Living Proof podcast: How an illegal Russian bar became one of the world’s best
Eat | Drink | Explore
Artem Peruk, bartender and co-owner of El Copitas Bar in St Petersburg, tells the extraordinary tale of adversity that preceded the venue making it into the World’s 50 Best Bars.

According to most well-travelled judges, El Copitas, a Mexican-style bar in St Petersburg, stands alone in Russia.
But little more than five years ago, when Artem Peruk and his team were trying to launch the bar amid the Crimean crisis, which had crippled the country’s economy, he and his crew were forced to door-knock nearby bars to ask if they could borrow furniture so they could provide seats for their patrons. Not that they were legally allowed to serve people.
It’s a story of resilience, resolve and knowing the right people.
You can find Living Proof on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify.
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