As the evenings draw in, CQ Currents explores the perfect places to keep warm this winter and get out in Chongqing.
Hops Brewery
One of Chongqing’s leading craft beer bars, it has two locations, the original store in Nanping and a second in Yuzhong’s Zengjiayan. The original store is geared more to the dedicated craft beer lover whilst the second is slightly larger and more stylish, with the added non-smoker bonus of being smoke free indoors with a smoking terrace.
As well as unique local and draft beers, it features a range of international bottled stouts from brands including Brew Dog. Staff are welcoming and have a good understanding of the beers, and welcome guests tasting beers before ordering.
18680805109
Open weekdays 18:00-01:00; weekends 18:00-02:00
Set on the riverside walk across the road from Hongyadong, with another location at Ninth Street in Jiangbei, this traditional cocktail bars two stores feature deep wooden interiors, leather chairs, and warm yellow lighting perfect for the long evenings. In addition to its extensive range of classics and modern house cocktails, it features around 300 whiskey varieties. The service is excellent and bartenders are happy to make recommendations.
15213344696
Open daily: 19:30-02:00
Tikaner
"Tikaner" or stairs, is about as far away from a classic cocktail bar as you can get and great if you are looking for somewhere with shabby chic atmosphere. The original bar is set in an old building on Jianxin East Road down a short flight of stairs from the road, but as this is set for demolition at some point in the near future it is worth getting there sooner rather than later, or trying out the new location at Jiangbei Wulidian.
The owners opened the bar after a visit to Nepal, giving it the feel of a typical Nepalese bar, which has something of the feel of 1990s Hong Kong. The house speciality is Nepalese Dongba. This unique-smelling hot wine is made by fermenting corn in bamboo tubes, followed by hot water and warm cola, as well as a range of fruit wines including hawthorn, rose, and passion fruit. House dishes include pig's trotters slow stewed with cooking wine, ginger and rock sugar; crispy oyster mushrooms; and beef with wine.
13667607602
Open daily: 18:00-00:00
"You Only Live Once" set on the roof of Daping Paradise Walk, this small chilled out bar has a great range of local and imported craft beers. The views over the city are a great backdrop. This is definitely more of a guitar and chillout venue rather than a martini or whiskey bar.
1592384013013752809150
Mon, Thurs, Fri & weekends 17:00-02:00; Tues & Weds 19:00-02:00
EACH Whiskey Bar
Two years after the Ninth Street store opened, its second store opened in Xiejiawan. Compared with the Ninth Street store, which has a cool contemporary industrial style, the Xiejiawan store has a larger area and a more lively atmosphere, attracting more young customers and features live music as well as shark tank embedded between the bar and the ceiling.
It features more than 200 kinds of whisky, ranging from mid-range to better single malts, and has the option of purchasing bottles that can be retained behind the bar for subsequent visits. There is also a good range of classic and modern cocktails as well as small dishes such as Iberian ham.
023-68065999023-88255592
Weekdays 16:30-02:00
All addresses should be available in map apps or on ride-hailing apps.