A historic tapas bar reopens its doors in the center of Barcelona

It closed its doors last September, but some places are too popular to be allowed to die. The historic Bar Bauma (Roger de Llíria, 124) has just reopened its iconic marquee on Roger de Llíria and Diagonal. The owner of the bar-restaurant, Joan Altarriba, transferred it to the Somos Esencia restaurant group, which owns Bestial, Barraca, and Agua. According to Altarriba, the transfer was made "on the condition that the bar remain in the hands of someone who shares our values."

The values of Bar Bauma are none other than those of everyday life and everyday use. Opened just after World War II, it was one of the first modern public spaces in the Eixample district (and as I heard Altarriba say, it was the first bar in the city to have a customer-facing television). During the 1990s and early 2000s, it became a gathering place for writers: you could meet Quim Monzón, Joan de Sagarra, or Marsé, but in reality, what was important was the calm atmosphere of the bar, in a strategic location, and the fact that you could enjoy a good breakfast or a hearty daily special.

Bauma means "shelter under rock in a shallow natural cave where light penetrates." And the dark crevice at the entrance, located under the iconic sign and between stone walls, continues to promise this. According to the management of Somos Esencia, the modernization of the premises was surgical. "The renovation of the interior was very careful; we left the bar intact, as well as the ceramic caravel detail above the coffee maker," they explain. The busy schedule remains unchanged: every day from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., "to cater to a clientele ranging from seniors to grandchildren, where everyone tells you their story at the bar when they come back," they say with satisfaction.

They also kept the breakfast menu that was the hallmark of the establishment: tortilla flute sandwiches, Iberian ham and fuet, or the classic tuna with mayonnaise and roasted peppers are a testament to the 100% Barcelona way of eating breakfast. For lunch, a hot dish or a spoon (fricandó, cuttlefish ravioli, oxtail, etc.) and a selection of classic tapas. And also the inevitable concessions for tourists queuing up at La Casa de les Punxes: tatakis, avocado and eggs Benedict on toast, but all at prices that are not gentrifying.