If you live in Munich or are visiting and enjoy thoughtful drinks that are creative without being pretentious, you should make a date with Juliet Rose Bar. The was purely spatially part of a hotel, but has literally chosen its own approach to the drink experience. During an investigative hands-on research at the bar, Sebastian Lumpe, general manager of the bar, gave me an insight into the concept and menu.
What belongs to the inventory of a cool hotel and makes this cool location even cooler? That’s right: a hotel bar. Or simply: bar. Because often the communication outside the hotel doors does not arrive at all, that one can take a seat there also without immediately booking a room and go on drink journey. If arguments for a room then arise afterwards, all the better, right? This then quickly has to do with prejudices, one thinks of clichés, or the architecture is unfortunately chosen in such a way that the bar does not have an independent effect, but rather the area dissolves into the building in a blurred manner. Thoughts that one could also have with the Juliet Rose Bar in Munich. Mind you, subjunctive, because I’m of the opinion that you should always get an opinion in person before you form yours. And of course: on paper, the Juliet Rose Bar is part of the building in which the Hilton München City Hotel resides at Rosenheimer Platz.
On paper, I’m also a classic lifestyle blogger, but I look for my own approach to the topics I present. Keyword access: The team of the Juliet Rose Bar has also decided on such an individual approach – in both respects. There is a separate entrance, a spatial separation and a concept of its own; they consciously want to act independently. A brave but smart way, and I took a look at it in person. And because nobody likes dry topics, I naturally had to do some practical research at the counter.
View from inside the back of the Juliet Rose Bar. In the vessels in the background, the team prepares its own infusions for drinks.
Nice detail: the mirrors on the ceiling. So you see the preparation and his drinks from several perspectives.
In the center of the drink location is the bar counter in the shape of an angular U, and at the back open space is a shelf filled with elegant glass decanters and vessels. These are used to store proprietary infusions and botanicals that are used to enhance the drink creations. I like the architecture in black, white and gold, fancy marble in black and white meets monochrome, quiet surfaces, details like smartly placed mirrors make for an elegant but pleasantly open ambience that doesn’t smother in swag. Starting from the bar, the seating areas are then laid out. Don’t worry: even the rearmost seat isn’t a hike away from supplies, and the bar provides ample space without getting lost. To be fair: of course, you can tell that not all the design moves were in the space now to feel completely independent, and some hotel scent still floats through the air, but within reason, they’ve put some really great touches here. But you can immediately sense that there is a well thought-out concept behind the whole thing. And the fact that such a concept must be in place before the addition of a hotel is removed from the minds of bar visitors was the first thought for Sebastian Lumpe, General Manager of the bar: “The Juliet Rose Bar is still quite young. Back then, a few years ago, when the idea was tapped to start this project, I said: we’re not doing this alone. Let’s get some help. If all in, let’s do it right. I have a high regard for Stefan Hinz, he’s a multi-talent when it comes to drinks and bars, and with his agency Cocktailkunst he simply has exactly the expertise to set up such a coherent and then fluid concept. And the one we chose has exactly the thread we wanted.”
The interior at the bar is black, white and gold – a very nice design dress code.
From the Lord of the Roses to the Bar Idea
If someone is allowed to tell me something through the flower without a cliché when it comes to the bar, then it’s Sebastian in the best sense of the word. Because a queen among the flowers lays out the red carpet for the bar menu – in four facets: “Rosenheimer Platz and rose is already very close. While researching various types of roses, we came across David Austin, a rose breeder who sadly passed away a few years ago. He put all his energy and passion into breeding and cultivating one particular species: the Sweet Juliet. It was to be the perfect rose, and that was the bridge to our location. So the stately rose is the focus of the bar concept. The drinks and food were divided into four botanical elements along the lines of “from root to fruit,” similar to the nose to tail trend in cooking: Woody, Herbal, Floral and Fruity – each element gives the drinks and dishes a unique twist.”
On the menu, each guest can then choose something from the direction that suits him best. Logo that you do not have to be afraid to ask for advice from the bar staff. Asking is not a sign of weakness or ignorance, you can give free rein to his curiosity, after all, such a bar is preparing to gather behind the bar sufficiently trained craft knowledge. And would like to share this knowledge gladly, if it permits the extent of utilization then accordingly. But a bar is evenly also an adventure playground, in order to be taken times on journeys, therefore simply times politely and interested communicate. If you are looking for a quick filling, you can have one of these colorful drinks with fruit and umbrellas stirred together near the train station. But back to serious and conscious enjoyment, because that’s what I’ve dedicated myself to with the blog. And how does the concept of the four rose elements taste then? You can choose, for example, from Woody classically strong drinks like the Salt B (Brandy | DOM Bénédictine | Scotch | Bitters | Salt ) or The Beetle (Vodka | Beetroot | Porcini | Sour or Straight). Team Herbal contains herbal drinks like the TMT (Gin | Lemon Balm | Lemon | Green Apple), Team Floral more floral like the Rosella (Sweet Vermouth | Hibiscus | Honey | Pink Grapefruit | Tonic) and under Fruity you will find the Finding Monsieur Bananier (Cognac | Banana | Orange | Lime | Buttermilk).
The reference to the rose is found not only partly in the color of the drink, but also, for example, in the graphic coasters.
The drinks are as unagitatedly elegant as the mix of double-breasted suit and T-shirt.
Even with the glasses, many drinks are each given their own dress code.
Drinkappetitizer
If you’re heading out for an after-work drink and can’t find time to grab a bite to eat beforehand, don’t worry. The Juliet Rose Bar also has a small, fine food menu with, to be fair, quite Munich prices. There are snacks like taggiasca olives and Parma ham, Ceasar salad, linguine with beef tenderloin tips, or prime beef burgers, and the menu also changes at irregular intervals. Here, as at the bar: stay creative. But: the price-performance ratio is fair.
Yes, tastes as appetizing as it looks: the bar food.
Whether meat or here fish like the salmon: the dishes are not necessarily cheap, but really to the point.
Focus on the product, not on showmanship
Anyone who, like me, is finding more and more fun in enjoying things more consciously – in other words, looking at where things come from, how they are processed, how they are combined – should definitely take a look at the Juliet Rose Bar. Because, as Sebastian emphasizes, the focus here is clearly on the product, i.e. the respective spirit, but also the specially created infusions, liqueurs and other ingredients used. “Behind the bar, after all, is the area we have christened the laboratory. That’s where the macerates and spirit fusions are made. We want to develop and incorporate our own drink DNA. We have developed drink creations that are smoked briefly under a glass bell. It’s just important not to lose your focus in this current of “higher, better, further, even more extreme, even more eye-catching.” Of course, we go along the way a bit, of course we would like to put one or the other spectacular fragrance note in the glass, but one must not lose oneself on this journey. If these become such jam-packed creations that you don’t even perceive the individual ingredients that make up the idea of the drink as such, no one is helped. If you add a garnish, it should also contribute to the taste experience and not just be thrown in as decoration for the sake of color.” For Sebastian, however, another mix is game-changing: the balance of ingredients and effort: “I keep saying to my people on the team – your creativity in all honor, but please always keep in mind, we have to be able to send this to the guest in a correspondingly timely manner. A creative drink with the wackiest ingredients is nice, of course, but it also has to be reproducible a hundred times over on such an evening. It has to go off without a hitch. If this requires manual steps that are time-consuming, then this can also cause delays in a business that has to send out quickly.”
I think it’s absolutely legitimate to wait a few minutes in a bar that stands for craft. It’s not about pressure refueling, but about enjoyment. But Sebastian is right, in the end it’s all about finding a good balance. Those who enjoy consciously are also aware that some steps require a little more time – but what is served at the end is also remembered longer. Until you urgently need a liquid memory refresher. And when I think about it, this one would be necessary again. Just to put it bluntly.
A bar that focuses on craftsmanship and chic interior dress code: Juliet Rose creatively feeds beginners and intermediates, just be sure to budget a little.
Juliet Rose Bar: all infos
Where. Rosenheimer Str. 15, 81667 Munich | When? Opening hours: Monday – Sunday, 5 – 10 p.m. Even more info about the concept and of course a view on the bar menu you could find here – click.
