20 Best Cocktail Bars in Moscow — Where to Drink

Moscow's bar scene has reached international level in recent years — several of the capital's bars appear in global rankings, and local bartenders' signature cocktails get cited by colleagues in London and New York. We've put together the 20 best cocktail bars in Moscow worth visiting: from quiet speakeasies with a secret entrance to loud evening venues with DJ sets. Every place has been checked in person.

The name translates as "fresh blood" — and it sets the tone for Glen Ballis's whole project. The interior is restrained but bold: minimal detail, maximum character. The cocktail list is original, with Latin American accents: tequila, mezcal, agave distillates. Mexican cuisine is served alongside the drinks — tacos, quesadillas, ceviche.

The bar functions as an evening space: dim lighting, tight seating, a lively rhythm. Sangre Fresca is a cocktail bar in Moscow for those who prefer agave to whisky.

A bar from Galaktion and Elina Tabidze's holding company, honored with The London Essence Best New Opening Award. Insider made it onto the list of the world's 50 best bars. The concept is built around signature cocktails and a culinary accompaniment: every drink is its own story with a carefully considered flavor balance.

The bar team works with rare ingredients: fermented syrups, homemade infusions, seasonal extracts. The interior is dark and intimate, with velvet and brass accents. Insider is one of the best bars in Moscow for those who care about world-class cocktail craft.

Lucky Group's bar side in an izakaya format — a Japanese venue for evening drinks and snacks. Founders: Ivan Kukarskikh and Bogdan Panchenko. The interior is filled with textured vintage elements that build the atmosphere of a Tokyo alley.

The cocktail list is built on Japanese ingredients: yuzu, shiso, umeshu, sake. The sake list is one of the most serious in the city. Drinks come with yakitori, gyoza, tempura, and tartares. Lucky is a bar for an evening in a Japanese key, where the cocktail and the snack work as a single whole.

Another Lucky Group project built around a bar concept. Koji combines Chinese and Indonesian cuisine, and the cocktails follow the same Asian logic. The presentation is theatrical: unusual tableware, smoke, aromatic accents.

The bar list is experimental: fermented bases, Eastern spices, unconventional combinations. The tea program — oolongs, pu-erhs, jasmine — works as an alternative to alcohol. The interior is warm, with wood finishing and soft light. Koji is a cocktail bar for those looking for Asian flavors in a glass.

A creative restaurant in the building of the historic "Hermitage." The name references Vedic culture, and for the Soma team, it's an intersection of food, wine, cocktails, and art. Beige tones, soft fabrics, contemporary art pieces on the walls.

The cocktail program is original, with seasonal rotation. Bartenders work with homemade infusions, ferments, fruit distillates. The wine list is natural, with biodynamic bottles. The kitchen is Mediterranean, with an emphasis on vegetables and seafood. Soma is a Moscow bar at the crossroads of gastronomy and contemporary art.

A multi-format space by Ilya Tyutenkov — not a restaurant in the usual sense. Here, an interior by Natalia Belonogova, a kitchen with Michelin experience, and a bar with a signature program all coexist. The atmosphere is deliberately casual, like a Berlin club transplanted into a Moscow basement.

The cocktails are bold, with unconventional bases and presentation. The food is Asian with European touches. The music program: DJ sets in the evenings. Leveldva is one of the best cocktail bars in Moscow for those to whom the energy of a place matters just as much as what's in the glass.

A bar by Vitaly Bgantsov that's hard to spot from the street — and that's part of the design. The interior is light, unpretentious; in summer you can sit right in the courtyard. There's no bar menu in the usual sense — just as there are no tables and chairs in the classic sense.

The format is free-form: the bartender works from the guest's request rather than a fixed list. Every cocktail is an improvisation on a theme. Ingredients are seasonal, infusions homemade, presentation informal. Voda is a speakeasy bar in Moscow for those tired of menus and ready to trust the bartender.

A bar that's hard to get into — and that's part of the concept. Chainaya became famous for its signature tea-based drinks and its unconventional attitude toward guests. The interior is well thought out, full of detail: ceramics, textiles, dim lighting, the feel of a tea ceremony.

The cocktail list is built around tea distillates, infusions, and syrups. Every drink has a tea base, but without any sense of limitation: flavors range from citrus and tropical to smoky and earthy. Chainaya is a cocktail bar in Moscow for those seeking an alternative to the classic bar menu.

An experimental cocktail bar by White Rabbit Family that's not easy to find — the entrance is unassuming, the signage minimal. Inside — dark, intimate, with aromas that change from evening to evening. Boris Zarkov created a space where the drink is the main character.

The bar menu is updated regularly and built around experimentation: unusual ingredients, unconventional techniques, custom tableware. Every cocktail is a mini-performance with its own presentation, scent, and story. Snacks are precise, matched to specific drinks. Korobok is one of the best bars in Moscow in the speakeasy format.

An island bar at the center of the room is the interior's main feature. Around it — tapestries, dark green upholstery, marble tabletops. Founders Andrey Kazanli and Liza Joni built a place where you can spend the whole evening: from the first cocktail to a late dinner.

The cocktail list is original, with an emphasis on classic bases given a modern reading. Bartenders work with homemade bitters, seasonal fruit, aged spirits. The kitchen is gastro-bar style, portions for sharing. The Nest is a cocktail bar for those who need both a drink and dinner in one place.

Deep Fried Friends is a project by five friends: Ivan Popov, Alexey Morozov, Marko Mihić-Eftić, Artur Semkov, and Denis Kryazhev. They started with cult parties, and now it's a full-fledged restaurant-bar. The name became synonymous with Moscow's new-generation bar culture.

The cocktail program is one of the most creative in the city: unconventional bases, signature garnishes, presentation-as-performance. The food is comforting, built for a long evening at the bar. The atmosphere is clubby, loud, alive. DFF is a Moscow bar for those who come not just to drink, but to spend the evening.

The Roaring Twenties, jazz, and burlesque — that's the aesthetic of Bix. Open seating, no reservations — you come and find a spot. The interior matches the era: velvet, brass, dark wood, a stage area for live performances.

The cocktail list is classic, with a nod to the golden age of the American bar: Old Fashioneds, Martinis, sours, fizzes. Bartenders work in the style of the era — precise, fast, with a showman's flair. In the evenings — jazz concerts and burlesque shows. The Bix is where to drink cocktails in Moscow to live jazz.

A bar on Tverskaya with an Art Deco interior: an abundance of patterned tile, brass elements, strict lines. Noor's calling card is Eastern accents in its cocktails: spices, rosewater, saffron, cardamom. The bar team combines classic technique with Middle Eastern ingredients.

The kitchen is Mediterranean with Levantine notes. Snacks are matched to the cocktail list: hummus, falafel, lamb, grilled fish. Noor is a cocktail bar in Moscow for those looking for an Eastern note in a glass.

A basement space with a vaulted ceiling, minimalist design, and a single theme — tequila and mezcal. The ascetic interior doesn't distract from the main point: this is one of the most extensive collections of agave distillates gathered in Moscow.

The cocktail list runs exclusively on tequila and mezcal: margaritas, paloma, signature drinks with tropical fruit and chili pepper. The kitchen is Mexican: tacos, nachos, guacamole, carne asada. The atmosphere is warm, dim, Latin American. Veladora is a bar for those who understand agave and want to go deeper.

A Michelin-starred bar — a rarity for Moscow and for the world. Delicatessen was opened by Vyacheslav Lankin, with Ivan Shishkin running the kitchen. The bartender-and-chef tandem is built so the cocktail and the dish complement each other rather than existing in parallel.

The cocktail list is original, with a classic foundation and seasonal updates. Bartenders work with homemade infusions, cordials, fermented bases. The kitchen is bistronomy: burgers, tartares, hot starters, desserts. Delicatessen is one of the best cocktail bars in Moscow, where the food is every bit as good as the drinks.

A two-story bar, just as famous for its breakfasts as for its cocktails. Mornings bring eggs, porridge, pastries, coffee. Evenings bring a full bar menu with signature drinks and a well-chosen selection of wine and spirits.

The two-story structure lets the formats spread out: downstairs is more intimate and quiet, upstairs livelier and louder. The kitchen is European, with comforting items: pasta, steaks, salads. Bambule is a cocktail bar in Moscow that's equally good at 9am and at 11pm.

A bar styled after a 19th-century Russian tavern: dim lighting, crystal chandeliers, wooden tables, antique chairs. The concept is Russian bar classics in a modern reading. The menu has starters reminiscent of a tavern table: pickles, smoked meats, bread and butter.

The cocktail list is built on Russian ingredients: horseradish, currant, and birch-sap infusions; vodka as the base spirit. Signature drinks come with rustic accents: honey, berries, herbs. Zhuravli is a Moscow bar with a Russian character and cocktails you won't find anywhere else.

A mid-century modern interior: austere geometry, clean lines, solid wood furniture. The main feature is a library of five hundred volumes, available to read over a cocktail. Shortlist is a bar-lounge where time slows down.

The cocktails are original, with an emphasis on balance and drinkability. Bartenders favor classic technique without excessive showmanship. The menu updates seasonally. Drinks come with light snacks, cheeses, cured meat platters. Shortlist is one of the best bars in Moscow for those who value quiet, a book, and a well-built drink.

New Orleans classics in the center of Moscow. The concept is built around the figure of Marie Laveau, the legendary voodoo priestess. The interior reflects the aesthetic of Africa, France, and the American South intersecting: dark tones, ritual details, exotic plants, candlelight.

The cocktail list is built on rum, bourbon, and Creole ingredients: spices, cane sugar, tropical fruit, bitter almond. The kitchen is Cajun and Creole: gumbo, jambalaya, fried catfish. Marie Laveau is a cocktail bar in Moscow with the most unusual theme in the city.

A bar with a view, leather armchairs, heavy bar stools, and warm light. Strelka is a spot for easy conversation with a view of the Moskva River. The summer terrace is one of the most popular in the city; in winter, an enclosed room operates.

The cocktail list is wide, from classics to seasonal signature drinks. Wine and beer serve as alternatives. The kitchen is light, European, built to accompany the drinks. Strelka is a Moscow bar people come to for the view, the atmosphere, and a drink, not for a culinary discovery.