The Somos Esencia restaurant group is growing in Barcelona. After closing 2023 as a historic year with a turnover exceeding 17 million euros --almost20% more than in the previous year--, the restaurant conglomerate reinforces its commitment to the Catalan capital with two new restaurants.

In early 2024 it already made its first big move with the reopening of the emblematic Bar Bauma, a restaurant with more than 50 years of history in the city. Now, with an ambitious growth plan - with a forecast turnover of 30 million in 2024 - Somos Esencia has announced to Metrópoli that it will open two new restaurants before the summer: Barraca and Fauna Café.

Reopening of Barraca

El Barraca, a restaurant in Barceloneta with a long history, has been acquired by the group and will be completely renovated. As explained to this digital Álex Mitats, executive director, there will be a comprehensive reform of the premises and the menu, although it will be committed to maintaining the historical essence of the establishment.

The opening of this project on the seafront of the Catalan capital is a great opportunity with the arrival of the America's Cup sailing competition. "The teams of the competition have already been interested in our premises and we foresee a great movement between August and October," explains Mitats. Thus, the company will reinforce its presence in Barceloneta, where it already has the restaurant Agua. 

The new Fauna Café

On the other hand, Fauna Café is a new project that will open in Arc de Triomf in "approximately one month". According to Mitats told Metrópoli, it occupies the first floor of a new building in the area and aims to offer its clientele two different concepts: an area dedicated to tapas and breakfast and another to a restaurant.

With these two acquisitions, Somos Esencia will now have seven restaurants in the Catalan capital: Bar Bauma, Fauna Café, GatoPardo, Barraca, Agua, Tierra Blava and Brisa. "We have set ourselves some very ambitious goals, but we are convinced that we have everything we need to achieve them with our gastronomic offer," says the executive director.

300 additional employees

Somos Esencia's growth will also be reflected in an increase in personnel. According to the company's road map, it will end 2024 with a workforce of around 300 employees between offices and all its stores.

The group's commitment, as they explain to this media, is focused on Barcelona because of its roots and its trajectory in the city. However, they assure that they "do not close any door" to expand their presence in prime locations in other Spanish cities in the future.

Aguathe beginning of the business

Somos Esencia is a family business with more than 30 years of experience in the sector that was born after the sale of Grupo Tragaluz to the investment fund Miura. According to the executive director, the restaurant Agua was part of the group and was left out of the operation, so the Mitats family - linked to Tragaluz in its beginnings - began to manage it. 

After the acquisition of two more restaurants, Tierra Blava and Brisa, the need to form a group was forged, which has taken a great leap forward this 2024.