Los Barbudos

Just how many bearded ones were there in mid-last century Cuba? Well, no-one can say for sure but there are plenty to be seen at Fitzroy’s new offering Los Barbudos – the bearded ones – the name given to the Cuban militia who, when not slinging firearms or swinging base ball bats were tending to their majestic hirsuteness.

The crew behind Lily Blacks, Double Happiness and Mr. Wow’s Emporium have expanded their mini empire and added to the Smith Street food strip with this hot Cuban bar injected straight in to the middle of our chilly winter.

The rum stacked bar is smack bang in the middle of the new fit out, there are plenty of small tables at the front perfect for an intimate dinners or plotting revolutions. Walk beyond the bar (which on a busy night looks like it could get quite crowded) to a space where, come August, will be decked out with the stationary food truck ‘ El Paladar” serving slow braised lamb, Caribbean pulled pork, empanadas and the classic crunchy Cubaño sandwich.

In the drinks department, anything you would expect to find in downtown Havana you will find here – excellent malditos like tangy mint-packed mojitos, the prohibition-popular El Presidente, smooth icy daiquiris and of course neat, neat rum.

Not sure if the mustachioed trio pumping out Latin beats will be a permanent fixture, but Los Barbudos would do well to keep these guys who add to warm Caribbean night ambiance, or that could just be the abundance of candles. Keep an eye out for the little telly in the corner of the bar playing reruns of 1950’s Cuban baseball.

Photos by Jane Simkin.

LOS BARBUDOS
95 Smith St, Fitzroy
9416 0079
Wed-Sun 5pm – 1am