Moritz brings the Moritz Factory closer to the heart of the Eixample. Coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the opening of the large premises on Ronda Sant Antoni in Barcelona, the brand has decided to redouble its gastronomic commitment with the inauguration of a second establishment located on Rambla Catalunya with Valencia and named Casa Moritz. In reality, it is the third establishment managed by the company, as it also owns the historic El Velódromo, although in this case it is a different concept.
The new Casa Moritz is located, curiously, in a commercial premises where there had already been a business focused on beer. This was the Maestró microbrewery, which closed as a victim of the pandemic. Moritz has taken advantage of the fact that the owners of the property were looking for a new tenant to rent the premises and open Casa Moritz, a project they had in mind for years but which they have now been able to execute as this opportunity arose. "We had the idea of opening a branch of the Moritz Factory in another location in Barcelona for some time; it is a project that excites us a lot because it is in a privileged location and because we have condensed into it everything we have learned during these ten years in Ronda Sant Antoni," explain company sources.
Casa Moritz allows the brand to be located in the heart of the city and reach a new audience. It will employ 20 people, raising the team of professionals working in the company's three own breweries to 120. It is a 300 square meter premises, ground floor plus mezzanine, with capacity for 150 diners, plus another 48 on the terrace. The idea is that it will open twelve hours a day, from 12 noon to 12 midnight, although on weekends the closing time will be extended until one.
Moritz has dismantled the brewery and production machinery that Maestró had, but it has been able to use some tanks to store the unpasteurized beer that the premises will serve and that is produced at the Moritz Factory Barcelona. Thus, customers will be able to consume the five types of fresh beer that are manufactured on Ronda Sant Antoni: Moritz Original, Moritz 7, Epidor, Red IPA and Moritz Negra, in addition to the seasonal beers that the brand usually launches. The bulk beer service for takeaway will also be available.
Chef Jordi Vilà, gastronomic director of Fábrica Moritz, also signs the menu at Casa Moritz. It is a practically identical offering for both establishments, although tapas predominate in Rambla Catalunya and several healthier dishes have been incorporated that are not yet available in Sant Antoni. The recipe book uses beer as another ingredient, with dishes such as meatballs with Moritz negra or cod in Moritz Original tempura, and house classics such as bravas, croquettes, and Russian salad are maintained.
Casa Moritz boasts a sober decoration, in which the walls and columns have been stripped, showing concrete, but also old bricks and the classic Catalan vaulted ceilings. Beer is the common thread of the establishment, with orange lamps in the shape of tanks and striking pipes through which beer flows from the tanks ---also visible--- directly to the taps. Another peculiarity is that the brewery's tables and other decorative elements have been made with aluminum from beer cans, a pilot project that the brand could extend to other applications to promote recycling. Other prominent elements include a window to observe how work is done in the kitchen and a large silver bar made of tin.