What's shaking: 5 sustainable cocktail bars in the world

You might not be thinking about it when you are sipping on your Negroni or Martini, but a cocktail can have quite an environmental impact (think lemon wedges on your glass, liquors coming from far-away places and general waste management practices at the bar). Luckily, cocktail bars are upping their eco-conscious game and shifting to more sustainable practices. Check out these 5 sustainable cocktail bars for some guilt-free drinking.

Himkok, Oslo, Norway

Located in the center of Oslo, HIMKOK (“Moonshine”) consists of multiple floors. On the lower level you can find their mini distillery, where they produce more than 80% of the spirit they serve in-house with a zero-waste philosophy. Local producers are used to source ingredients and botanicals, allowing HIMKOK to explore different aspects of Norwegian culture and showcasing true Norwegian flavors. By having their own distillery, where Aquavit, Gin and Vodka, among others, are produced, HIMKOK is able to create drinks and products with a Nordic taste. They also ferment their own wine, mead and kefir. But HIMKOK doesn't´stop here: the distillery is powered by renewable hydro energy and by producing their own spirits, they cut down on drink miles substantially. Instead of egg whites, aquafaba (chickpea water) is used which is a lot more sustainable because it doesn’t really have an expiration date (unlike eggs) and you are not stuck with a by-product (such as the egg yolk). But what about the chickpeas? Strandbakken has a solution for this: work with Turkish or Indian restaurants to give them the chickpeas or get the aquafaba from them.

Address: Storgata 27, 0184 Oslo, Norway
Telephone: +47 22 42 22 02  Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday 5 PM - 3 AM Friday - Saturday 3 PM - 3 AM
Website: himkok.no Instagram: @himkok.oslo

Bar Bisou, Paris, France

Parisian elegance, cocktails tailor-made to your taste and caring for our planet, Bisou (“Kiss”) is a place not to miss when visiting the French capital. Seasonal and local organic ingredients are chosen to produce (in house) juices, syrups and other liquids. Every bit of fruit or vegetable is used, such as dehydrated remains of fruit are used to create an edible garnish for a future cocktail. No plastic straws are used, but metal straws are served with your cocktail. Not only is this more ecologically responsible, it looks much nicer too.

Address: 15 Boulevard du Temple, 75003, Paris, France
Telephone: +33 01 40 27 82 85 Opening hours: Every day 6PM - 2AM
Website: bar-bisou.fr Instagram: @bar_bisou

Bar Mood, Taipei, Taiwan

Bar Mood in Taiwan’s capital has recently won Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award for Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022. At Bar Mood, many Taiwanese components are incorporated in the drinks. This shows people that by using local produce, Taiwan can shine in the cocktail scene simply by being themselves. For example, for Bar Mood’s signature drink, Silence of the Royal Court, owner Nick Wu uses oolong tea – an ingredient close to his heart as his grandparents used to grow it – cultivated according to organic principles and roasted with native longan wood. The oolong tea, now sourced by Wu's uncle, is made into a syrup for a more concentrated flavor. This is then mixed with cognac, clarified soy milk, fortified wine, dark crème de cacao and fresh lemon juice. After brewing, Wu uses the tea leaves to make a biscuit served with the cocktail, further highlighting the flavor and aroma of oolong. Silence of the Royal Court is served in a traditional Taiwanese ceramic cup which for local clients is a familiar sight, and for international visitors it can spark an interest in Taiwanese culture.This cocktail is all about the idea that sustainability goes much further than reusing things and eliminating waste (although Bar Mood does a lot when it comes to this: no single-use items such as straws, napkins, coasters or cocktail sticks are used and empty spirit bottles are re-used for pre-batched cocktails). It’s also about supporting local businesses that are working sustainably. The venue works with suppliers who promote gender equality in farming communities, pay wages above the Fairtrade minimum and offer education and literacy programs to women and children on farms. Wu’s mission is to influence as many people as possible, helping them realize the importance of protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. “People must do their part so that we can all have a world to live in.”

Address: No. 53, Lane 160, Section 1, Dunhua S Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Telephone: +886 905 773 621                 Opening hours: Every day 6PM – 1AM
Website: Bar Mood Instagram: @barmood_taipei

Re, Sydney, Australia

Re is defined as a “regenerative drinking experience” and focused on zero waste in every respect. Furniture is made with a faux-leather made from pineapple-leaf fibre, the staircase and the bar are made from recycled plastic bags and milk bottles and drinks are served in reclaimed Maison Balzac glasses

Re launched an initiative called Never Wasted. Within this initiative Re works with 8 prominent Sydney venues and suppliers who have separated food waste and by-products from the daily running of their businesses. These are collected and repurposed into ingredients for the cocktails. All other products are supplied from surplus fruit and vegetables from the Sydney Markets. The aim is to grow the initiative so in the future all hospitality venues in Sydney share waste and by-products and in turn give to other venues. By doing so, the goal is to cut food waste by 80%.

Address: Shop 8/2 Locomotive St, Eveleigh NSW 2015, Australia
Telephone: +61 2 8377 1877       Opening hours: Tuesday - Thursday noon - 9 PM, Friday noon - midnight, Saturday 4 PM - midnight
Website: wearere.com.au Instagram: @_wearere

Bar Kismet, Halifax, Canada

Opened in 2017 as a seafood restaurant, Kismet´s bar is now taking over the lead role. Kismet focuses on locality and seasonality, introducing a new seasonal-specific drink at least every two weeks. At Kismet, staff come first. They work a four-day week, get training on sustainability, gender equality, trans and LGBTQ rights and spirits tastings, and benefits include time off for education and mental health support. Not only did Bar Kismet make it to the best 50 bars in North America, it was also named Most Sustainable Bar in North America this year.

Address: 2733 Agricola St, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3K 4E2
Telephone: +1 903 487 4319 Opening hours:
Website: barkismet.com Instagram: @barkismet