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Sips

Barcelona

• Accolades

Immersive cocktail journey from two of the world's best

Opened in 2021 by industry stalwarts Simone Caporale and Marc Alvarez, Sips has quickly redefined expectations for modern cocktail experiences globally. Caporale, famous for his transformative tenure leading London's Artesian to global prominence, and Alvarez, who spent over a decade guiding liquid innovation for Albert Adrià's legendary restaurant group, combined their recognised talents to create a venue mixing the seriousness of fine dining with the playfulness of a cocktail bar.

The bar's design completely does away with traditional physical barriers: instead of a conventional long counter separating bartender from guest, Sips features open, central island workstations. This set-up allows patrons to watch the team craft drinks from every angle, creating an immersive atmosphere – a cocktail theatre of sorts. The cocktail menu showcases extraordinary creativity, technical skill and, in some cases, whimsical presentation. Notable signature creations include the Nixtamil, where a tangy red fruit reduction is licked off a handheld mirror before sipping a complex blend of bourbon, corn and miso distillate. Classic cocktails also receive imaginative twists, such as the popular Tommy's Margarita enhanced with fresh strawberry purée and spicy yellow aji pepper.

For those seeking an even deeper dive into flavour experimentation, Caporale and Alvarez introduced Esencia within the same venue space. Seating just 14 guests, this intimate bar within a bar offers a multi-course liquid tasting menu that pushes the boundaries of texture, temperature and aroma. Uncompromising in its pursuit of innovation while remaining remarkably approachable, Sips was named The World's Best Bar in 2023 and keeps setting international standards.

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