Marcelino’s in Providence Earns a Pinnacle Award
The Providence location was recently recognized by The Pinnacle Guide, spotlighting the world's best cocktail bars.
Marcelino’s Boutique Bar in Providence. Photo by Paul Tabet, courtesy of Marcelino’s.
Marcelino’s Boutique Bar in Providence is the kind of cocktail bar that engages all five senses, and maybe unlocks a sixth and seventh, too. The food and drink experience, created by co-founders Marcelino Abou Ali and Basel Badawi, taps into scent, vision, sound, touch and taste, but something magical almost always happens if you stick around awhile. The Providence location was recently recognized by The Pinnacle Guide, spotlighting the world’s best cocktail bars. Pinnacle Guide uses a 1, 2 and 3 pin recognition system using anonymous reviewers.
“We are only the second to receive the Pinnacle award in all of New England,” says Marcelino. “It’s not just a trophy; it’s a symbol of our unwavering dedication and passion. This achievement was earned through countless hours of hard work and relentless commitment, reminding us that true success is never given, but crafted with every challenge we overcome together.”
The Pinnacle Guide launched in May 2024, and since that time, it has recognized 192 bars across fourteen countries. Marcelino’s is the only one to ever receive the award in Rhode Island. The Providence-based bar has always done things the hard way. It opened right in the middle of the pandemic in the early fall of 2020 on Exchange Street, when social distancing was still necessary. Intimate nooks were created for people to gather in small groups over cocktails made with scratchmade syrups, infused spirits and foams and dehydrated citrus and fruit garnishes.
The peach and honey gimlet at Marcelino’s. Photo by Paul Tabet.
The Mediterranean food menu is also scratch made, featuring various versions of hummus, tahini, salads and flatbreads built for sharing. Marcelino hails from the Middle East, where he was raised on home cooking and spent time helping out on his grandparents’ farm where they grew citrus, peaches and vegetables. He remembers waking up to the aroma of garden tomatoes being fire-roasted over wood outside by his grandmother, and sneaking in a taste before heading off to school. “I grew up in this environment where everything is made in house,” says Marcelino.
Marcelino and his partner, Basel Badawi, opened their second location, Marcelino’s Seaport, in December 2024. It’s located directly on the Boston waterfront with a postcard sunset view of the harbor and an expansive bohemian-inspired patio. The Seaport Marcelino’s also combines a Mediterranean menu representing the Levantine region with experiential craft cocktails, the alluring aroma of a signature cedarwood aroma, a sophisticated, stylish crowd, interior design featuring velvety fabrics and exquisite lighting, and upbeat music curated by renowned deejays (and sometimes Marcelino himself).
The hotspot has been a long time coming from the co-founders. Marcelino originally wanted to open Marcelino’s in Boston, but he decided to launch in Providence first in 2020, to see where the hospitality brand would take him. After a successful venture in the Creative Capital, he decided to expand to Boston with Basel.
But he says Providence will always be his home. That is why he is especially proud of earning a Pinnacle award. “The city deserves something from me since I started here,” he says.
The Marcelino’s Seaport patio in Boston.
