This is the new Poblenou: drinks and “cool” snacks (El Periódico article, 18 Nov)

The most famous and artistic urban district is constantly being reborn, thanks to bars and venues charged with an enriched ambiance and imagination . This area is always on the cutting edge. 

Today adventure calls. I hear you humming the old Smiths song absentmindedly: «Take me out tonight, where there’s music and there’s people, who are young and alive». So tell me, when was the last time you dropped by Poblenou? Because yes: in line with the title of that pop hit, I will tell you that in the environs that go from Torre Glòries to Bogatell beach there is a light that never goes out. It’s been a long time since Poblenou ceased to be an factory area, isolated from the city. The industrial neighborhood has become an artistic and cool urban district. The Catalan Manchester is constantly renewing itself thanks to the emergence of sparkling venues. OK, stop nudging me. We’ll be right out.

Glasses and neons

Suppose you want to impress that special someone. You choose to start the tour on the Maginot line where the Diagonal separates worlds. By the time it takes you to mumble the words “Torre Glòries” you will have entered The Hoxton, Poblenou (Avinguda de la Diagonal, 205), right next to it. On the hotel ground floor you can spend a chic evening at the elegant Four Corners pizzeria. They serve unparalleled Detroit style portions, high dough served in square shapes. The best would be the terrace or the lounge with its soft lighting and distinguished furniture. They also organize musical evenings, such as ‘Get funked’ on Wednesdays. Enjoy one of their natural wines while the evening wears on. You’ve already scored. 

Hip hop and spectacular cocktails

But if you really want to make the night weightless, the best thing to do is to let yourself be carried away by the neon lights of  Trash Talk (Pere IV, 244). Next door to the phenomenal Sala Beckett, this venue’s mainstays are hip hop sounds and spectacular cocktails, as well as glorious international urban food. It’s a favorite haunt of the neighborhood’s hipsters. Its charming wooden terrace and the stools on both sides of the window are promptly appealing.

Trash Talk is the favorite place of the Poblenou’s hipster.

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Inside, you are invaded by the playful beat of the music and the popular imagery parade begins: The Notorious B.I.G. greets you in garish colors at the entrance. Waiters wear a cap as an essential item of the uniform. On one of the tables, you can see Woody, from ‘Toy Story’,  drowning his sorrows in a whisky. Pepe raps some verses while agitating the shaker. Musical selection is top-notch. The cinematic references continue throughout the posters advertising its 2×1 afterworks and in the bar where the saw from ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ hangs, with portraits of countless celebrities, from Raffaella Carrà to Catwoman. Trash Talk is a killer, and its founders, Pepe, Pablo, Martín and Juan, couldn’t be more euphoric: on Saturday 19 November they celebrate their first anniversary in style.

Eighties Vibes

The sexiest option is to have another one at Trikini (Pujades, 226), a place with an eighties feel that fantasizes about eternal summer. Its recipe of Martinis and bikinis, its ‘street fusion’ menu, plus the tropical cruise ship setting, with towels and swimming costumes topping off a bamboo and glass room, are a real trip. The spanish star system nostalgia and the basement that recreates a pool of nocturnal reflections make it an ideal paradise for lovers of endless nightlife.

The terrace of Local 225, at the same number in Doctor Trueta street.

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If the night takes you to the open-air terrace of Local 225  (Doctor Trueta, 225), you’re on the right track. This neighborhood bar with a rogue touch transmits good vibes. A handmade joint ideal for starting the day with a vermouth in its generous square, or for rounding off the day with tapas, cocktails and music.

On the other side of the neighborhood, Cacho (Llull, 27) offers similar versatility: you can enjoy a spectacular cheeseburger in the sun or, like the well-heeled kids who crowd around its privileged corner, grab the last one before heading to Razzmatazz or WOLF.

Related news 

By day and by night, Poblenou is always reborn. 

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