Pompa
Restaurant
Barcelona, Spain
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Photo courtesy of Pompa. -
Photo courtesy of Pompa. -
Photo courtesy of Pompa. -
Photo courtesy of Pompa. -
Photo courtesy of Pompa.
Pompa Wine List
About Pompa
Pompa is Carles Pérez de Rozas’ latest move in Barcelona – a smaller, more wine-driven space that feels personal, deliberate and slightly rebellious.
Set in one of the city’s most central neighbourhoods, Pompa is the project of a chef who has travelled far before returning home. Pérez de Rozas trained at Hofmann in Barcelona and then worked in some of the world’s most demanding kitchens: with Seiji Yamamoto in Tokyo, at Central in Lima alongside Virgilio Martínez, and at Michel Bras in Laguiole. That background doesn’t show off, it shows control – precision without stiffness.
Here, wine clearly takes centre stage. If some restaurants integrate wine thoughtfully, Pompa builds its identity around it. This is closer to a serious bar à vins than to a traditional fine dining restaurant – in the best sense. It recalls the origins of the European bistro: places where people gathered to drink well, and ate food that rose to the level of the bottles.
I have a weakness for restaurants dominated by large wine fridges – and here they function almost like exhibition cabinets. They define the room. The list is not enormous by Barcelona standards, but it is beautifully edited. It’s one of those selections that makes you pause and think: ‘I would happily drink almost anything on this page.’
There is maturity and depth: older Spanish vintages (you can expect the likes of Castell d’Encús, Pardas, Can Ràfols dels Caus), serious Burgundy representation (such as Leroux, Sauzet, Domaine Boillot), and a Champagne presence that feels intentional rather than decorative. The name “Pompa” hints at bubbles – and sparkling wine indeed has strong visibility here. The alternative meaning of ‘pomp’ certainly does not apply: the room is small, simple and cleverly optimised.
The space itself is compact – four or five tables and a short counter for four facing a small open kitchen. It’s animated, sometimes loud, and unmistakably wine-centric.
The cooking matches the bottles in ambition: top-quality seafood treated with restraint, elegant carpaccios, deeply flavoured roasts, and dishes that could easily belong in a Michelin-starred dining room – yet here they are served in a relaxed, bistro setting. The dialogue between glass and plate feels natural, not forced.
Pompa is not about luxury in the conventional sense. It is about taste, conviction and the quiet confidence of someone who knows both kitchens and cellars. A small room with serious bottles — and the kind of energy that makes you want to stay for one more glass.
Brabo
