Querencia

The tiki world in Lecce

It’s where you feel at home, somewhere you come back to because you feel at ease. That’s the meaning behind the exotic bar that Cristian Pellegrino opened in the center of Lecce in August 2021. The palaces around are in Baroque style, but the atmosphere pervading the two rooms – one Jamaican/colonial, the other in 20s style – is tropical. There’s also a double garden, where to pair cocktails and cigars. The drink menu is that of a tiki bar, with signatures and twists on classics mixed using fresh Brasilian coconut, guava, maracuja, butter syrup, and so on. The alcohol bases come from Center/South America – rum, mezcal, bacanora, sotol, aguardiente – but there’s also something for those who prefer European or alcohol-free bases. The ice is homemade and used in tiki glasses, with extensive research on presentation. The recipes also include homemade preparations – syrups, liqueurs, and pimento dram – sometimes with kitchen ingredients as a base (like garnishes). For those who want to discover more about the history of the Tiki world, there are also some forgotten classics sourced from recipe books of that era. And coming in October 2022, there will be a secret space, too…

Favorite cocktail? Tommys’ Margarita with mezcal