THE ORIGIN OF THE MYTH
Harry’s Bar: a story of hospitality and freedom
Harry’s Bar redefined the meaning of hospitality with its whimsical atmosphere and mindful service. A unique space in which there is but one rule: to serve is to love. Cipriani Drinks aims to bring all the sensations of Harry’s Bar to you wherever you are.
ACCLAIMED HOSPITALITY
Imagine a world of only objects
A world of immobile instruments
A restaurant made of only tables and chairs
A grand theatre, empty
A desert city square in summertime
The only thing left to do is ask for humanity’s help
Humanity in service to give life to things
Because to serve is above all to love.
ARRIGO CIPRIANI
VENICE, 1931
The origins of Harry's Bar
The 1920s were coming to a close and Giuseppe Cipriani was a barman at the Europa Hotel in Venice. A young American by the name of Harry Pickering had been staying there with his aunt to treat a case of alcoholism. After an argument, Harry had been left in Venice alone and without a dollar to his name. It was Giuseppe Cipriani that would help the young man get back home, lending him the money needed for his return. A few years later Pickering returned to Venice and repaid his debt, saying, “Thank you, Giuseppe. Actually, to prove my gratitude I’ll add a bit more, just enough to open a bar of our own”. In that moment Giuseppe decided, “We’ll call it Harry’s Bar”.
THE LIFE OF THINGS
The Myth of Harry's Bar
True luxury resides in simplicity, and that which is simple is free of impositions. Harry’s Bar came to be in an old rope warehouse totaling just under 500 squared feet. A space in which each and every object is made to measure for its guests. From the décor and fabrics to the room temperature and the cutlery. A space where form bows to substance, and substance is an experience that cannot be lived in any other place.
A myth and its protagonists
The Friends of Harry's Bar
Harry’s Bar is known around the world for the extraordinary personalities that have graced its tables from the 1900s to today. From Ernest Hemingway, who was a regular and a dear friend of Giuseppe Cipriani, to many other important names from the world of art and literature such as Georges Braque, Truman Capote, Charlie Chaplin, Peggy Guggenheim and Orson Welles.