Definitely a shade or two more upscale than your typical Italian osteria or bottiglierie, Bistronomia’s version is dressier and its offerings, edgier. Case in point: Italian margaritas.

The chic cavern-esque interiors by Pablo & Peira can be best described as restrained rococo with rudiments of elaborate art deco styling. Seen from the street side, the inviting mezzaluna bar, which seats 10, is the main attraction and ornamental centrepiece.

In lieu of paintings, elegantly understated accents come by way of washed out salmon Pompeii-inspired wallpaper (apparently a thing in Barcelona) and mismatched armchairs upholstered in bold brocades, floral prints and burnt mustard. Including the bar, the restaurant seats 60 but the high-arched ceiling, which features a pretty wooden latticework, preserves a feeling of a much bigger, airier space.

Outfitted with fancy dividers, French bistro chairs, and cooling greenery, the patio speaks to Bistronomia’s eye for fabulous European flair. As temperatures are steadily dropping, al fresco dining will certainly be pre-empted by a slew of well-made negronis and bellinis.

Couplings at the bar is the obvious way to go here where Aperol Spritzers become the prelude to a shared bottle and cheese platter. Do order the montasio, a softer alternative for Parmigiano Reggiano lovers. Complementary to the salty and tyrosine-riddled bite of the montasio is that of the perfectly aged bresaola della valtellina. Follow this up with the outstanding smoked burrata, prosciutto and anchovies; the drama of the smoke wafting from under the bell jar merely hints at the intensity of the smokey flavours of the dish within.

Cliques of eight would do well to park themselves at a booth for the night and order the porchetta, a divine spectacle to witness as the hefty porcine belly is rolled out à la gueridon service. Lean in as the chef cracks through the perfectly crisped skin and drizzles each portion with a rich gravy.   

The big eater of the Bistronomia group is CFO Sergi Rostoll, who happily ate his way through one Italian vacation after another in the name of research. “The menu was one in half years in the making,” he says with a grin. In line with the concise nature of osteria menus, Rostoll’s curated bill of fare features two soups, four salads, two risottos and nine pasta dishes notwithstanding the carne and pesce mains. “I’ve been thinking about putting in a pizza oven, but that will come later,” he reveals.

This new dining model truly allowed Rostoll to step out of his comfort zone and push the envelope. “In relation to what we’ve been doing with Spanish cuisine (these guys are behind über popular Spanish concepts Las Flores, Rambla, Tomatito and La Lola), this really opened up my eyes to what’s out there in terms of ingredients, technique and know-how,” shares Aliaga, the group’s Chief Strategy Officer.

The pastas, for instance. Portioned just right as a main and even a heavy starter, the orecchiette (bowl-shaped pasta, cooked al dente with Italian sausage and cream nduja sauce), was a novel encounter with its thick, doughy mouthfeel. The rich pappardelle, meanwhile, with duck ragù and red cabbage was a textural dream to sink my teeth into followed by a lengthy tart aftertaste. Both highly recommended by Rostoll and Aliaga.

La dolce vita wouldn’t be so without a spoonful of their cannoli, panna cotta or tiramisu. But it is their lesser known and curious cousin, the light and frothy semifreddo alla fragola (frozen strawberry mousse with orange slices and crushed pistachio and white chocolate) that deserves a try.

And, of course to end your meal, the requisite Limoncello is a must or, for the ladies, the sweet Rosita, a wine glass drizzled with honey and embellished with dried rose petals then filled with Hendricks, Campari, rose syrup, Mancino Rosso, Cavalina grappa, and cardamom bitters.