The best 850 cocktail bars and 440 wine bars have made it into this guide, rated by guests and insiders. Falstaff also reveals the cocktail, champagne cocktail, spirit and brand ambassador of the year.
Southern lightness has never done any harm north of the Alps. So it is only a loss to a limited extent if day drinking in style gradually replaces going out at night. When it comes to bar trends in 2025, the Italian concept of a Caffè Bar is in demand instead of the dimly lit bar corner after midnight: an experience space that is open almost all day and appeals to a wide audience. At the same time, expectations have multiplied: from cozy stand–up eights to Italian–inspired aperitivi, classic highballs to the liquid pen–dant of fine dining, everything is done in the attractive neon glow of the three magical letters B–A–R.
As a leading hedonistic medium, Falstaff also reflects this in its brand new guide: 850 described cocktail bars means 50 more entries than in 2024. The number of wine bars in our compendium has even increased by almost 10%: 440 wine bars is a new record. And thanks to the new Falstaff app, you always have these addresses (as well as the best restaurants, wine taverns, cafés and hotels) accessible. And can create the basis for the next guide by rating the drinks. This is how service for connoisseurs works in 2025!
– Falstaff editor Wolfang Rosam
As usual with other Falstaff Guides, the Falstaff community rated the wines. There was also an expert jury of insiders: individuals who work full–time in bars and wine bars, as well as freelance bar enthusiasts.
Cocktail bars
The overall rating of the cocktail bars is based on the following four individual categories:
The highest possible score is 100 points. The cocktail bars are divided into five categories: American bar, lounge bar, club, restaurant bar and hotel bar.
Wine bars
The overall rating of the wine bars is based on the following four individual categories:
The highest possible score is 100 points. The wine bars are divided into four categories: Classic wine bar, wine bar in a vinotheque, wine bar in a restaurant and wine bistro.
Hans Reisetbauer
From a traditional agricultural business to a top distillery on the international spirits scene: Hans Reisetbauer started out as a pioneer 30 years ago, focusing on top quality right from the start. No windfall fruit, no sweetening – just pure fruit. His philosophy quickly made the bottles with the small R a byword for quality and opened the doors to the best restaurants and bars worldwide. Today, Reisetbauer's Blue Gin is a classic that is recognized from New York to Tokyo, and his 24–year–old Austro–Whisky is considered an exclusive treasure that is only available in Munich. With a team of 17 employees, Reisetbauer runs the most modern distillery in Central Europe – and remains a tireless innovator. In addition to gin and fruit brandies, he also took on rum, thereby securing the company's multifaceted nature. The latest award once again proves that the Austrian stands for the highest level of satisfaction – a passion that his son is now also wholeheartedly pursuing.
Andreas Trattner Top Spirits
When it comes to Scotch whisky, conversations can quickly get a little too nerdy. But in Andreas Trattner, a regular guest at trade fairs, whisky amateurs can also find someone to talk to. Born in Styria, he enjoys sharing his passion with them. And all questions are permissible as long as they bring new fans to the water of life. However, the fact that the country's bar professionals also find an experienced counterpart in all malty matters in him is due to Andi Trattner's vita. As an international bar professional, he not only knows the distilleries, but also knows the best mixes for Torabhaig, Glenfiddich and the Balvenie. The man who once competed for the Cayman Islands in the prestigious World Class competition is now delighted when colleagues have been able to bring whisky closer to someone again with their creations. His work in the field is solid, with style and charm – just as you would expect from an ambassador.
Paloma
Cocktail historians disagree, and so there are several theories about the origins of the delicious grapefruit and tequila mix. A hot tip leads to Don Javier Delgado Corona, the bartender at La Capilla in Jalisco, the tequila city par excellence. Or the cocktail is based on an anonymous flash of inspiration. The fact is that the mixture with grapefruit soda squirt, which is common in Mexico, became almost ubiquitous in the 1950s. The origins of the long drink are therefore uncertain, but its wonderfully fresh taste is certain. As a popular post–war drink, that quickly gained a foothold in the USA and Mexico, the Taube (German for Paloma) is certainly one of the modern long drinks. And with the increased quality – and also the larger selection – of tequilas, the bar world has been given more scope to perfect this drink in recent years. So it's no wonder that many bars in this country are now happily singing the praises of La Paloma.
Mexican 75
It's great to see that the traditional champagne cocktail is also evolving and inspiring a new generation of connoisseurs. This is already evident in the French 75 's successful emancipation from its namesake. Nobody thinks about the French cannon from the First World War anymore. That's good! Because this mixture of gin and champagne is not intended for martial thoughts. Rather for indulgent moments and a good time together. With a twist, as variations on classic recipes are called in bar lingo, the French gin drink has now also become a Mexican tequila cocktail. However, as is so often the case in life, champagne is indispensable. But let's keep it short: the new look at the famous French 75 has what it takes to be a star! Because in it, the trendy spirit of the moment meets the eternal favorite, champagne. So there's not much that can go wrong. Then a loud ¡Viva Francia!
It took a while for the agave enthusiasm of American bartenders to spill over to the big pond. Mezcal in particular has become an exciting source of inspiration for mixological creativity among professionals. The key phrase about the two major agave distillates is simple: Every tequila is a mezcal, but not every mezcal is a tequila. The fact that far more varieties can be found in the highlands than the Blue Weber agave prescribed for tequila contributes to the diversity of this old distillate. The smoky heritage of the earth ovens or the flavoring with fruits and poultry (!) in the Pechuga style provide a taste that is superior to industrial spirits. In addition, the most original form of distillation of agave (mezcal ancestral) is a real treat for all spirits nerds. It is precisely this – and the aromatic range – that the bar scene loves, but also more and more private connoisseurs who are getting a taste for mezcal.
