Come join us in our delicious quest for intriguing cocktails. We have looked into the menus of restaurants and cocktail bars to tell you where you can experience the best cocktails in Pomorskie. This is going to be not only a visual journey, but a journey through flavours. Some of the cocktails have regional twists, while others made it to the list because of their unique ingredients or how beautiful they were.
10/6 Pub – Quadrille Hotel in Gdynia
The concept of the Quadrille Hotel in Gdynia is based on the novel “Alice in Wonderland”. The same is true for the 10/6 pub located in the hotel. The name, of course, refers to the Mad Hatter Day. The cocktail menu includes several intriguing and “mad” beverages, which correspond with the magical world, but not only these. Amber Martini, for example, is a nod towards the Pomorskie region. The recipe includes amber-infused vodka and Italian Limoncello.
“One of the ingredients of the Amber Martini is a home-made tincture made from local amber. It adds a slight note of resin to the cocktail, which makes its flavour more pronounced and complex. Pieces of Baltic amber have also been used as garnish on the stoneware tray the cocktail is served on. The colour and texture of the cocktail are reminiscent of the beach in Gdynia”, said Marta Dworak, PR & Marketing Director at the Quadrille Hotel.
You should also take a closer look at the Cocktails Inspired by the Mad Hatter, like Daiquiri 10/6, with distinct flavours of papaya, cane sugar, pears, tangerines, white pepper, green chilli peppers, and herbal notes, combined with fresh lime cordial. Celery bitters with a splash of lovage olive oil completes the experience. Another intriguing item in the menu is the Americano 10/6, which is a descendant of the Milano-Torino cocktail that consisted of two equal parts of Campari from Milan (Milano) and sweet vermouth from Turin (Torino). Americano has an additional splash of sparkling water. In case of Americano 10/6, the Mad Hatter used his own-made vermouth, which includes herbs from the hotel garden. This is combined with Campari and soda, giving it a pronounced, herbal and fruity flavour.
El Mariachi – Latino rhythms and tequila
Anyone who loves tequila should go to El Mariachi, located in Gdańsk. Latino rhythms, steamy atmosphere, and signature cocktails – mainly tequila-based – this, in short, sums up this place. The bartenders are passionate about their work, offering cocktails and drinks that meet the needs of the guests, but also suggest their own recipes, very often based on uncommon ingredients.
“Changing the form or structure of the product has an immense influence on the perception of flavours. This is why we constantly interact with our guests, in an attempt to not only serve them the best possible cocktails, but also tell their stories. As a cocktail bar, and most importantly – a tequila bar, we showcase the rich flavours of tequila in its different forms. Without doubt, we’re pioneering a product that is only recently gaining popularity in Poland”, said Karol Rainski, manager of El Mariachi.
One of the most popular cocktails in El Mariachi is the Latino Gardener, a mix of tequila, fruity and savoury cachaça, and bitter kiwi puree. These flavours are balanced with sweet peppermint and salvia foam. The second most frequently ordered cocktail is the Pornstar Margarita. It’s a twist on the classic drink made with vanilla-flavoured vodka, which in this case is substituted with chilli pepper-infused tequila. It’s a perfect match for the remaining ingredients – liquorice liqueur and passion fruit. A glass of prosecco served on the side, which the guests can add to their drink, is a perfect conclusion of this cocktail. The prosecco opens up the flavours, and serves as a counterbalance to the sourness. Sweet at the beginning, it smoothly transitions to its slightly sour side, to finish with a spicy note.
Eliksir – an excellent cocktail paired with delicious food
Eliksir is a cocktail bar that is famous for its food pairing experience. So, if you would like to sample dishes that the bartenders will pair for you with perfect cocktails, this is definitely the place you want to visit.
“We focus on seasonality of ingredients and base on our own-made ingredients and preserves. We pair alcohol and food, and I’m not aware of any other restaurant or bar in the region that would be famous for the exact same thing”, said Bartosz Stanisławski, the head bartender in Eliksir.
The bar is the heart of the premises. There, the bartenders compose drinks and cocktails using 300 different alcohols. The current menu is inspired by Polish songs from different decades. You can try a cocktail based on the Havana rum, with garlic shrub – a sweet and sour syrup made from sherry vinegar and cane sugar – espresso and sesame-cocoa bitters. It is as peculiar as the song it is inspired by is, “Strange is this world”. There is also the “Provincial”, which evokes all that can be associated with escaping the big city. Its base is Martell V.S. cognac, with other equally important ingredients: Earl Grey and honey cordial and home-made quince liqueur. Condensed milk foam completes the recipe. The cognac itself has pronounced floral and honey notes, which were further developed with sweet and sour syrup. “When I was…” is a cocktail that brings back childhood memories. If you ate fruit straight from the trees and sipped beer foam – you’ll love it. The cocktail includes Havana 3 rum, cordial of pear and mustard seeds, gingerbread cordial and wheat beer foam. If you like horse riding and equestrian competitions, you will love “Like horses at a gallop”, based on Jameson Irish whiskey. Other ingredients are a tribute to all of the horses: carrot and maple cordial and home-made hay liqueur, aromatized with peated whisky.
Jungla – Asian cocktail bar in the heart of Gdańsk
“Welcome to the jungle”, says the neon sign that is hanging on one of the walls in this cocktail bar located in the heart of Gdańsk. The bar offers Asian fusion kitchen and cocktails inspired by the inhabitants of the jungle, but not only. One of them has a truly regional character of Pomorskie region.
The Amber plum is a golden-coloured cocktail that will transport you straight to the amber gold beach, where you can enjoy its warm flavours. The base of the cocktail is Johnnie Walker whisky, paired with regional plums that give it a unique aroma and a delicate, sweet note. Another interesting item on the menu is El Chapo! . Its main ingredient is the Don Julio Reposado tequila, mixed with honey and lime. A perfect match for a long, winter evening.
Mała Sztuka – rum-based regional cocktails of Pomorskie
Mała Sztuka lets you spend a nice and relaxed evening in the company of delicious food and tasty alcohol. Rum plays the main fiddle in Mała Sztuka, but if you prefer different types of alcohol, you will also find something to choose from. The first item on the menu that is worth taking a closer look at is the Improved Bramble. Its sourness combined with sweet blueberry foam will melt your heart. The base of the cocktail is orange gin that is a perfect match for the signature grenadine syrup (chokeberry, pomegranate, root spices, and lime peel), blackberry liqueur and blueberry foam with bitter chocolate. If you love room, you’ll love Zombie, which contains three different types of rum, as well as home-made Falernum liqueur (cinnamon, cloves, allspice, lemon, ginger and rum), signature grenadine syrup, grapefruit juice, absinthe and cinnamon. This is served in a truly pirate fashion – a flaming skull.
“It’s our classic that we have been serving for 5 years, ever since we opened. This is one of those cocktails that can under no circumstances be changed, because we’d have a mutiny on our hands, ” said Aleksander Pelowski from Mała Sztuka, laughing.
The last cocktail for tonight is the First Kiss, Valentine’s Day cocktail full of love, which has, by popular demand, made it into the menu for good. There is no better recommendation than the opinions of cocktail experts – the guests. The base of the cocktail is raspberry gin, mixed with cherry syrup, produced on the spot from Kashubian cherry fruit, and Kirsch vodka made from bitter and sour cherries. The spicy finish of chilli peppers is softened with lime and sweet prosecco.
“The cocktail is served with cherries that are left from the production of syrup, which lets you enjoy the drunken cherries that are full of aromas of root spices, ” summed up Aleksander Pelowski from Mała Sztuka.
