Bar La Una

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Happy Blend of Bar and Restaurant

Walk around the corner onto Oehlenschlægersgade in Copenhagen's Vesterbro neighbourhood and you are met immediately by the scent of garlic, white paper on the tables, hard chairs, and an atmosphere that feels genuinely alive. Bar La Una sits somewhere between a bar and a restaurant – and that in-between quality is precisely what makes it work.

Isacco Bartolini at the Helm

The person setting the tone is Isacco Bartolini, who greets guests, guides them through the drinks, and explains a compact menu of large and small dishes designed for sharing. His knowledge of Italian natural wine is one of the room's quiet pleasures. A glass of Derthona Valli Unite 2018 from the Timorasso grape of Piedmont arrives with an explanation; later, a Masiero Veneto Merlot 2018 – vinified as a rosé yet drinking like a light, spicy red – is paired with care to match exactly what the table wants. Drinking here tends to be better than at most wine bars in the area, and that is no accident.

The Food: Simple, Maritime, Italian

The menu is not large, but every dish carries the conviction of somewhere in Italy. A crisp mantis shrimp, sliced and dressed with mild olive oil from Emilia-Romagna and a sprinkle of parmesan, is very simple and very good. A pulpo salad built around the darkest pieces of eight-armed cuttlefish, potatoes and olives is a classic rustic preparation that earns its place without apology. A full platter of grilled jumbo prawns – halved, with parsley, lemon and garlic – arrives as a generous centrepiece. Alongside the seafood, a juicy slice of porchetta with crackling skin, crisp green asparagus, and large gnocchi filled with mozzarella round out a menu that stays focused rather than sprawling.

Recognition Well Earned

The White Guide awarded Bar La Una a Very Fine Level distinction, describing it as a "Vesterbro oasis of Very Good Class" – a verdict that captures the place accurately. The Italian cooking here is unpretentious and precise, the wine guidance is genuinely helpful, and the room hums with the kind of ease that takes real effort to create.