At first trendy, speakeasy are now a must in the world of cocktail bars. Inspired by the American speakeasies of the Prohibition era, they made a remarkable comeback in New York before imposing themselves throughout the world. Subdued lighting and a cozy atmosphere are the order of the day.
A 100% American concept…
In the 1920s, when Prohibition prohibited the production and sale of alcohol in the United States, speakeasies proliferated. Hidden in basements, back rooms, apartments and houses, they distill, without bad pun, a particular atmosphere marked by secrecy. There are two competing theories as to the origin of the name. For some, “speakeasy” refers to the password that was whispered to enter, and for others it refers to the discretion bartenders required of their customers when ordering alcohol.
The concept reappeared in New York in 2007. At first categorized as unusual places, speakeasies have quickly become a trend in their own right in the cocktail bar scene. They are hard to find at first, only reveal themselves to the most determined and the cocktails have that little taste of the forbidden that makes them even more delicious.
…adopted by French cocktail bars
It will not take long to see these hidden bars invade the hexagon. In 2011, La Candeleria opens its doors in Paris, hidden in a cozy taqueria. It will be followed by the Little Red Door, ranked among the best cocktail bars in the world and accessible through a mysterious red door, the Lavomatic, just above a laundromat, or the Moonshiner, behind the cold room of a pizzeria, to name a few. If, with the passing of time, and the social network era, they are not so secret anymore, they still manage to prosper by competing with imagination and by proposing quality cocktails.
In Marseille, Carry Nation only gives out its address to insiders who have managed to obtain it by word of mouth or by registering on their site. In Bordeaux, go through a small bookstore to access the Cancan and its creations from 100% French spirits. And discover in the basement a dancing cellar called Le Boucan, a speakeasy within a speakeasy in short. In the Vieux-Lyon, the Bar de Bon Secours has a 1930’s atmosphere between a vaulted cellar and a vintage counter in a chocolate and liquor store. In Strasbourg, findAedaen Place and its Renaissance decor by walking through the restaurant’s kitchens and moving a pedestal table. In Toulouse, the Fat Cat seduces with its jazzy piano-bar sound worthy of Gatsby the Magnificent and its mastery of classic cocktails. Bars are always looking for innovative and fun ideas for your enjoyment.
