The Best Bars in Leipzig, Germany

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One of the oldest pubs in the city, Auerbachs Keller has been an important wine bar since the 15th century and has gained fame after being described in Faust, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Nowadays it sits in one of the busiest places in the historical center of Leipzig, Mädlerpassage, down a charming art-nouveau passage. The inside of the bar is spectacular, with the decor including original vaulted, hand-painted ceilings, simple wooden furniture and many regional touches.

Popular bar La Boum is an explosion of aesthetics, avant-garde art and positivity in the student’s neighborhood. Located on the ground floor, La Boum has a strong impact from the start. The entire building is covered with drawings, range from images of birds to abstract sketches, all vivid and rainbow-like. The inside is no less impressive, with an altar to Depeche Mode, as well as a hand-painted bar.

Spizz is a complete smooth jazz bar inaugurated by the Portuguese Mario Laginha in the name of the virtuoso music that Leipzig seems to love so much. Located in a cellar, with low ceilings and no windows, this one has a smooth spirit to say the least. The cocktails make a fine choice, as the Gentleman’s Sour is blended with the original Jack whiskey straight out of America’s Deep South.

Modern and cosmopolitan Barfusz is a bar in central Leipzig with an energetic atmosphere and a calendar of events that rarely fails to impress. The chandeliers are glamorous and the simplistic modern furniture pieces all add to the interior charm. Meanwhile an international kitchen and bar serves up American cocktails, classic speakeasy staples and some real German treats.

Offering the youngest vibes in the Mädler-Passage, Mephisto is a lounge bar with a select atmosphere and live concerts. The wooden interior is carefully carved and the stylish red and lavish leather seats contrast marvelously with the mahogany coloring. The painted celling with Goethe’s Mephisto brings the bar a characterful and historic allure. The regional collection of wines is spectacular, but the old time favorite is without a doubt the Muller-Thurgau from the Sachsen region.

A beloved meeting place for locals, Café Pushkin has a cozy terrace on Leipziger Karl-Liebknecht Straße, where shisha and fantastic drinks can be enjoyed. The petite pub offers a tremendous range of drinks, from Kokorokoko (a combination of vanilla, coconut and rum), to Mango King (with frozen syrup) and Swimming Pool (with curacao, coconut and orange juice). The shishas here are freshly prepared and the aromas range from blue mint to cherry cola.

The oldest house and techno club in the east part of Germany, Distillery really does live up to its well-renowned reputation. With sophisticated music, from electronic and techno to house and minimal, and all of the current mash-ups in between, the club has a multi-faceted program for guests. Drinks come in many forms too, while the favorites include mimosa, classic apple martinis, and the fresh mint julep.

With a massive wooden interior, a traditional setting, walls covered with posters and pictures and a bustling exterior garden, Killiwily is a killer Irish pub. International as it is, the menu offers old-time imported Guinness, Heineken, cherry beer and Killlenny.

This mixology lab is a fire cracker when it comes to preparation of drinks, with more than 200 variations of ravishing cocktails to choose from. There is a weekly menu, as the molecular cocktails keep changing. Some of the favorites are the juicy watermelon ice tea, the gin basil smash, and fresh strawberry basil twist.

With a ‘hippie-shake’ atmosphere, the Flower Power bar is a vibrant place; colorful and bouncy, where rock’n’roll is at its peak. Small concerts have their place here, while parties go wild with psychedelic rhythms, peace and love and pin-up girls. From dusk ‘til dawn this place is on fire with good spirits and old-time German beers.