How do you give a cocktail bar a clear identity and sense of character? When you are operating outside the main hubs of global mixology, one approach is to bring the world into your bar. That’s exactly what Alessandro Ippoliti has done with Dunia in San Benedetto del Tronto.
It was not a random move. The guiding principles align with those that have shaped contemporary mixology for years, championed by figures such as Alex Kratena, Monica Berg, Ryan Chetiyawardana (Mr Lyan) and Jim Meehan.
The Pillars of a Successful Cocktail Bar
A successful cocktail bar is built on a set of core pillars. The quality of the drinks is, of course, essential — but it is not the most defining factor. Or rather, it is indispensable, yet taken as a given, because it forms the foundation for everything that follows.
What follows is how guests feel in a space, and the memory they take with them. This is where hospitality, atmosphere, music, design, views and a multitude of small details come into play. In the words of Monica Berg and Alex Kratena: “If human connection didn’t matter, you could just make drinks at home.” Alessandro Ippoliti built Dunia with this framework in mind.
Dunia, a Bar Filled with the World
The name itself is a statement. In many languages and cultures — Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Indonesian, among others — the word Dunia refers to the material world, understood in a positive sense.
“It’s the time we live in,” says Ippoliti. “We wanted to recreate a contemporary space where objects, shapes and colors evoke a sense of the world, of Mother Earth. A cocktail bar where both the interiors and the food and drink offering are shaped by a mix of ideas, ingredients and techniques from across the globe.”
And at its core are lived experiences — “the trips we’ve taken, the places we’ve visited, the food we’ve tasted.” At the same time, “we believe the true center of everything is hospitality and how you make a guest feel.”
Opening in San Benedetto del Tronto
Set along the Adriatic coast, not far from the border between Marche and Abruzzo, San Benedetto del Tronto “is a town of 50,000 residents, which grows significantly in the summer.” It is not, however, a primary destination on the global cocktail map.
This comes with both advantages and drawbacks. On one hand, there is less pressure, less cutthroat competition, fewer punishing work schedules. On the other, “you have to give up certain opportunities, places and timing that come with larger cities.” Still, it is far from certain that San Benedetto del Tronto cannot “compete with more established destinations.” The challenge remains open.
Dunia’s Drink List: Classics First, Then Creativity
Dunia’s drink list gives proper space to classic cocktails. “Before earning the right to present your own signature drinks, you need to be able to execute the great classics flawlessly. If a Margarita already disappoints me, I’m not particularly interested in trying original creations.”
Once the foundations are in place, creativity can follow. In Ippoliti’s case, “the menu usually features around eight drinks. I’ve never liked working around a fixed theme—I don’t enjoy setting limits. I prefer having the freedom to explore.”
What to Drink at Dunia
Asked which signatures best represent him, Ippoliti points to three. The Tokyo Collins is “one of the drinks I’m most attached to. It’s a citrus-driven Mizuwari designed to transport the guest into an izakaya. I make it with Japanese whisky, yuzu soda and a drop of Scotch whisky — the peat amplifies all the flavors of Japan.”
The Cafezinho is “a twist on the Old Fashioned — softer, more aromatic and creamy. I start by drying fig leaves, then infusing them for 48 hours. I use that to prepare a cold brew coffee with 100% Arabica single-origin beans, which I then blend with rum and sherry.”
The third is Seduction, “a Gimlet served on the rocks that explores the layered acidity of pomegranate and raspberry, with a faux cherry that hides a chocolate center, opening into a drink that is fresh, approachable and fruit-driven.” The final detail is a glass shaped like “a fully 3D-printed female hand.”
Dunia, a Vision Rooted in a Smaller City
At a time when many cocktail bars attempt to stand out by chasing spectacle or familiar formulas, Dunia shows that identity is built more solidly through coherence, memory, technique and a genuine approach to hospitality.
In San Benedetto del Tronto, Alessandro Ippoliti has chosen to work with a precise vision of what a bar should be—where every element, from the drinks to the interiors, contributes to a recognizable narrative. That is where a bar’s strength lies today: in quality, certainly, but above all in the clarity with which it expresses who it is.
Photo courtesy of Dunia
