Donkey

The second bar of the Kong group after Bamboo opened in 2020 in Bologna, behind the Garisenda and Asinelli towers. The idea is to transport guests into an alternate reality, easy to perceive as soon as one steps through the wooden door. Entering requires a password that changes weekly and puts Donkey on the speakeasy scene. Still, thanks to some peculiar and unexpected differences, it deserves the definition of speakeasy 2.0. You need a membership card to get in, and the (musical and visual) atmosphere is reminiscent of the Fifties, with Polynesian-style furniture that includes tropical animals and plants but does not mark Donkey as a tiki bar. Bar manager Giacomo Acerbis is in charge of the cocktails, choosing a selection that’s not too complicated and draws inspiration from the classics, with infusions, fat washes, osmosis, sodas, and aromatizations. The menu always includes the bestsellers, a list growing every month, and three interpretations of the gin and tonic. There’s a strong focus on whisky and rum, also served pure and in pairing with cigars in the dedicated room, and on agave spirits.

Favorite cocktail? Vermouth and soda