ABOUT US
In the heart of Cartagena’s historic center, Alquímico celebrates Colombia through its diverse flavors, culture, and stories.
More than a cocktail bar, we are an ecosystem: a living network of connected relationships, people, practices, and purposes, with a social focus that values community work and believes in the transformative power of hospitality.
Our story
Alquímico opened its doors in early 2016 in the heart of Cartagena’s historic center. We were five people working with the same dream: to celebrate Colombia’s biodiversity, showcase the wonders of this country in all its forms, and create experiences that would remain in memory.
From the beginning, we believed and worked guided by respect for the land, the appreciation of local products, and the power of community work. However, it was during the pandemic that this purpose grew stronger and aligned more deeply. In an act of resilience, half of the team moved to our farm in the Coffee Region with the #FromTheBarToTheFarm project. There, among mountains and crops, we learned to work the land, to reconnect with the origin of the ingredients, and to understand that our mission had always been there: to create from respect, empathy, and human connection. From that experience, projects were born that are now the foundation of who we are. That same year, Alquímico became the first Colombian bar to enter The World’s 50 Best Bars list and received the 2020 Sustainable Bar Award.
That transformative experience opened a new chapter in our history. Today, we are a team of more than one hundred people united by the conviction that this industry is, above all, about people; that hospitality makes sense when it is shared, cared for, and celebrated together.
Along the way, we have woven a collaborative network that unites producers, communities, and our team in a common purpose. We have created spaces for product exploration, worked alongside those who cultivate the land to strengthen a local economy, and promoted projects that improve the quality of life for less favored communities.
Today, Alquímico represents a vision of conscious hospitality, where each experience seeks to generate a positive impact, celebrate our roots, and honor the territory that gives us so much.
Our Philosophy
Care for and celebrate life
At Alquímico, we believe in the transformative power of hospitality: a way to care for, honor, and celebrate life in all its forms.
We care for the lives of people, communities, and ecosystems around us, being aware of the impact of each decision and always seeking to do better.
By sharing and showcasing these ways of life, we inspire others to protect and celebrate them as well.
Because caring for life is also celebrating it: it is discovering new ways to work, create with purpose, and contribute to our environment.
Our People
At Alquímico, people are at the heart of everything we do. Each cocktail, each smile, and each experience are born from the talent, passion, and commitment of a team that shares the same vision: to care for and celebrate life.
We are a team of 100 people, bartenders, hosts, cooks, farmers, administrators, creatives, and dreamers who believe in hospitality as a transformative force.
We work from respect, joy, and constant learning, building together a space where everyone grows, is inspired, and feels part of a large family, guided by values that unite us and give meaning to what we are: hospitality, honesty, respect, humility, and commitment, fundamental pillars of our culture.
Likewise, our family extends beyond the house we inhabit. We work hand in hand with communities that represent the heart and richness of Colombia:
ASOCOMAN
(Asociación Agropecuaria Comunidad El Mango Macaján): a peasant organization from the Montes de María, a region that has been marked by armed conflict. It is made up of 23 associates who, together with their families, impact the lives of about 200 people. ASOCOMAN produces organically and acts as a guardian of its territory, committed to sustainability and environmental care. Asocoman Instagram
COLECTIVO CANTA
A musical foundation that provides training and opportunities to more than 150 children and young people from the Nelson Mandela neighborhood in Cartagena, a community with vulnerable social conditions, using music as a tool for transformation and hope.
Embera Chamí Indigenous Community
We collaborate with 20 families in the creation of hand-woven necklaces, which are part of our team’s uniform, generating employment and economic stability throughout the year.
Likewise, our family extends beyond the house we inhabit. We work hand in hand with communities that represent the heart and richness of Colombia:
Our house
Our cocktails bring together the best of Colombia in its diversity of flavors, culture, and stories, which come to life in the magic of our colonial mansion in the heart of Cartagena de Indias’ Historic Center.
Built on an old colonial estate, this house was designed in the early twentieth century by the French architect Gastón Lelarge, recognized for emblematic projects such as the Castillo Marroquín, the Palacio de San Francisco, and the Club Cartagena.
Today, this heritage jewel is the setting where history and hospitality meet to celebrate life. Our three-story house tells a different story on each level:
First floor – The Mansion
The main lounge, where the bar highlights the richness of Colombian ingredients and the energy of our people.
Second floor – The Balcony
A tribute to classic cocktails, reinterpreted with local identity.
Third floor – The Terrace
Inspired by our farm in Filandia, Quindío, where the #FromTheBarToTheFarm project was born and where many of the ingredients we use come from.
Every corner of Alquímico is a living space, full of purpose, energy, joy, and flavor. Where the magic of hospitality is transformed into experiences that remain in memory.
Alquímico Lab
In the Alquímico Research and Development Laboratory, we explore Colombian biodiversity through respect, science, and creativity. .
We craft Colombian fruit and spice wines, as well as meads in different styles, combining traditional and contemporary techniques. We work in coordination with local producers, strengthening the farming chain and responsibly taking advantage of the country’s natural wealth.
At the same time, at our farm in Filandia, Quindío, we process products organically using raw materials grown on the land itself, integrating production, autonomy, and sustainability into every creation.
Each Lab project reflects our vision of conscious mixology: one that honors the origin of ingredients, drives innovation, and connects the bar and kitchen with the land.
AWARDS
2020
Alquímico entered the renowned The World’s 50 Best Bars list for the first time and received the special Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award, which recognizes the most sustainable bar in the world.
2021
Ranked No. 53 in The World’s 50 Best Bars, consolidating its presence among the most influential bars in the world.
2022
Climbed to No. 10 in The World’s 50 Best Bars and was recognized as the Best Bar in South America.
2023
Alquímico reached No. 9 in The World’s 50 Best Bars and was once again awarded Best Bar in South America.
That same year, at the Spirited Awards by Tales of the Cocktail (New Orleans), it was recognized as the Best International Bar Team.
2024
Ranked No. 8 in The World’s 50 Best Bars.
Additionally, at the Spirited Awards, it was honored as Best International Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Bar, one of the most important recognitions in the global industry.
2025
Ranked No. 11 in The World’s 50 Best Bars, reaffirming its position among the most outstanding bars in the world and its Latin American leadership in sustainable and innovative mixology.