Rum Trader is one of Berlin’s oldest cocktail bars, and certainly among its most legendary. A speakeasy before speakeasies came back into fashion, the bar does almost nothing to announce its presence to the residential street on which it’s located. Even if you know where to go, you might not gain admittance to the very intimate barroom area. (Dressing up will help.) If they have space for you—there can’t be room for more than 20 or 30 people—and if the bartender/owner likes the cut of your style, you can enjoy some of the most delicious (and potent) cocktails Berlin has to offer. As the name suggests, they specialize in rum-based cocktails, but order something with gin and it will probably be just as inspired.
