438 Church St
Richmond Victoria 3121
(03) 9428 0055
This is yet another hidden gem that typifies what Melbourne is all about. Der Raum is one of the grooviest uber cool cocktails bars that I have been to.
Located in Richmond near the corners of Swan and Church Streets, you would easily wander past it without noticing a thing. But behind the obscure door is a whole other world.
Der Raum hosts a revival of the lost art of classic cocktail making in a dark moody setting, complete with low burning candles and glass bottles suspended from the ceiling.
The cocktail list is amazing and very extensive, sometimes needing an explanation. The staff use recipes from a bygone age and reinvent them with modern ingredients and freshly squeezed flavours. No cordials or syrups are used here, with all juices hand pressed directly from premium fruit.
Some that we tried included the Jamaican Black Strap, made up of Jamaican rum, tart pomegranate, sultanas and ginger beer. It comes in a small bottle in a brown paper bag and looks like something a homeless person on the street would be swilling from!
Another very novel one was the ‘Pharmacy’ which is pear and roasted capsicum gin, administered sweet Italian bitters and a citrus pill. This is a tribute to artist Damien Hirst. It comes sewed on a silver tray with a syringe that you put into the medicine bottle that you drink from, and a pill!
They are really something to see and more importantly to taste!!
The cocktails are not cheap but when you see what goes into them and how they are presented, you won’t mind.
My only criticism is that because the cocktails are so complex to make, they take quite a while to assemble and it is not the quickest turnaround, so if it is busy, it may take a while to get served.
The staff are friendly, extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. I would definitely recommend a visit!
