Before moving to San Francisco in the late 90s I lived in Cologne, in a classic apartment with tall ceilings overlooking Friesenplatz - and right across the street from "XX", pronounced Dos Equis {as the beer}, a tiny bar with the faded ambience of a opulent fin-de-siècle bordello - and in those days a favorite hangout of the local art crowd.
Dos Equis closed years ago, but the gastronomic team behind this tiny bar is busier than ever. A few streets over, Dirk Mecky and his wife Trixi have taken over three adjacent storefronts, turning each into iconic destinations - Metzgerei Schmitz, a former butcher shop turned bakery and deli, Salon Schmitz, a grand café with Danish and German design classics from the 50s and 60s, Coco Schmitz, a glam subterranean club with a 70s discotheque vibe - and Bar Schmitz, a gorgeous old world brasserie, restaurant, glacier and cocktail bar decked out in glorious Belgian Art Nouveau details.
From the alternating floor patterns of classic Belgian tiles to the antique three holy kings peering down onto the bar, from the glamorous mirrored walls, brass train shelving and intricate wall tile artworks in the brasserie to the quiet elegance of the restaurant with its deep magenta velvet banquets and gilded ceilings - I just love visiting Bar Schmitz at any time of the day.
PS: and a quick sneak peek into the rest of the Schmitz empire ...
Metzgerei Schmitz
Salon Schmitz
Thanks & Dankeschön to Dirk and Trixi for the behind the scenes tour!
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