Bar Bolivar comes to us from the team behind piri piri chicken maestros Casa do Frango.
South American resistance hero Simón Bolívar may already have a country named after him, but of more pressing importance to us is a new bar which will bear El Libertador’s name: Bar Bolivar. Opening in Canary Wharf later this month, the bar will be inspired by the design, culture, and lifestyle of Old Havana – so whilst the weather might be crap, the atmosphere here will be caliente!
Bar Bolivar will be modelled on 1950s Havana, with all the sumptuous charm and old-school Latin American charm that entails – there are even rumours of an indoor fountain, which is very exciting. It’s a nod to co-founder Jake Kasumov’s upbringing in Havana, and will draw inspiration from the glamorous bars which line Havana’s streets. Given Kasumov and partner Marco Mendes’ success in bringing authentic piri piri chicken and Portuguese small plates to town at Caso do Frango, you can expect this tribute to be a loving one.
Cocktails will draw inspiration from the city and its frequent guests (most notably seen in The Hemingway Highball, made with white rum, cherry soda, cranberry juice, and vermouth), whilst Venezuelan street food outfit Pabellón are running the food. If you’ve happening upon them at the South Bank food market on Lower Marsh, you’ll already be raving about their arepas, but Latin bar snacks are also likely to be on the menu here, along with a lip-smacking Cuban sandwich.
Bar Bolivar is set to open in Reuters Plaza in Canary Wharf on October 20, and we’ll keep you updated with more pictures and information as soon as we have it. Don’t worry, we’ll all be sipping on a Cuba Libre before long…