bartenders who met in London while working at Be At One, opened Savage Bar in Prague’s Vinohrady near Riegrovy Sady. Urru, previously showcasing her cocktail-slinging skills at AnonymouS bar, told drinks-news website At Bars that the jungle-bedecked space reflects the couple’s love for animals and commitment to sustainability: plastic straws are absent, coasters are made of washable felt, and all the drink garnishes are edible to avoid waste (essential oil spray stands in for orange peel in the Negroni, for instance).

Located near the Czech Radio building and about 500 meters from two well-established cocktail bars, Bonvivant’s CTC and Bar and Books Mánesova, Savage Bar features a main room, lounge, spacious kitchen, and a garden where they are currently serving up a summery Watermelon Sugar High, a twist on a Paloma with tequila, watermelon, cherry, and tajin spices among other high-voltage drinks.

Described by business website Forbes as Karlín's living room, Revír on the Karlín embankment was brought to life last spring by the Dejsiprostor collective, the creative minds behind the development of some of Prague’s buzziest urban-culture spaces, including Manifesto Market and River Rink. This stylish lounge bar brings the same good vibes, killer drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere found in those venues with imaginative signature cocktails like the Bergamot Spritz, a citrusy delight with elderberry and bubbles, or the Mezcal Negroni, which adds a smoky twist to the classic. Don’t miss the milk-washed cocktail with amaretto.

Open for all-day breakfast followed by late-night cocktails and eats, Lucerna Cafe Bar bridges the gap between pub and club culture. Aside from a drinks menu, a wide selection of no- and low-alcohol libations, and signature cocktails, including a pumpkin spice margarita, Italian espresso martini, and chocolate Manhattan, the main attraction is an LED panel bar that changes colors dynamically throughout the day. Evening DJ sets and a menu of burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, quesadillas, and nachos can be enjoyed beneath retro gold light fixtures resembling vintage phonographs, a nod to the historic space’s musical roots.

Part of the same complex, Fly Vista Rooftop bar is a new champagne bar with panoramic, 360-degree views of the Czech capital, from which you can see all of the Czech capital’s iconic landmarks, including the National Theatre and Prague Castle. Not only does Fly Vista feature jaw-dropping views, but it also boasts the longest bar in Europe at 36 meters long. The bar, opening earlier this week, is perched on the ninth floor of the Máj building, 40 meters above the ground. Guests can enjoy a menu of steaks and cocktails. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and champagne brunch.

The Infinite Bar has opened as part of the LEVELS experience, one of Central Europe’s largest entertainment centers with a roster of activities like PC gaming, arcade games, karaoke, darts, billiards, and mini golf. Located in the newly overhauled Máj department store, the massive multiple-story bar features hundreds of bottles at its center and incorporates Hell Bar and Party Rum venues as well. The trio is well-equipped to serve thirsty gamers. Try a Cyber Lychee Martini or a Czech Spritz.