Bandini's — Bar Review | Condé Nast Traveler
"First impression? Part bistro, part your best friend's dining room, Bandini's has a distinct neighborhood feel. With 10 tables and a few bar stools plus the outdoor terrace, it lends itself equally well to stopping in for a cheeky glass of wine after work as it does to sticking around until long past dinner time. How’s the crowd? Lots of locals, plenty of regulars, all natural wine lovers. How are the drinks? The natural wine craze is in full force in Barcelona and few places keep the city's natty addicts as well hydrated as Bandini’s. With Catalonia making its name as one of Europe’s leading natural wine-producing regions, it’s no surprise that a lot of what’s on offer is local, with some added options from further afield (France, especially). If there’s food, is it worth ordering something to eat? Bandini’s is not a bar that also serves food, it’s a restaurant in its own right. While Carmen from Andalucia keeps the glasses clinking in the dining room, Povel from Sweden is spinning the plates in the kitchen. The dishes here are strictly seasonal, made from locally sourced ingredients and may vary from day to day. However, Povel’s recurring classics include the homey cavatelli with oxtail, black pepper and mushrooms, and the just-sweet-enough “Eton Mess” meringue with lime cream and pistachio crumble for dessert. Did the staff do you right? The overnight success of Bandini’s has a lot to do with the two young people behind the project and their professionalism and passion that infuses every sip and every bite. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for? A natural wine bar, a seasonal locavore bistro, a cozy, unpretentious neighborhood haunt, Bandini’s just keeps ticking all our boxes." - Isabelle Kliger
