Barcelona Restaurant & Bar has been serving Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired food in German Village for three decades, and the restaurant is planning a pretty full birthday celebration.
The restaurant will mark its 30th anniversary this fall with a series of dinners, wine tastings, receptions and other special events happening throughout October and November.
Barcelona opened in 1996 under founder Kyle Katz and quickly became a fixture on East Whittier Street. Scott Heimlich purchased the restaurant in 2002 and has continued to operate it ever since.
Thirty years later, Barcelona has served approximately 1.5 million guests and goes through around 6,000 bottles of wine each year.
“Thirty years is an incredible milestone, and we’re grateful to everyone who has helped make Barcelona what it is today,” Heimlich said. “It’s about the people who have walked through our doors, the employees who have dedicated years of their lives here and the generations of guests who have made Barcelona part of their traditions.”
And while plenty has changed since the restaurant opened, some things have stuck around.
The Barcelona Paella has been on the menu since day one and is now the restaurant’s best-selling menu item. The Pastel de Chocolate, or chocolate pudding cake, has also been around since 1996.
Barcelona’s anniversary is also a milestone for the buildings it occupies at 259 and 263 E. Whittier St.
The two historic German Village buildings have been around for more than 130 years, with previous lives as a saloon, recreation center, pharmacy and grocery store. The space was also home to Deibel’s, a longtime neighborhood gathering place.
Barcelona has renovated the buildings over the years, but some of that history is still visible inside. Exposed brick, an original tin ceiling and the historic oak bar are among the details that remain.
So while Barcelona has now been part of the neighborhood for 30 years, the restaurant is celebrating a location with a much longer story.
The restaurant will celebrate throughout October and November with a lineup of special events, including several wine and chef dinners.
Here’s what’s planned:
- Thursday, Oct. 8: Marqués de Cáceres Wine Dinner
- Thursday, Oct. 15: Chef’s Dinner, an “Ode to the Past”
- Wednesday, Oct. 28: Wine Dinner featuring Ken Harvey of Cutting Edge and Think Global Wines
- Monday, Nov. 2: German Village/Guest Open House
- Wednesday, Nov. 4: Liquor Tasting featuring Noble Cut Vodka and Bourbon
- Monday, Nov. 9: Flamenco Show and Dinner
- Monday, Nov. 16: Final Anniversary Chef’s Dinner
- Monday, Nov. 23: Holiday Wine Show
Tickets range from $15 to $150 and can be purchased through Barcelona’s website.
The anniversary celebration will also include charitable efforts benefiting The Garden District Corporation, which works to expand access to fresh, healthy food in Columbus neighborhoods, and The Line, a working restaurant and training program supporting hospitality workers.
