Barra

Barra is a tiny, bustling bar-and-restaurant in Somerville's Union Square, opened in February 2020 by Mexico City natives Paola Ibarra and Yhadira Guzman, with a menu developed by acclaimed Mexico City chef Sofia Garcia Osorio. Occupying a former juice-bar space with around 24 seats and no tables — just a bar lined with stools — it is, in Ibarra's words, "more like a hangout than a restaurant," built to capture the food and bar scene of Mexico City. The drinks program leans hard into agave (mezcal, sotol, bacanora, raicilla, tuxca), pulque, natural wines, and local craft beer, but the non-alcoholic side is a real strength: refreshing agua frescas in rotating flavors such as a tart hibiscus version served with a mint garnish, and a guava-and-rosemary option. The kitchen and bar will also build several cocktails spirit-free on request, including a no-proof mojito and a passion fruit margarita. Boston Magazine highlighted Barra's "mouthwateringly tart and memorable" hibiscus agua fresca in its roundup of the city's best mocktails, and Boston.com featured the venue in its Dry January mocktail guide. The result is an intimate, lively neighborhood spot where alcohol-free guests get genuinely thoughtful, made-to-order options rather than an afterthought.