1930

Here we are at the much-talked-about 1930 (from the same group as Mag Navigli, Mag la Pusterla, Backdoor43, Tripstillery and Iter), a special and exclusive club. It opened in 2013 as a secret place inspired by the speakeasies of 1930s America. Today it has a new address that everyone knows (it sits in the basement of Mag la Pusterla), yet it is still a treat for the chosen few. So how do you become one of them? We are not telling you just yet, if only to keep alive the air of mystery and anticipation that, quite rightly, surrounds the place.

Exposed-brick vaults. A jukebox. Music that warms up the room. Armchairs, chairs and sofas in earthy colours. A made-to-measure marble counter. Rattan and velvet. Staff in impeccable uniforms that match the setting. Just a few seats, for a chat among friends, for the ‘friends’ of Mag & Co, and for the odd lucky guest too. In a city where everything is shouted and everyone chases names and fame, 1930 still intrigues and surprises. Unless you hold one of the 193 exclusive membership cards, you will have to wait at Mag la Pusterla, hope there is a free seat, and wait for someone to come and take you down into ‘the secret things’, just as Virgil did with Dante.

Just as 1930 is no ordinary bar, the menu is no ordinary menu. It reads more like a restaurant menu, divided into starters, first courses, mains and desserts: an offer built on careful research into ingredients, where the line between mixology and gastronomy disappears. At first the cocktails leave you speechless. Take ‘Tortellini in brodo’, a real tureen of steaming tortellini that is, naturally, alcoholic. ‘Pollo al Curry’ is no joke either, with its curry flavour and an irresistible twist from Absolut Elyx Vodka.

In short, lovers of bold, unusual flavours are in for a treat: cocktails such as ‘Pizza marinara’ or ‘Hummus’ are just the thing to feel ferried into another world. You will probably recognise only half of the ingredients, but all you really need to do is put yourself in the staff’s hands. They will also guide you if your tastes are a little less adventurous and you prefer to stick to the classics, such as a Negroni or a Manhattan, each with a light twist, of course.

In this intimate, hushed atmosphere the conversation flows by itself and so do the cocktails. One piece of advice: move heaven and earth to live this experience!