Blink and you’ll miss it: tucked away on a subdued Kreuzkölln block, Geist im Glas is easy to stroll right past. But like the Prohibition-era speakeasies this cocktail bar takes after, understated is exactly how owner Aishah Bennett likes it. Don’t be fooled by the relaxed atmosphere — dark, sexy and candlelit — here, cocktails are serious business. The liquor cabinet is stocked with a top notch selection of spirits such as Helsinki Distilling Company gin and Mezcal Atenco. It’s the house infused liquor that you want to go for, though: like whisky with blood orange, jasmine tea and blackberry, best enjoyed in a “Boulevardier”, a jazzy take on the Negroni. Because that’s exactly what Geist im Glas does best: takes the classics, creates them with fine ingredients and finishes them with an unexpectedly delicious twist. What’s more, the bar also offers up the antidote to itself, serving southern US-inspired, hangover-busting brunches on weekends. The former menu mainstays — huevos rancheros and dulce de leche pancakes — are joined by cheddar grits and coconut milk porridge loaded with fruit and nuts. All this paired with a special drinks menu of Mimosas, Bloody Marys and espresso-based cocktails. At Geist im Glas, it’s all too easy for day to slip into night again. (Text: Anna Dorothea Ker / Photos: Matej Zet)

Geist im Glas, Lenaustr.27, 12047 Berlin-Neukölln; map
Mon-Fri 9-2h, Sat-Sun 10-4h