I loved sitting at the Orania Bar.

During the daytime it is, basically, the lobby lounge of the Orania Hotel. And I actually love a nice lobby lounge with its comfortable chairs, easy-going, not-on-top-of-you service, and refreshing drink options.

In the evening it transforms into a local artists' stage. When we were there, a classical pianist just walked up and sat down at the Steinway & Sons grand piano and started playing, like he was in his own drawing room. He switched to a lively jazz at one point, and then back to classical.

All the drinks seem splendid (like the cover photo of the X-Berg Superfood Negroni). But we are spotlighting the martini cocktail 1886 edition which I was introduced to at this bar. It was only available for a short while, so unless they bring it back, you will have to make it at home following the instructions below.

Here is the olden way of making the martini, equal parts vermouth and spirit, however, having been frozen to remove all water and preserve only the essence of the cocktail, to create this perfect martini that is not overbearing in the way an over-vermouthed martini can get. Usually that happens when a bartender misunderstands what you mean by very dry martini, and you get a sour explosion of dry vermouth in your mouth.

Orania Bar is at the Orania Hotel, the glitzy yet elegant hotel, the only respectable hotel to stay at in Kreutzberg according to some.

ADDRESS:

Oranienstrasse 40, Kreuzberg

CONTACT:

https://orania.berlin/concerts

ph: +493069539680

LEAD-IN IMAGE

Orania.Berlin / Instagram