Tucked on a side street in Barcelona’s El Born district, and hidden behind the faux refrigerator door of an unassuming pastrami bar lies a slice of paradise for lovers of creative cocktails and stylish speakeasies– called, appropriately enough, Paradiso. Just a stone’s throw from legendary tapas eatery Cal Pep, and walking distance from famed Barceloneta Beach, bar manager and master mixologist Giacomo Giannotti has created a hipster haven worthy of Barcelona’s trendiest neighborhood (think Barcelona’s version of Soho).
Paradiso’s secret door may be its most talked about feature, but the novel entry is only one of many reasons to visit this Born hotspot. Through this portal lies a sleek and sexy space – with a long bar in the front room and table seating in a separate rear room. Wall-to-wall grooved art-deco style wood paneling gives the feeling of being on an old ship or in a Gaudi-designed cave, while the dim lighting and copper hues create a feeling of warmth. In the background, the music is always hip – on this night it was 80’s pop (not your traditional speakeasy sound, but a unique choice in keeping with Paradiso’s modernist vibe). For those looking for a late night snack, the pastrami bar out front acts as more than just a façade, providing a small but tasty selection of sandwiches and comfort food to Paradiso’s patrons.
But the real stars of the show at Paradiso are the drinks and the bartenders. Giannotti’s beautiful backlit menu features an assortment of inventive concoctions – all as tasty and well thought out as they are visually captivating and Instagram-friendly. There’s the Great Gatsby, presented under a shroud of smoke, and the Tiki Monkey, which is consumed from the head of a monkey (don’t worry, it’s just a mug). There’s the Solera Presidente, served in a large smoking pipe, and the Mediterranean Treasure, served in a seashell and presented in a treasure box. There’s the Salvador Dali Manhattan and the Supercool Martini and the Persian Sling. There are cocktails prepared with blow torches and others set upon dry ice. In short, every drink is an experience. Paradiso also offers an array of non-alcoholic drinks – and feel free to imbibe using your preferred choice of straw (bamboo, pasta, or yes, even plastic).
The bartenders at Paradiso live up to the lofty standards set by Giannotti, winner of the 2014 World Class bartender competition for Spain and a 2019 nominee for Best European Mixologist. They are friendly, talkative, and energetic, but at the same time serious drink makers, working diligently to complete their labor-intensive creations. Given the intricacy of Paradiso’s cocktails and their elaborate presentations, their efforts are more akin to chefs cooking meals than to typical bartenders making drinks. In a city known for its artists, these are merely artists of a different kind.
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Paradiso is located on Carrer de Rera Palau, and is open nightly from 7 PM to 2:30 AM.
