Valparaíso accelerates its economic pulse through new investments in old premises: Cinzano announces its reopening, the former Roland Bar reinvents itself as Terraza Condell and the café La Colombina is re-baptized as Circular Café. Valparaíso lives again.
Visitors strolling through the streets of Valparaíso, going up the Reina Victoria elevator and taking a boat ride on the Pratt Pier. These are some of the postcards that are leaving the resumption of commercial and tourist activity in the city. This is part of a phenomenon as an integrated destination with neighboring communes such as Viña del Mar and Concón.
The advance to Phase 4 in the Valparaíso region has meant that the tourist destinations par excellence are in full economic reactivation. Valparaíso, the main focus of regional destination, enjoys a great variety of hotels, gastronomy and culture that is currently in high demand.
The Municipality of Valparaíso, through its Economic Activation Committee, headed by various municipal departments, has implemented a series of actions to improve commercial activity, such as closing streets, allowing terraces, and providing sanitary kits, among others. Today the efforts of the local trade, tourism and cultural guilds are paying off. That is why some of Valparaíso's commercial standards are now coming back to life with the help of new entrepreneurs.
Circular Restaurant (formerly Café La Colombina), Bar Cinzano, Terraza Condell (formerly Roland
Bar) and Cervecería Altamira have returned after a few months out of operation due to the pandemic. Here we talked to the new administrators, who told us the
news about the reopening of their premises.
1. Cinzano Bar
Founded in 1986, the traditional Cinzano bar is an emblem of the classic bars of the Port. Today, as you pass outside its gates, you can hear the hammering and drilling of the workers who are in a hurry to try to have the bar-restaurant ready for the busy week of National Holidays. Always confident and planning for a grand opening, the new manager, Mariano Muñoz, focuses this new beginning on retaking the essence of Cinzano. "We are working on the remodeling and recovery of the premises, we are enabling the second floor, the ballroom and the stage to recreate the early years of the bar," he explains.
After a sad closure, following the strong economic crisis caused by the pandemic and sanitary restrictions, Mariano says that the motivations that led him to take on this challenge since January of this year were the necessary economic reactivation, the cultural recovery of the porteño heritage and the reinvention of an attractive gastronomy for visitors. "We want to rescue traditional Chilean gastronomy, we will have live tango and bolero music, performed by national and regional artists, as was always the idea of Cinzano", he explains, assuring that there will be sanitary measures and that the capacity will always be respected.
2.Circular Restaurant
Formerly known as Café La Colombina, the café and restaurant resumes its activities in the heart of Paseo Yugoslavo, in Cerro Alegre, with a gastronomic menu focused on the porteño public. Catalina Venegas and Cristian Gómez are the owners and partners of this new commercial initiative. Both chefs and partners for more than 10 years in the kitchen of Café Turri, decided to undertake with the objective of fulfilling their dream and supporting the economic reactivation in Valparaíso. "For one as a porteño it is super important, it is a privilege to have a restaurant on this hill, it is very important in my life, in my career, because having a restaurant on such an emblematic hill, next to the Baburizza palace, which is a historical monument within the city. It is exciting, it is a place I love very much, and we are also contributing to the city's economy", explains Gómez.
The restaurant began operating since June of this year as "Circular". "The idea is to bring the porteños closer to a good gastronomic service, where they will find high level dishes with fresh products, at a good price, affordable to the porteños. Here we do not charge for the view, because it is the view of my city, so here we do not charge for the place, but you pay what is right for the quality of the product," says the chef.
The restaurant stands out for its diverse menu of seafood products; however, the dishes vary from day to day. In addition, they have products such as cheese and olive oil from Nogales, vegetables from Casablanca, and fish and seafood from the El Membrillo and Portales coves.
As is evident, the name "Circular" originates from the genesis of his business, which wants to support local economy, making Valparaíso visible through the products. "In this way we support the circular economy and circular gastronomy, we support the producers and sellers of the region, through a circular economy, we all contribute with each other," Venegas points out. The restaurant opens its doors from Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 a.m., offering breakfast and lunch services and on weekends, dinner.
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3. Terraza Condell
Since the end of last year, the proposal of the former Roland Bar, located on Pirámide Street, has changed to captivate a new type of public. La Terraza Condell emerges in the heart of Valparaíso as an alternative for porteños and porteñas who like the outdoors. Once again, Mariano Muñoz, the new manager of Cinzano, who also acts as the manager of this place, appears on the scene. Currently the gastronomic offer is based on a more relaxed atmosphere with fast food such as papas bravas, chorrillanas, hamburger, and much more.
On the terrace there is a DJ that entertains in the afternoons and evenings, where comedy artists also perform so that the porteño family can enjoy a good show. It also complements this offer with a hostel located on the first floor of the building. The restobar is open daily from 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
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4. Altamira Brewery
The porteño offer would not be complete without the Altamira restaurant and craft brewery. Located at the foot of the Reina Victoria elevator, it has a brewing plant and a first class gastronomic menu to enjoy the benefits of Valparaíso. The new owners Constanza Cabrera and Eduardo Schewerter have revitalized this space that for a long time was closed to the public. However, today it is operating with a variety of beers and cocktail drinks. In a very short time they have accumulated a series of awards for their beers.
Last August they received two medals at the World Beer Awards, held in England. Two of its beer varieties received an important distinction, its wheat beer "banana pancakes" was chosen as the best in Chile in its style, obtaining the gold medal, and its Nitro Imperial Mocca Socat, won the bronze medal.
If you want to taste a delicious beer and see the cultural and historical heritage that is inside the restaurant, visit them at 126 Elías Avenue, Valparaíso.
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