Barcelona’s Tipsy History

Barcelona has quite an interesting history – including an ongoing desire to become a separate country from the rest of Spain! So it should be no surprise that there are bars and restaurants with history and stories of their own, especially in the Gothic Quarter and El Born neighborhood.

For example, 4 Gats (or Els Quatre Gats in Catalan) opened in 1897 and was a magnet for artists and writers including Picasso, who held his first exhibition here. After being closed for a few years, it reopened in 1989 and still looks like something out of 1920s Spain. The food and drinks are authentic and tasty. It’s definitely worth a visit!

Picasso was also a patron of Boadas, an upscale cocktail bar that’s been around since 1933. It’s an easy walk to the north end of La Rambla. 

Not historic enough for you?  How about a bar that’s been around since 1820? Bar Marsella is one of the oldest in the city and was frequented not only by Picasso, but also Hemingway, Dali, and Gaudi were said to enjoy a pour or two here – particularly the absinthe! We were able to enjoy a nice Manhattan, but not without asking more than once. They prefer to keep it simple and with cash if you have it. Again, worth the walk through the Gothic Quarter to Raval.

Writers and artists also spent time over the years at Bar del Pi, known to be one of the oldest remaining tapas bars in the city, founded in 1927. We enjoyed a visit on the upstairs terrace with some excellent food and drinks, including a mug of the local brew. They also have a lovely patio space on the square, which is common in Barcelona.

Speaking of historic squares, the Placa Reial (or Royal Place) is a lovely outdoor space just off La Rambla with a variety of bars and restaurants. We found it to be just as busy and vibrant at night as during the day. It’s also a bit #offthetipsypath, but well worth seeking out!

One of our favorite spots on the Placa Reial is Ocana. We wandered up one evening and the gentleman in drag (yes, and he looked fabulous!!!) escorted us to an outdoor table. The drinks and paella were so good, we missed the live jazz inside! Ocana is actually three very distinct spaces including a separate cocktail bar – Apotheke – downstairs. We highly recommend taking time to explore them all!

Rei de Copes is also a great spot on the square to soak up the sights over a cocktail on the patio. And we heard great things about Pipa Club, but they weren’t open the night we were on the square.

Our experience at Ocana isn’t unique – Barcelona is an extremely walkable city where sometimes you can just wander into some amazing cocktails!

Case in point – Especiarium. We probably walked past this intimate spot a dozen times on our way through Born before we stopped in. And we are so glad we dropped by! The mixologists here are as creative as any we found on the “best of” list. Our cocktails were served with wooden boxes on the side and we were encouraged to open the box and inhale the contents after taking each sip to get the most of the flavors in the drink. What a creative way to enhance the experience!

Just down the street from there is yet another example of what we’ll call “fortunate drinking.” We found our way into Dux to meet a friend and wound up having some amazing cocktails. Dux labels itself as a gin joint, but don’t sleep on the bourbon and wine!

Barcelona is full of lively squares and outdoor patio spaces. We found Ina as we were walking through a square and decided to stop for some wine and tapas. Same goes for Travel Bar, which was recommended as a good stop for tourists. We enjoyed espresso martinis in their outdoor space as the bar inside was busy with a cocktail class.

And finally, there are quite a few breweries or brewpubs in Barcelona, some with outdoor spaces. We enjoyed an afternoon at Black Lab Brewhouse & Kitchen on their patio. It’s an American-style brewery founded by two Americans from Chicago. Check them out if you are down near the Barceloneta beach!

We hope we’ve said enough to get you excited to visit Barcelona for yourself. Let us know what you think!

🍷 Best Bars in Barcelona (and the world) 🍷

If Barcelona, Spain isn’t on your list, it should be! The coastal city in the Catalonia region is much bigger and more beautiful than we expected. And did we mention that there are no less than four of the top 50 best bars in the world here?  Yes, we visited them all! The city is so big and so diverse that we could never reflect everything in one post. So we’ll focus on the coolest and most historic bars we visited, most of which are centered in the Born district and Gothic Quarter, two of the most historic neighborhoods in the city.

First, the cocktail bar voted #1 in the world according to World’s Best Bars in 2023 and #3 in 2024 – Sips. This is a classic cocktail bar with lots of wood and leather and intimate lighting with one exception – the bar is in the middle of the room instead of along the wall. The mixologists create their award-winning cocktails from every angle of the bar space. And the payoff is a full menu of tasty and creative drinks! We enjoyed one that included a side of bubbles – yes, the kind you blow with a wand.

Now, we can’t go any further without digging into our favorite cocktail place on the entire trip and deserving of a spot on the 2024 World’s Best Bars. Paradiso has it all in our opinion. From the time we walked in the door, (behind an unassuming sandwich shop) the staff was welcoming and friendly and clearly enjoy their jobs. We scored two seats at the bar and marveled at the acrobatics of the bartenders as they created cocktails that were incredibly presented and tasted just as good. Make sure you ask about their back-room speakeasy but be prepared for a cheeky answer as they keep the mystery. Hint – it’s a restroom… or is it? This is our #tipsypick for sure!

There’s no question about the previous life of our next cocktail spot. Dr. Stravinsky proudly embraces its heritage as a former apothecary space. It’s worth it to grab a cocktail and walk around all three floors. The shelves are lined with their own brand of spirits and other interesting items on display. The menus are just as creative. The “Manhattan Essences” was particularly good. It’s a fat-washed version of the classic Manhattan.

One of the best dinners we had in Barcelona was at a restaurant called Speakeasy. Yes, the name is accurate as the space appears to be a former storage room turned into an upscale dining room. To enter you ring a doorbell at an unmarked door. The wine and cocktails were superb as was the food.

The restaurant is connected to a historic cocktail bar called Dry Martini. This elegant spot has been around for more than four decades, serving the signature dry martini. When it opened, that was all they served. The menu has expanded since then, but the flavor of the space remains unchanged – lots of dark wood, leather chairs and a martini recipe on full display along with servers in white shirts who can guide you along the way. It was the first European bar to make the World’s 50 Best list, and deservedly so. And the martinis are indeed as good as you would expect. They also make an excellent Gimlet. 

Ever been to a bar hidden behind a beverage cooler? That’s Supermercat! This intimate cocktail bar is hidden from the street as a beverage cooler. The only giveaway is the person at the door. Don’t be surprised if you have to wait to get in – there are only about a dozen seats. That means there’s not a bad view in the house to watch the mixologists at work (and to enjoy it!)

All the bars we have mentioned so far are relative newcomers compared to the rest of our list. We look forward to sharing them in our next post. Share your faves below. Merci!

Cape Fear Cocktails Part 2 – Favorites on Carolina Beach

Carolina Beach is just down the Cape Fear coast from the Port City of Wilmington, North Carolina and has seen its popularity boom in recent years. It’s called “Pleasure Island” for a reason (or maybe many reasons)! Thankfully, the growth comes with some new places for great cocktails! 

Like Wilmington, don’t miss the classic bars along the Boardwalk. Most of them stay open late and offer cheap food and drink options, as well as live music, karaoke, and other entertainment. Ocean Grill and Sea Witch are local favorites… but those aren’t exactly #offthetipsypath.

One boardwalk location literally rises above the rest. The Tropical is a three-story restaurant and bar facing the midway and offering some of the best views on the boardwalk from its rooftop bar. The drink menu includes a variety of frozen cocktails that are refreshing and potent! They also have a nice selection of beer on tap, wine, and liquor. Definitely worth a walk up the stairs!

The beach might not make you think “wine bar…” but you should keep an open mind when it comes to The Vault! Like the name implies, it’s a wine bar in the heart of Carolina Beach that used to be a bank. The vault is intact and serves as a bottle room. It’s just as much a locals’ hangout as tourists, so you know we liked it! They even make a good margarita with wine! And by the way, they are also a coffee shop complete with a drive thru. Hard to go wrong here!

Next door, you’ll find an excellent place for cocktails and food at Seaworthy Kitchen & Bar. We found a very tasty Manhattan and Old Fashioned as well as a nice wine list and a seafood charcuterie board! It’s a great date night spot that almost makes up for the loss of the Deck House.

Now, you can get a cold beer in Carolina Beach just about anywhere… it’s the beach! But here are a couple spots that are #tipsypicks for us…

Good Hops Brewing is the only brewery on the island but they do a fantastic job with a variety of styles and a welcoming space, indoor and out! They even have a disc golf course behind the patio that’s very popular. If you can’t decide on a beer, get a flight… or a seltzer if you prefer. They are also proudly women-owned and brewed!

And last but certainly not least, the place that has to be seen to be believed… voted best dive bar in North Carolina… the Fat Pelican. This is one place we visit on every trip to Carolina Beach. The entire place is eye candy – old signs, mismatched furniture, even an old boat in the outdoor space! Drinks are simple – visit the walk-in cooler and pick your favorites or order wine at the bar. This is our #tipsypick for any trip to Carolina Beach!

One side note, we’ve heard good things about Brunches as far as food and cocktails go, so we’ll have to check them out next time!  They opened after our latest visit. 

We hope you find your happy place and if you do, let us know where we should go next!

Favorite Cocktails on the Cape Fear Coast – Wilmington

If you’ve never been… Wilmington, North Carolina is a historic riverfront town on the southern coast of North Carolina with lots of history and character. We have spent a good bit of time there in the last two decades. It has its share of dive bars like any good river town – the city is on the banks of the Cape Fear River. But there are also lots of great places for great cocktails!

We’ll start with some of the “must do” spots that have been around long enough to be worth it. Hell’s Kitchen and Copper Penny are two classic places for food and drinks. Hell’s Kitchen actually opened just after the TV show Dawson’s Creek ended – it was used as a set for the final season.

There are lots of breweries now near downtown Wilmington. But Front Street Brewery was doing it right before it became a thing. As we mentioned, there are some fantastic dive bars: Blue Post, Lula’s (it’s in a basement tunnel), Barbary Coast. And for fancy drinks - Circa 1922 has been serving amazing food, wine and cocktails for more than two decades. Definitely a #tipsypick for date night.

Now, for the newest tipsy picks in the Port City!

Life’s too short… start with dessert! That’s what we did when our evening started out with not one, but a flight of espresso martinis at Concorde Espresso Bar! At its roots, this is a historic hotel bar but with some great spaces, both indoor and outdoor. Along with the espresso martinis, they also serve kits to make s’mores, both inside and outside, making it a great date night stop! 

Sometimes the best spots are the ones you wander into. That’s the case with the Fortunate Glass. This wine bar has been on the main street (Front Street) for about 15 years, but we somehow missed it. Boy, are we glad we saw it this time! The wine selection is extensive in an intimate atmosphere. The food was spot on as well. Another great date night spot full of locals.

 Speaking of date night, how about an underground cocktail bar? The Underfront Company is just that, complete with mood lighting and comfy spaces to enjoy the vibe… and great cocktails! The Smoked Benton’s Old Fashioned is a highlight. We’re not sure the bar staff knows it – but this space used to be much different as Firebelly Lounge, a well-known beer and burrito spot. It became infamous as the place where actor Vince Vaughn got arrested. Look it up!

Before we get too much further, here’s our favorite discovery of the bunch – Banter. This eclectic little cocktail bar is a perfect respite from the crowds on the main street. Each room is cozy and makes you feel like relaxing for a drink (or three). The cocktail selection is creative and tasty! It’s #offthetipsypath and our #tipsypick for sure!

Blind Elephant is the closest thing to a speakeasy in the Port City. Located down a dimly lit alley, it’s a great place for an elevated cocktail experience. It was one of the first true “craft cocktail” bars in town, before that was really a thing. They have jazz fairly often, and classics like the Manhattan are excellent. 

As for alley spots, this next one caught us by surprise. On their website, Ivey in the Alley appears to be an intimate cocktail bar. The space is located down an alley and until recently was just storage space for decades. In reality, it was the liveliest spot we visited! They had a DJ playing house music and it was packed! Fortunately, we arrived early enough to have a table in the alley to enjoy our drinks. It’s worth checking out! 

Taking a little detour just outside downtown... Wilmington is home to the State Port of North Carolina. That means lots of shipping containers. But Wilmington has found a way to put some of them to good use instead of scrap metal. It’s called the Cargo District – a growing neighborhood of bars, restaurants, apartments and shops all made from or surrounded by shipping containers!

After a stroll around the neighborhood, we stopped In for refreshments at a delightful little wine and whiskey bar called The Starling. They have a small indoor space and large patio area. Their extensive bourbon selection was on display. We understand they even do bourbon flights, which could be dangerous on a summer evening. On our stop, we had the Pandan Express – a wonderful summer take on a Manhattan. 

We also love to see buildings repurposed for nightlife (or day drinking)! Fermental serves beer and wine in an old garage service station in the Cargo District. The outdoor space is like your patio upgraded! They have an excellent selection on draft, in bottles and cans and to go.

On that note… you should go to Wilmington! Let us know if you do!

Up next – we’ll slide down the coast from Wilmington to one of our favorite beach destinations – Carolina Beach!