Bar Tabacco

Just down the road from Munich's ongoing Michael Jackson memorial at Promenadeplatz (no, us either!), Bar Tabacco's wood-panelled surroundings might suggest some kind of stuffy gentlemen's club, but this is in fact a lively joint. With the Bavarian smoking ban, there's little evidence of tobacco anymore, though you can easily picture this well-proportioned, dimly lit room with a layer of smoke floating across it.

From our experience most diners were not drinking cocktails - choosing wine or beer - but they are missing a trick as the hard-back menu contains a sophisticated selection of drinks, presented with each one's historical precedent. A large selection of spirits are crammed over five shelves, with a monumental whisky collection that extends along the whole of the long back-bar's top shelf. Cocktails are freepoured with precision, using lovely big, fat ice cubes and artistic garnishes - couple that with chatty bartenders who aren't afraid to give their opinion on what you're drinking, and it makes for a stimulating drinking experience.