Velvet

"The seasonal, plant-heavy cocktail menu at this low-lit spot changes weekly, but you can expect drinks containing ingredients like Japanese knotweed cordial, rosehip liqueur, fig leaf extract, and distilled yellow habanero. Velvet is a luxe affair, especially for Neukölln, so bring someone you’re trying to impress—a hot date, a new client, or your most discerning friend—settle in at a plush quilted booth, and indulge in a level of sophistication that’s hard to find elsewhere in this city." - olivia ladanyi

"The seasonal, plant-heavy cocktail menu at this low-lit spot changes weekly, but you can expect drinks containing ingredients like Japanese knotweed cordial, rosehip liqueur, fig leaf extract, and distilled yellow habanero. Velvet is a luxe affair, especially for Neukölln, so bring someone you’re trying to impress—a hot date, a new client, or your most discerning friend—settle in at a plush quilted booth, and indulge in a level of sophistication that’s hard to find elsewhere in this city." - Olivia Ladanyi

"Velvet's interior looks like its name: low-lit, low-slung, and smooth. The bar is home to a half-dozen or so chairs, perfect for solo drinkers, while there are several booths ringing the periphery to curl into with friends or lovers. Dark walls and upholstery keep the mood intimate and focused on drinks and conversation, and the restrained amount of tables guarantees that while nights can get buzzing, the mood will never be overly raucous. Truly crafted and creative cocktails are the name of the game here, with a menu that changes weekly and that is based on seasonal plants around Berlin (previous menus have included foraged ingredients.) Velvet is a place to ""sip the local season,"" as the menu declares says, and all the seasonal syrups, liquors, distillates and extractions they use are housemade." - Krystin Arneson

"First impression? Velvet's interior looks like its name: low-lit, low-slung, and smooth. The bar is home to a half-dozen or so chairs, perfect for solo drinkers, while there are several booths ringing the periphery to curl into with friends or lovers. Dark walls and upholstery keep the mood intimate and focused on drinks and conversation, and the restrained amount of tables guarantees that while nights can get buzzing, the mood will never be overly raucous. How’s the crowd? The crowd here are well-dressed, in-the-know locals—plus a few tourists who have done their research. Some tables make a night of it, others come in for a pre-dinner aperitif, but given the price point and the craft behind the menu, everyone is here to appreciate their drinks. How are the drinks? Truly crafted and creative cocktails are the name of the game here, with a menu that changes weekly and that is based on seasonal plants around Berlin (previous menus have included foraged ingredients.) Velvet is a place to ""sip the local season,"" as the menu declares says, and all the seasonal syrups, liquors, distillates and extractions they use are housemade. Menus break down each component of the drink so you know exactly what you're getting, and they're also not afraid to break the mold with some imagination: A recent example is the ""Holunderblüte"" featuring gin, elderberry liquor, dry vermouth, tequila blanco, verjus, jasmine, and cardamom. The menu showcases not just the cocktails but also gives the mixologist behind them a byline, which adds a nicely personal touch. If you don't see anything on the menu you fancy, or you just want a classic cocktail, the bartenders are happy to concoct based on your preferences. If there’s food, is it worth ordering something to eat? No food here! Bottega No. 6, a tiny Italian place nearby, is the perfect place to soak up any overindulging (they do a mean lasagne). Did the staff do you right? The bar staff are attentive, welcoming, and down for a chat if you're at the bar. It's a small operation with multiple talents coming together for the menu, so their passion shines through the service and genuine friendliness. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for? It's the perfect elevated spot for a promising date, a catch-up with an old friend, celebrating birthdays with an intimate group of friends — or for the cocktail-curious seeking an imaginative something beyond the standard old fashioned." - Krystin Arneson

"On any given day, the menu at Velvet, a dimly lit watering hole in Berlin’s Neukölln neighborhood, might contain black locust blossoms, white asparagus, or Japanese knotweed. Each week, Benjamin Hanke, Filip Kaszubski, Ruben Neideck, Matt Boswell, and Sarah Swantje Fischer assemble for a full day of distilling and infusing hyperlocal ingredients into complex libations. “We love working with ingredients that might seem a little bit strange,” Hanke says. “We tried celtuce last year and sort of fell in love with the idea, just because it tasted so good.” That celtuce comes from a Prinzessinnengarten, a community garden in Kreuzberg less than a kilometer away, while the yarrow blossoms in an herbaceous riff on a martini come from nearby Tempelhofer Feld, the public park that now occupies the landing strip of Berlin’s former airport. Although the menu also relies on cultivated local produce, wild ingredients play an especially large role. Velvet’s approach to mixology may be unique in Berlin, but it ties into a long German history of foraging. In the 1600s, a German law decreed that in order to marry, gentlemen first needed to plant six oak trees and six fruit trees. Remnants of forgotten fruit orchards still dot the country. In the German countryside, plenty of homes contain stashes of Kräuterlikor—homemade hooch infused with all manner of foraged wild ingredients. And while the younger generation may not want to do things quite the way Oma did, urban foraging is very much on the rise in Berlin. The key, Hanke points out, is to forage ethically and stay within certain guidelines. “We pay close attention to a few basic rules,” Hanke says of their expeditions to Tempelhofer Feld and other public spaces. “It’s important to leave at least half of a wild ingredient. You never take everything for yourself. That’s something we take seriously.” Since seasonality factors heavily into the menu, the sparse winter months can be tricky. Thus far, the team has avoided German wintertime staples such as kale and potatoes. “Cabbage just doesn’t translate well into a cocktail,” Hanke says. Instead, he says they rely heavily on pickles, preserves, and the occasional niche winter ingredient. “One winter, we made cocktails out of an organic Christmas tree that one of our guests donated. It tasted fantastic.” Know Before You Go The team comes up with their new menu for the week each Tuesday." - jmphillips77, Diana Hubbell