The space does away with the traditional separation between dining room and bar. Instead, a large communal table anchors the interior, becoming the natural centre of gravity around which the life of the cantina unfolds. A low-slung bar counter, an open kitchen, generous shared tables and a restrained material palette free from decorative excess all serve the same purpose: to create an atmosphere where guests feel less like visitors and more like they have been welcomed into the home of good friends. The cocktail list was developed in-house, drawing on the flavours and traditions of Latin America while avoiding direct reproductions and literal interpretations of familiar recipes.
The concept revolves around the cantina. Originally, the term referred to Italian wine cellars where tasting tables first began to appear. It later found its way into Spain, evolving into a place people visit not only to eat and drink, but to linger over conversation. The closest comparison is the neighbourhood pub — interpreted through a distinctly Latin American lens, both in the kitchen and behind the bar.
The name comes from a Spanish term with no direct translation in our language. Sobremesa refers to the time spent lingering around the table after a meal has ended, when no one is in a hurry to leave because the conversation and the company have become the main event. It is this feeling that lies at the heart of the entire concept.
The kitchen was approached with the same mindset. Inspired by a piece of advice from Zhora Kucherenko (Se-Se), who once said that the best chefs are bartenders, the founders chose not to search for a head chef and instead developed the menu themselves. What emerged is a food offering built around finger food and shareable plates: olives with chimichurri, nachos with cheese sauce or salsa and jalapeños, tapas with guacamole or chorizo, and white bean hummus with tomatoes and chilli oil. The calling card of the menu is a range of Cuban-style sandwiches served on corn flatbreads. Fillings include pork, turkey, mortadella and cheese, or beef paired with romesco sauce and tomatoes. They have already earned a loyal following among regular guests.
Beer receives the same level of attention. Sobremesa partners with Barcelona-based brewery Grupo Damm, and the drinks programme features a particularly notable wheat beer developed in collaboration with Ferran Adrià, the chef under whose leadership El Bulli was awarded three Michelin stars. Created as a gastronomic alternative to white wine, it is served in a wine glass rather than a beer mug.
