La llibreria Cocktails — Restaurant in Barcelona

Found this place entirely by accident when wandering around the Les Corts area of Barcelona. Don’t be intimidated by the rather ornate door, or even the high end vibe. This is a place for everyone - just be brave enough to open the door and walk in! I saw at least half a dozen people peer in through the glass and turn away. Mistake!

The decor makes you feel like you’ve wandered into a 1920s speakeasy. The music sways from jazz to soul to brass band and even early RnB. The lights are low and there’s plenty of space at the bar, on high tables against the wall, or on more comfortable chairs and sofas in the back.

The menu is entirely digital and only in Spanish. So if you’re not great with your Espanyol, have Google Translate at the ready.

But, linguistics aside, it’s a great place. The drinks are definitely designed to focus on taste and balance to please the palette. It’s not like usual bars where they ply you with cheap, common brand spirits. Here they aim to give you an artisanal taste education. Expect to experience combinations of fruits and berries, herbs and spices, and even branches and leaves!

The price is very reasonable too, especially compared to London prices - you probably won’t pay more than €12.50 per drink (in June 2024). And they aren’t shy in terms of serving size either: the Al-Ándalus comes in a pint glass, adorned with purple flower petals. Then the lemon-heavy Doctora Collins (a spin on the Tom Collins) is served in a tall juice glass, filled to the brim and wearing a dehydrated lemon on top.

The staff are all friendly and can speak English if you need them to. And the toilets (while quite unique in their own way) are spotless.

If you’re nearby,...

Urgh! The worst cocktails I have ever had. They were not tasty and 6 out of 8 of us did not enjoy our drinks, we all ordered different things. The ambiance was cool but the Plaça near by has better vibes and chiller bars. I definitely would not be coming back here. When I drink a cocktail I like to enjoy different concoctions made with love. I did not think some of the flavours of the cocktails matched at all. Such a pity. We spent €10 per cocktail. The place is great but the taste is not...

Intimate and cozy atmosphere, great list of original cocktails, nice waiters who explained perfectly in English to my non Spanish speaking friends. The cocktails we tried, Cantarito and Last Word (one of the hidden cocktails not on the menu but available!) were delicious, the Old Fashioned a bit watered down according to my expert friend. Cantarito was especially original, no sweetness at all, as asked, nicely smoky and...