CSA

This is one of the most beautiful cocktail bars I've ever been in. Located in a former sales office for the Czech State Airline (hence the name) which used to be located in this building, the CSA Bar has a sleek minimalist decor, lighting that flatters, an attentive staff, and broad plate glass windows that look out at traffic whizzing by on what was intended to be East Germany's grandest boulevard. History does have its pleasurable ironies because Friedrichshain area used to be a run-down former East Berlin neighbourhood, but is now something of a hipster hangout. I love the stylish Soviet retro feel. The bar is popular with a 30-something artsy crowd, who like the sleek, well-lit, leather-couch-filled space and the excellent cocktails. The piece of furniture I love in the bar are those ashtrays built in the tables. My grandfather used to have the same and I remember playing with it waiting him to put his ashes in it and me pushing the leverage to make roll the metal plate. I was there at the opening in 2001 and go time to time, just because. They have a terrasse now and I enjoyed last Friday drinking my martinis feeling the breeze of the night.