Paradiso
Alessandro Scire CalabrisottoShare
Step through a humble pastrami shop in Barcelona's El Born, push open what looks like a wooden fridge door, and you enter one of the greatest bars on the planet. Paradiso is a speakeasy in the truest sense — a hidden world of technically dazzling, endlessly imaginative cocktails, presided over by Giacomo Giannotti and his celebrated team. In 2022 it was crowned The World's Best Bar, and it has barely left the summit since.
History
Paradiso was founded by Giacomo Giannotti, an Italian from Carrara on the Tuscan coast who grew up in his family's gelateria — named, fittingly, Paradiso. It is from that childhood ice-cream parlour that the bar takes its name. After discovering a passion for mixology while at hotel school, Giannotti made his way first to London and then to Barcelona, where he set about building something extraordinary.
The bar opened in El Born and quickly earned a reputation for combining serious technical craft with warm, vivacious hospitality. In 2022, Paradiso was named The World's Best Bar by The World's 50 Best Bars — the first time in the ranking's history that the top spot went to a bar outside the traditional capitals of London and New York. It remains one of the most acclaimed and influential cocktail destinations anywhere.
What Makes It Special
The first thing that makes Paradiso special is the theatre of arrival: the unmarked entrance through a working pastrami shop, and the now-legendary fridge door that opens into the bar. Inside, a majestic curved wooden bar — often likened to something out of a Dali painting — sweeps through a warm, golden room.
Beyond the spectacle lies genuine substance. Paradiso is renowned for ambitious, concept-driven menus that push the boundaries of flavour, technique and presentation, reinventing themselves with each new edition. Drinks here are as intellectually engaging as they are delicious, blending cutting-edge methods with a deep respect for hospitality. It is a place that takes creativity seriously without ever taking itself too seriously.
Signature Serves
Paradiso's cocktails change with each new themed menu, so the line-up is always evolving — but its hallmarks are bold concepts, striking presentation and remarkable technical execution.
- Concept-menu signatures — elaborate, story-driven drinks created around each edition's theme.
- Technique-led cocktails — showcasing clarification, smoking, fermentation and other modern methods.
- Visually theatrical serves — garnishes and vessels designed to surprise and delight.
Visiting Paradiso
You will find Paradiso on Carrer de Rera Palau in the El Born district of Barcelona, hidden behind the Pastrami Bar. Given its global fame and intimate size, it is one of the most sought-after tables in the city, so arriving early or planning ahead is wise. Come ready to be surprised, and trust the team to guide you through the current menu.
It is an essential pilgrimage for anyone serious about cocktails — a rare bar that lives up to, and often exceeds, its considerable reputation.
Curiosity: A Fun Fact About Paradiso
The bar's name is a heartfelt tribute to Giannotti's roots: his family ran a gelateria called Paradiso in Italy, where he spent his childhood. The world's best bar, then, is named after an ice-cream shop.