The Argentine restaurant La Frontera, located at number 53 of carrer de Vila i Vilà, in Barcelona's Poble-sec neighborhood, will close on Sunday, May 17, after more than five years of operation. The establishment is lowering its blinds after months marked by the works for the new rainwater collector in the area and by the sale of the property.
The closure comes with a contradiction that has ultimately made the business unviable. La Frontera had managed to establish itself as a benchmark for Argentine cuisine in the neighborhood, but the works started in November 2023 caused its turnover to drop by 70% and forced a reduction in staff from 16 to five employees.
The works started in November 2023 caused a 70% drop in turnover
Alfredo Miguélez, owner of the establishment, attributes the main blow to the collector works on the street. The restaurant stopped opening during the day due to the noise and the difficulties arising from the works in the immediate vicinity of the premises.
"We have lost 70% of our turnover, from a staff of 16 people we have gone down to five" - Alfredo Miguélez, owner of La Frontera
The drop in income coincided with another factor that further complicated the continuity of the business. The sale of the premises, the uncertainty about who the new owner will be, and the possibility of a rent increase were added to the pressure received on social media.
Miguélez maintains that this combination of factors has left the restaurant with no room to continue. I don't see the conditions to be able to continue, states the businessman, who adds that he can no longer sustain the situation emotionally.
Alfredo Miguélez will open another establishment in carrer de Corders in June
La Frontera opened in Poble-sec in 2020, in a location that had previously housed the restaurants Sant Telmo and Todo Pasa. Its owner described the offering as an Argentine tavern, and the establishment ended up gaining visibility in Barcelona's gastronomic scene.
Before that period, Miguélez had already developed a career in the city. He started in 2008 in the Clot neighborhood, at a time when, as he recalls, Argentine home cooking still had little presence in Barcelona.
"At that time there were a couple of places for Argentine empanadas, some old pizzerias, but they weren't well known, we were among the first" - Alfredo Miguélez, owner of La Frontera
The restaurateur will maintain his activity with a new format starting in June. It will open at number 10 of Corders street, in Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera, with an offering focused on pizza by the slice and flank and skirt steak sandwiches.
During these years, the establishment was also known as Donde come el rock and received visits from Antonio Banderas and Andreu Buenafuente. Miguélez also warns that the impact of the works does not end with his case and maintains that in the commercial area of Vila i Vilà, more long-standing businesses may disappear.
The farewell will include a final scene linked to the history of the establishment, as the Argentine band La Renga will take advantage of their performance in Barcelona to say goodbye to the owner, who summarizes his experience with a specific phrase: "I'm left with 18 years of making people happy with food."