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Mamba Negra

Medellín

An elevated two-for-one Colombian drinking experience

From its lofty 22nd-floor perch, this rooftop establishment is a two-for-one experience that's leading Medellín's mixology revolution. A large, elegant bar and restaurant created by the hospitality group led by bartender Juan David Zapata, any given night is propelled by a live salsa band or cumbia DJ, but is always led by drinks and dinner.

The circular bar is a magnificent focal point, bathed in low amber lighting and shadows, with dining tables and the two terraces wrapping around it. But it also has competition in the shape of the impressive 180° panorama that overlooks Colombia's second city, magical as dusk turns into nightfall. Mamba Negra is a go-to destination for groups, date nights or cocktail aficionados after a fine-drinking tasting menu.

Inspired by the city it inhabits, signature drinks include the tequila-driven Jardinero – a tribute to the 'city of eternal spring' renowned for its annual flower show – or the whisky-driven Teatro Matacandelas that pays homage to Medellín's experimental puppet theatre. Favourite dishes include oxtail rice and Korean fried chicken.

At Mamba Lab, however, the focus is strictly Colombian – reserve ahead for the eight-cocktail tasting menu paired with small bites. Guests sit around the curvaceous metal workstation in this private drinking space adorned with gadgets and tubes surely designed by a cocktail-mad professor. With each course, the illumination and music change as the bar team tells the story of Colombia through cocktails such as Arena del Caribe (Caribbean Sand) and Oro Amazónico (Amazonian Gold).

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