La Taberna Garibaldi has raised its shutters again in Lavapiés, this time at number 23 of Miguel Servet street -about ten minutes walking from the previous one. The opening after the closure of its first stage in Ave María street, where it operated for just over a year. This move is not only a question of enlarging the square meters; it is also a commitment to consolidate a space that combines gastronomy, culture and ideological positioning in the heart of one of the most combative and diverse neighborhoods of Madrid.
Promoted by Pablo Iglesias, former vice-president of the Government, together with the poet Sebastián Fiorilli and the singer-songwriter Carlos Ávila, the project has managed to finance its relocation thanks to a crowdfunding campaign that raised more than 140,000 euros. The figure was made possible thanks to the contributions of more than 3,100 people through the Goteo platform.
Although the official reopening took place last August 15 -coinciding with the Fiestas de la Paloma-, a “proper” inauguration is planned for September, when the cultural activities program will also be resumed.
Menu with ideological nods and tavern atmosphere
Garibaldi’s gastronomic proposal remains faithful to its original style: informal cuisine with names that function as political and cultural references. Dishes such as “Salmorejo Partisano”, “Brigada Garibaldi” cheeks or “Enchiladas Viva Zapata” are some of the options that were already on the menu of the old place and will be maintained in this new stage.
The ambience of the tavern also retains part of its previous aesthetics. Inside, symbolic elements have been reused, such as the blue tiles with the name of the establishment, and a poster featuring Pepa Flores asking for the vote for the Communist Party, a detail that already decorated the previous space.
The premises, which previously housed an Indian food restaurant -the Bombay Blue-, has been refurbished to include an outdoor terrace and a foosball table. In addition, a large board has been installed at the entrance with three sections: the menu, the cultural agenda and a section entitled “Don’t miss it”.
More than a bar
Taberna Garibaldi does not aspire to be a neighborhood bar. Or not just a neighborhood bar. Since its beginnings, it has functioned as a cultural forum, programming everything from book presentations to concerts, debates and recitals. That same spirit will continue in the new space, which, being larger, will be able to accommodate a larger public. The idea, according to Iglesias, is to continue offering “a place where you can have a drink with your friends and family, but also think, discuss and celebrate.
In its first stage, the place accumulated more than 600 reviews on Google Maps and had a media impact that went beyond gastronomy. There were moments of tension -such as the fine from the City Council for excess capacity or the graffiti on the facade for the name of a cocktail-, but also a clientele composed of activists, neighbors and curious people who crossed Lavapiés to see firsthand what “Iglesias’ bar” was like.