Lounge Bohemia Bar / Lounge / Speakeasy

Shoreditch / Brick Lane, London –

A trip to Lounge Bohemia begins with an appointment – a visit would likely be futile without one. Then there are the two simple but steadfast rules: no suits and no standing room. Finally, there’s the journey inside: through the unmarked door, along a hallway papered with old Czech newspapers, and finally down two flights of stairs into a lounge that combines an Eastern Bloc theme with a downright cozy atmosphere.

Furnished with 60s- and 70s-era sofas, armchairs, and coffee tables, the eclectic space has become a favorite of literary and artsy types who settle into private alcoves along the bare back wall to discuss the revolution over high-end cocktails.

The menus – hidden inside volumes of classic Czech literature – include a very large selection of Czech beers, as well as intricate mixology gems like the Holy Smoke – a drink served in a flask smoking with frankincense and myrrh – and a variety of shots doled out in actual test tubes.

Free canapés come with the first round, but the stylish couples tucked around the handful of simple tables are usually quick to order additional platters, especially after sharing a teapot of the signature vodka-heavy Bohemian Iced Tea.

A refuge for anyone tired of the packed and noisy bars up on street level – and with barely room for forty people inside – Lounge Bohemia is a stylish and sophisticated subterranean haunt where it’s easy to have a conversation…

…except perhaps when the political debates get heated, comrade.