Bar Break is a neighbourhood cocktail bar on Katendrecht, founded in 2023 by Salvo Calvo and Rick de Groot. The focus is on cocktails, with wines, beers and small bites alongside. The bar runs cocktail workshops, takes groups of up to 50, and has a deli next door.
NY Basement is in the basement of Hotel New York on the Kop van Zuid, built around an 11 metre cocktail bar. Bartenders shake creative cocktails at the bar, while the kitchen serves seasonal dishes and a chef's menu for those who stay to dine. On the first Sunday of each month it holds Sinatra Sunday with live music.
The Rumah is a neighbourhood cocktail pub on the Oude Binnenweg, founded by Edward Nijhoff and Daryl Lieuw-On in an old pub on one of the few city centre streets that predate the war. Rumah means home in Indonesian, and the drinks list is built around rum. The bar hosts guest shifts, brunches, masterclasses and cocktail workshops, with a soundtrack of 80s hits and hip hop.
Botanero brings the Latin American mix of bar, restaurant, cantina, and tasting room to Rotterdam, serving cocktails, botanas, and South American dishes with a local twist. The kitchen cooks fresh and house-made, leaning on Rotterdam suppliers and seasonal produce.
Spikizi is a small speakeasy-style cocktail bar tucked into a side street of the Witte de Withstraat, named after the phrase speak easy. It serves a menu of about 20 cocktails and small snacks, with a DJ booth and projection screen for events such as silent discos and cocktail workshops. It is walk-in only.
These are the cocktail bars specifically. The full Rotterdam guide ranks the best bars of every style, and the directory lists all 5 with a map and filters.
Best bars in Rotterdam