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Bar Libre

Tokyo

Quiet brilliance in eclectic surrounds

The first clue you have arrived at Bar Libre isn't obvious to the untrained eye – a Vietnamese grocery shop sign signals it's time to venture below street level to this Tokyo classic. Located in Ikebukuro, home to Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, casual ramen shops and indie anime shopping, Bar Libre is no gimmicky speakeasy. A stalwart of Tokyo's drinking scene 2011, it's understated, unpretentious and beloved by industry insiders and regulars alike.

Relax into one of the sepia-toned bar's 17 seats to a soundtrack of mellow jazz while one of the esteemed bartenders creates your drink in Bar Libre's laid-back yet polished style. The atmosphere is convivial, with owner Yujiro Kiyosaki and manager Kizuaki Nagao bringing real warmth, quick wit and serious skill to proceedings.

Kiyosaki and Nagao have been championing modern, creative cocktails, setting the tone for technique-driven drinks well before it was fashionable in the Japanese capital. The menu follows a low to high alcohol structure: Introduction, Development, Twist and Conclusion. The cocktails in each section intermingle classic pours with Japanese ingredients – a twist on a negroni employs yuzu and lemongrass foam, while the Samurai Penicillin mixes Johnnie Walker Blue Label with shiso kombucha ad honey. The presentation skews playful. Think wilting wine glasses, artisanal ceramics and even flower vases, but never in a way that distracts from the drink.

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