At Circolo Popolare you can taste Italy with the best views of Paseo de Gracia

At night, the spectacle of Circolo Popolare intensifies with the exterior decoration of Christmas lights, which complement the energy and exuberant Sicilian style of the interior of the second restaurant that the Big Mamma group opens in Barcelona just nine months after the impressive Gloria Osteria. And the best Christmas atmosphere on Paseo de Gracia guarantees the romance of the evenings for the couples who occupy the tables near the windows, dressed in curtains that look like curtains that open onto the spectacle of the main promenade of Barcelona. Inside the establishment too The impact of the more than 10,000 bottles that cover the walls in a theatrical arrangement visible from the street.

At Circolo Popolare, everything is big: Neapolitan pizzas almost a meter long, Milanese people who love elephant ears with 550 grams of breaded beef and fried accompanied by crispy potatoes with herbs and sautéed spinach and XXL cocktails, a demonstration of gastronomic generosity that should be shared among several guests because, otherwise, you will have to ask them to pack the takeaway meals. Likewise, the antipasti of the sacred tower are abundant and varied: 250 grams of Apulian burrata with basil pesto, thin slices of cut, mortadella with tartufo, 24-month-old preciutto di Parma, fried gnocco and marinated vegetables.

With a design by Studio Kiki, the restaurant brings the soul of southern Italy to Barcelona so that visiting it feels like a trip to Sicily in the 60s on an area of ​​more than 900 square meters which is accessed by a staircase full of photographs, paintings and religious images that combine with Mediterranean fantasy, warm lights and ceramic tiles that recall coastal houses and corners full of rescued objects that tell stories. Between religious references, souvenirs of Maradona (the sinks are full of his photos), ceramic vases brought back from Italy and plant-covered skies, Circolo Popolare invites you to share and celebrate. Every corner and object tells a story, while the kitchen connects its energy and rhythm to the room to transform each guest’s visit into an authentic Italian sensory experience.

The Big Mamma group serves homemade food and that’s why uses the best ingredients from 170 artisan producers who arrive several times a week directly from Italy. Each product has a story, a family and a production method that the team of around a hundred people led by chef Daniele Tasso treats with respect and affection. The result is a menu that celebrates the richness of Italian cuisine in an environment that makes it more memorable.

Circolo Popolare is ideal to go with family or friends, as they have large tables and the food is plentiful, designed to be shared. Nothing better than starting with a cocktail like the Spice Paloma and if you don’t drink alcohol, an Amaranto Sober. The kitchen is available all day, from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 11:30 p.m.. Adriana Viteri, head of marketing and communications for Big Mamma in Spain, specifies that the group’s team has more than 2,500 people and that its expansion has been rapid since 2015, the year it opened the first restaurant in Paris, East Mamma. Since then, they have opened 32 trattorias in 8 European countries, such as Pink Mamma or its “food court” La Felicità in Paris, Carlotta in London, Bel Mondo and Villa Capri in Madrid or Coccodrillo in Berlin.

We continue with the food, at Circolo Popolare, pasta is a religion. They prepare it every day, by hand, with Italian flours and using traditional methods. Spaghetti Alla Matriciana with Solania tomato sauce and crispy guanciale is the chef’s favorite pasta and the one that usually breaks the mold is Lobster Carbo, the usual carbonara with the touch of lobster. Meanwhile, the Carbomamma, homemade spaghetti served on a Murgia pecorino wheel with Tuscan guanciale, caused a sensation with the spectacle of its preparation in front of the guests. However, the one that never fails is the Mafaldine al Tartufo, fresh pasta with seasonal black truffle from Team Tartufi.

As for pizzas, thanks to the restaurant’s 2,000-kilo Marana oven, if the group of diners is hungry enough, the crown jewel is the Epic subway pizza, with 80 centimeters of pure pleasure. In addition to its extra large format, it can be combined with different flavors: Eat It Like Is Hot, with a spicy touch of ‘nduja and spicy spianata; Zucca e Gorgonzola, a must-have with pumpkin cream, gorgonzola, pecorino slices and hazelnuts; or the Shuffle Truffle, with its black truffle cream and fresh seasonal truffle.

Other Neapolitan pizzas are the Ruota di Carretto, round and generous. Among them, the Queen Rosalia reigns supreme with its San Marzano DOP tomato sauce from Solania, prosciutto cotto, mushrooms and taggiasche olives, without forgetting the Relax, Take It Cheesy with its ultra-creamy combination of mozzarella, gorgonzola, caciocavallo, ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, irresistible. And as it could not be otherwise, the highlight of the party are the desserts. Special mention for Pistacchiomisù, a twisted version of the classic tiramisu with the benefits of pistachio; the Triple Choc, an explosion of chocolates perfect for those with a sweet tooth; or the Profiterole alla Napoletana, filled with homemade vanilla ice cream, dipped in Valrhona chocolate and caramel. Not forgetting the artisanal ice creams, made in the restaurant every morning. For those looking for an even bolder twist, the Affogato al Caffè combines vanilla ice cream and espresso, with an optional splash of liqueur for a naughty and addictive finish. Most diners leave restaurants with boxes to continue the Italian feast at home.