La Fianna

Porktie discovers a medieval magnate that puts the beat in the heart of Born.

This month Porktie is encouraging our readers to scratch at the surface of Born and take a wander around the stony labyrinth of side streets in order to make discoveries. After all, life is about discovery. And if you do this, we promise that you will be rewarded.

Just a short trip from the tourist trap bars of Plaça Reial and Las Ramblas lies a hidden gem that once found, will have you wishing you’d looked sooner. Glowing softly amidst the shadows of a typically narrow stone street lies La Fianna; one of Barcelona’s finest bars that typifies Born’s contemporary chic. All too often in modern bars ‘sleek and stylish’ can mean ‘cold and clinical’. The minimalist ‘clean lines’ of countless bars across the city become predictable, unwelcoming and faceless.

La Fianna is not just a different bar; it’s a different category. As you enter through the giant, rustic wooden doors you are bathed in candlelight and warmed by the illuminated walls of this uber-cool bar. La Fianna’s owners have successfully achieved the sense of ‘old meets new’ to stunning effect; with exposed stonewalls and a medieval vaulted ceiling framing the sleek and stylish central space.

The atmosphere has to be felt to be believed. Soft seating and sumptuous cushions create such a sense of luxury that you could be forgiven for thinking you were in an exclusive lounge club. But La Fianna’s opulence is taken one stage further with the addition of red cushioned beds (yes, beds!) that are as comfortable as they are cool. And once you kick off your shoes, climb onto one of the hand-crafted beds and chink cocktail glasses with your friends we predict that you won’t want to go anywhere else.

The focal point of the venue -beautifully lit by the gentle glow of medieval wall lamps on the stonework- is the fully stocked cocktail bar. The drinks menu is a catalogue of temptation, and is almost as exotic as the La Fianna’s highly respected food menu.

The kitchen serves up dishes from all corners of the globe, featuring flavours from Thailand, Japan, Morocco and more. The first class cuisine is served in the ambient dining room; separated from the main bar area by a glass wall ensuring that La Fianna succeeds both as a restaurant and as a bar with natural ease.

Of course no bar would be complete without its music, and La Fianna, in its own words “puts the beat in the heart of Born” – and it’s hard to disagree. La Fianna has been providing Born’s revelers with an infectious soundtrack since 2003.

La Fianna truly is a relaxing retreat complete with elevated beds, low level cushioned seating and lavish surroundings. Yet even with its welcoming warmth it still manages to be the last word in cool. With a restaurant providing something for every palette, a mouthwatering cocktail menu and a truly special atmosphere it’s not hard to see why La Fianna has become such a favourite of Born’s cool Catalan crowd.

What are you waiting for? Step into the shadow’s and head to La Fianna - this hidden gem is awaiting your discovery.