There are not so many establishments that can boast of having reached 90 years of life in a city as changing as Barcelona is. It was celebrated a few weeks ago by the historic Boadas cocktail bar, which is now co-owned by bartenders Marc Álvarez and Simone Caporale. The Velodromo Bar on Muntaner Street has also celebrated nine decades, which opened in 1933 and became a meeting point for young intellectuals who marked the cultural life of the Catalan capital.
The history of this establishment begins a few years earlier, when Manuel Pastor and Pilar Boné, recently arrived from Teruel, embarked on the opening of a restaurant: Casa Manolo. His establishment joined a Barcelona landscape that had nothing to do with what it is now: the central part of Eixample was beginning to take shape and those who started their businesses in this district designed by Ildefons Cerdà did not have it easy, recounts chronicler Lluís Permanyer in a newspaper that the house has published for its 90th anniversary. The commitment to simple and abundant cuisine and the closeness and kindness with customers that this young couple practiced made their restaurant gradually consolidate.
The idea was for the couple's son, Manuel Pastor Boné, to take the reins of the business, but he had other plans and went to see the world, ignoring his parents' wishes. He returned in 1921, after the death of his father, at which time he reconsidered the family business. He acquired a neighboring lot, number 213 Muntaner Street, and with the help of an architect he renovated the space, which now had two floors (he would live on the third). He also got rid of the name Casa Manolo and, due to his love of cycling, chose to call it Velodrome.
The place was decorated with class, explains Permanyer, with warm colors and lots of wood: "It was austere, but elegant, with a slight mix of classic and art deco." In this renovated establishment full of cozy spaces and with an imposing mahogany staircase in the center, he installed a pool table and another carom table, and although three years after its inauguration the Civil War began, Pastor did relatively well.
He won over his clientele while he cheated with the food shortages that always accompanies war, until he was denounced for red flags and had to close for three months. If he was saved from a worse fate, it was precisely because of the friendships he made at the Bar Velodromo, which despite the obstacles along the way, survived the war and the post-war period, avoiding fashions and remaining faithful to its essence. Little by little it became a meeting point for the young scholars of the time and its tables hosted multiple gatherings.
Another Manuel, in this case named Pastor Salvat, inherited the establishment, without ever altering its shape or decoration. Towards the 80s, it became popular among youth and, above all, students, who came there attracted by the antiquity and comfort of the space. It was always packed, but that didn't stop its owner from closing it in 2000. He wanted to retire in peace and not be aware of the business at all times, a habit that his mother did have.
The story of the Velodrome Bar could have ended there, but Moritz bought it and kept it alive. The Pilar Lebanon studio was in charge of restoring it, recovering the original art deco appearance and the first bar it had. The remodeling, which maintained the furniture from yesteryear, the moldings, the railing and the staircase, as well as other hallmarks such as the billiards, lasted several years. Finally, and after some delays, the reopening took place in 2009, an event that was used to celebrate a large party attended by hundreds of people.
For its nine decades, the Bar Velódromo offers a series of activities, starting with a special menu designed by Alkimia chef, Jordi Vilà, and executive chef Albert Mas. Through nine dishes, it will consist of a journey through the history of Barcelona that will fuse the Catalan gastronomic heritage with innovative techniques.
The launch of a fresh, unfiltered limited edition beer in collaboration with Moritz is another of the actions that will be part of the celebration of the 90th anniversary of this house, as well as a street party in spring to which they will be invited all the residents of Passatge Lluís Pellicer.
