Pivnaya Apteka

A quirky chemistry-themed venue for well-crafted drinks and delicious nibbles

Address: Port Baku Residence, 147 Neftchilar Avenue, Baku 1010

Living in Port Baku Residence affords many perks. What with the incredibly snazzy neighbours (Port Baku Mall boasts shops of pretty much every premium designer you can think of, as well as show rooms for the most fabulously expensive cars in the world!), the supermarket with the fancy wine cellar and dedicated Caviar Bar, the complimentary gym, swimming pool, and spa, the creche and playground facilities for children, living here definitely doesn’t feel realistic. Also quirky. It definitely doesn’t feel like an environment that has any allowance for quirky.

And yet… in comes Pivnaya Apteka, a sleek but quirky cocktail bar in the Port Baku Residence block. The venue is beautifully themed as a chemical laboratory, with (English-speaking) lab-coated waiting staff, neon molecules on the walls, and bright, colourful lights. Definitely a fun pitstop for pre-dinner drinks!

We ask for a table in the non-smoking area of the bar and sit in a beautiful booth by the window and soak in the atmosphere while perusing the menu, which includes classic and signature cocktails, beers, spirits, a plethora of nibbles, and hot dogs.

We love all things hot and zingy, so immediately gravitate towards the drinks that include a bit of spice in the ingredient list: a Pepper Margarita and a Hiki-Tiki. The Margarita definitely packs a punch, thanks to the very many slices of fresh jalapeño peppers that float in it, but it lacks acidity: a good squirt of lime would lift it and make it so much more delicious. The Hiki-Tiki is a milky chocolaty concoction that comes with a veritable mound of whipped cream, but it does boast Tabasco hot sauce among its ingredients (albeit its flavour is smothered by the sugar, so it is hard to taste).

We are on our way to a much awaited steak dinner, and yet we cannot resist ordering some nibbles with our drinks, and we go with our waiter’s recommendation of Shrimp Tempura. The shrimps are large and juicy, the fried coating is crispy and dry, not at all oily, and they come whimsically served in a roulette of shot glasses, each pre-dipped in sweet chilli sauce.

Pivnaya Apteka is a fun breath of fresh air in the glitz of Port Baku: definitely a recommended location for a fun night out, or some pre-dinner drinks!