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Alquímico

Cartagena

• Accolades
• Michter's Art of Hospitality Award 2026
• The Best Bar in South America 2026, sponsored by Rémy Martin

A coliseum of carnival on Colombia’s Caribbean coast

Jean Trinh and Paola Oviedo's Alquímico is not just a bar, it's a landmark of Latin hospitality. Be ready – brimming out of its colonial building in the vibrant Caribbean city of Cartagena is three storeys of full-on fiesta. 

As you enter, the courtyard island bar is a show of its own. An all-female bartending crew create some of the most creative and evocative drinks in Colombia, all the while dancing and occasionally breaking out into full-on choregraphed routines. The cocktails and food here are an ode to Colombia with the ground floor menu built around a partnership with disadvantaged farmers who grow rare, regional ingredients in the previously war-torn Montes de Maria. There are plenty of exotic concoctions to try, not least the Corn, with viche (artisanal spirit), Andean root vegetable, dragon fruit, corn and chili.

Climb the showpiece staircase and you'll find views of the thrumming courtyard bar beneath and a slight – only slight – slowing of the pace. Here it's all about familiar classic cocktails viewed though a Colombian foil. You hear the rooftop bar before you see it. The energy here ratchets up – a packed floor of revellers bouncing to the reggaeton beat. The vibe might be vertical drinking but the drinks are no less upstanding – made as they are from organic ingredients grown at the Alquímico farm, which was built during the pandemic by the bar's very own bartenders.

Come to Alquímico for the carnival spirit, but know that behind every sip there are people and stories. Communities empowered, schools built, opportunities created, which is one of the many reasons it was named the winner of the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award at this year's edition of The 50 Best Bars.

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