Bottega Bernacca, an Italian restaurant concept acclaimed in Brazil, has opened its doors in Barcelona. Badalona-born chef Gerard Barberan and his partner, restaurateur Davide Bernacca, bring their successful culinary venture to Calle Bonavista, 10, next to Jardincillos de Gràcia, a vibrant area where Passeig de Gràcia meets Diagonal Avenue.
The new establishment aims to replicate its Brazilian success in Barberan's home region. The partners are already well-known in Brazil, operating five restaurants under the Bottega Bernacca brand. They also own Kuro, a high-end Japanese restaurant that holds a Michelin star.
Bottega Bernacca offers a sense of understated luxury. Its cuisine appears simple and humble. However, chefs prepare it with top-quality ingredients and without excessive embellishment. Many dishes are finished tableside, creating an engaging and lively atmosphere for diners.
A Focus on Authentic Italian Pasta
The restaurant places a strong emphasis on pasta, treating its preparation with almost ritualistic care. Chefs ensure all pasta is served perfectly al dente. Dry pasta cooks for 12 to 14 minutes, while fresh pasta requires only 4 to 5 minutes. This precise cooking method achieves a crisp, al dente texture. It allows guests to fully appreciate the sauce ingredients, making the dishes more digestible and wholesome.
The menu, though not extensive, offers sufficient variety with many dishes designed for sharing. Starters include Coppa Joselito, an excellent Parmigiana-style aubergine, and an exquisite tomato tartare. Other sharing options feature a traditional pasta frittatina with vodka and scamorza cheese, tonnata tongue, and sirloin carpaccio with Café de Paris butter. The restaurant serves sourdough bread alongside a Brazilian-inspired roll, prepared locally.
Celebrating Local Catalan Produce
Fresh pasta, such as the egg yolk raviolo with fresh black truffle, is made in-house. Dry pasta comes from artisan pasta makers. Gerard Barberan expressed his enthusiasm for local ingredients. He stated, "As a Catalan, I feel passionate about produce. I am incredibly excited to work with such excellent raw materials from our gardens and our sea."
This immediate access to high-quality local produce contrasts sharply with the challenges Barberan faced in Brazil. There, vast distances often made contact with suppliers an ordeal, with some located days away and poorly connected. The ability to visit Catalan farms or fishing boats within hours represents a dream come true for the chef. This commitment to local sourcing extends to the main courses, which include Livornese cod, grilled monkfish, and a robust beef chop.
Dining Experience and Wine Selection
Bottega Bernacca opens for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, between 19:00 and 23:30. The average cost per person is approximately 60 euros. The culinary philosophy centres on respecting high-quality, seasonal ingredients. Pasta sauces range from classic and flawless cacio e pepe, carbonara, or pugliese to simple yet magnificent spaghettoni with tomato.
Accompanying the pasta dishes are local pantry items. These include Roman-style artichokes, slow-cooked with aromatic herbs and spices for a soft, velvety texture. Guests can also choose mozzarella with tomato, DOP mortadella with stracciatella and pistachios, or A5 wagyu bresaola with superb marbling. For dessert, the tiramisu receives perfect execution.
The wine cellar currently features 82 selections of local and Italian wines, with a focus on sparkling varieties. Notably, Davide Bernacca's personal inclusive viticulture project, Le Galline, is a highlight of the selection. The restaurant plans to expand its wine list further as the partners visit more winemakers.
Barberan and Bernacca met in Ibiza and have collaborated for ten years, establishing six Bottega Bernacca restaurants. Their Japanese restaurant, Kuro, in Brazil, awaits the upcoming Michelin qualifications. They hope to revalidate its existing star and potentially earn a second. With Bottega Bernacca, the partners aim to achieve similar recognition and success in Barcelona, bringing their celebrated Italian concept to Barberan's homeland.
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Originally published by ABC Cataluña. Read original article.
