Fabelei Cocktailbar – Setting Up For Summer
What makes a bar your favourite one? Of course, it depends on your personal mood. A welcoming vibe, a cosy setting, a nice treatment for your ears and an adventurous cocktail program makes a place special. And if this is topped with a romantic story then you will find yourself at Fabelei.
The district of Schöneberg is rich in bar dinosaurs like Green Door and Stagger Lee. Fabelei has brought some fresh air to the Kiez, and I mean that literally because there is no-smoking at Fabelei. No clouds of smoke fog your senses or clothes. Located at the corner of Kyffhäusserstrasse and Frankenstasse, Fabelei has a nice seating area outside and a bright cosy interior. Huge windows give the space its light and friendly atmosphere. The guests are a good mix of locals and tourists, very relaxing. Have a look inside.
Fabulous cock-tales, fantastic bites and romantic stories await you at Fabelei.
Fabelei opened its doors half a year ago. For the summertime, they have recently launched their new menu with a couple of refreshing Highballs, Spritz and Cobblers to enjoy under Berlin’s sun. Berliners love to sit outside and let the world pass by.
The bar team? “Love is in the air”, and here we start with the romantic part of the story. Anastasia Schöck, originally a music producer, singer and songwriter came to a bar and was enchanted by the drinks the bartender Filip Bochenski served her. Filip loves the old classics and he told Anastasia each time she came more details about the drinks he made for her and about the history of cocktails itself. You can imagine how this story ended: F(ilip) + A(nastasia) + B(ar)-ELEI. But, as the saying goes, “Happiness must be earned” and so the two of them found an appropriate location and renovated the place on their own. Anastasia told me about some of their unpleasant experiences, but these, together with unforeseen challenges, are almost forgotten and have only brought them even closer.
While Filip stirs the bar spoon, his brother Cyprian does his magic with the cooking spoon. Bar snacks are an important component of a bar’s menu. They have a fully equipped kitchen at Fabelei – a great advantage indeed. When I go to a bar it is mostly after work and I love to sip and snack on something delicious. But it’s also very helpful to have something to soak up the booze after a couple of drinks. Tatar has already made it as a classic bar counter meal and it is served at Fabelei for the summer time as a herring fillet version. My favourites are for sure the Kakuni Sandwich, the Grilled Cheese Sandwich and the Pierogi – but everything is so delicious, homemade and high quality.
What to drink at Fabelei? My recommendation: Leave work early start with an Aperitivo, add a bar snack and then move on to their beautiful cocktail menu.
As Fabelei opens in the early evening there is enough time to have a relaxed sip outside before moving inside to find your place at the bar or on the sofa. For the drink concept they have brought the aperitivo culture to Schöneberg and they are focussed on classic drinks with creative twists. All the ingredients such as syrups, espumas, infusions and cordials are produced by them. Filip Bochenski is fond of classic cocktails and you will find a Corpse Reviver No.1 on the menu, which is something quite unusual. “Fabelei’s Classic Tuesday” is a good opportunity to learn something about cocktail culture and dive into a bygone era. The menu is easy to understand and the bar’s signature drinks are nicely illustrated with some little stories. The presentation is playful and it goes without saying that the ice is crystal clear. Personally, I like the story about the drink Elisabeth. That I am a big fan of Milk Punch goes without saying too.
Summer is served in a pink flamingo and contains so much Summer that it got its name after the season. It combines homemade summer cordial, Tanqueray No. Ten, Belsazar Riesling, lime, egg white and a touch of pepper. Popcorn isn’t just for the cinema. Anastasia loved popcorn so much that she was asking Filip to create a cocktail which tastes and smells like it.
I can already say that Fabelei enriches the vibrant bar scene and I highly recommend a visit. A bar that bring great drinks to your table and smiles to your faces, what else could you ask for?
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