Punch is Never Out of Season Thanks to This Italian Bar's Jungalow Design

All summer long in the port town of Molfetta patrons clad in bikinis and surf shorts party at Bloom Beach Bar, positioned on an enviable plot of land overlooking the Adriatic Sea. For its newly opened sister outpost, Bloom in Town, architect and designer Serena Rosato aimed to re-create the festive mood of the original, just a short ride away. “Tropical place for funky face,” reads a neon-lit sign inside the converted grocery store where bartenders serve warm-weather drinks and a menu—prawn tacos, octopus crudo—drawing heavily from the sea. “We wanted a jungalow atmosphere, mixing pop-art influences, brushed brass, and 1960s design lines,” Rosato says. Custom light fixtures made from repurposed fiscoli, the old coconut-fiber filters used for olive-pressing, square with rattan furniture; the ancient stone of the structure is juxtaposed with playful flamingo-print wallpaper and an abundance of vegetation to bring the “fresh breeze and cool vibes from the coast to town.” Aiding the design scheme are cocktails like the vodka-based Puglia Punch, a blend of ancho reyes, cherry tomatoes, basil, and lemon—an offering so tasty it could even lure the lords of summer into the medieval city center for an aperitivo break.