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sucks in tourists with its pretty location by
the church of Santa Maria del Pi – there’s a
year-round outdoor terrace. The open
kitchen turns out market-fresh tapas, with
fish a speciality at dinner, so you might get
griddled tuna, sautéed razor clams,
anchovies from L’Escala or cod fish-cakes.
Prices are on the high side, but the food’s
generally reliable. There is another similarly
busy branch in the Born at c/Argenteria 51,
and a rather less atmospheric outlet in the
upper Barri Gòtic at c/Comtal 28, which
serves the same range of tapas but also
boasts
cerveseria
(beer house) credentials,
with a range of 20 international bottled
beers. Mon–Sat 9.30am–midnight, Sun
noon–midnight.
La Viñatería del Call
c/Sant Domènec del
Call 9
T
933 026 092;
M
Jaume I.
The
wood-table tavern is principally an eating
place – with a long menu of cheese and
ham platters,
escalivada
, smoked fish, fried
peppers and much more – but it’s also a
great late-night bar, with a serious wine list
and jazz and flamenco sounds as a
backdrop. If you want to eat, especially at
weekends, it’s best to reserve a table.
Mon–Sat 6pm–1am.
El Raval
For location, see map, pp.66–67.
Mam i Teca
c/de la Lluna 4
T
934 413
335;
M
Sant Antoni.
An intimate (code
for very small) place for superior tapas and
fine wines, run by a wine-loving gourmet. All
the meat is organic, the regional cheeses
are well chosen, and market-fresh ingredi-
ents are the basis for the daily pasta dishes,
a platter of grilled vegetables or a simple
serving of lamb cutlets. Finish with
chocolate truffles or home-made ice cream.
There are only three or four tables, or you
can perch at the bar. Mon, Wed–Fri & Sun
1–4pm & 8.30pm–midnight, Sat
8.30pm–midnight.
Sant Pere
For locations, see map, p.74.
El Bitxo
c/Verdaguer i Callis 9
T
932 681
708;
M
Urquinaona.
This is a great find
for drinks and tapas, close to the Palau de
la Música Catalana. It’s tiny (four small
wooden tables and a line of bar stools) but
there’s a friendly welcome, and the food is
very good, especially the cured and smoked
meats and sausages, and regional cheeses.
Mon–Sat 1pm–1am.
Mosquito
c/dels Carders 46
T
932 687
569,
W
www.mosquitotapas.com;M
Jaume 1.
The sculpted dive-bombing
mozzies above the door herald “tapas
exóticas”, which turn out to be delicious
pan-Asian tapas, things like Balinese
chicken wings, Singapore noodles, potato
chaat
and crispy
pakoras
, each around
€3–5. There’s a sushi and sashimi menu
too, and if you factor in the friendly service,
Fair Trade coffee and world music you’ve
got a winning combination. Tues–Sun
5pm–1am, Fri & Sat until 2.30am.
Santa Maria
c/Comerç 17
T
933 151 227,
W
www.santamania.info;
M
Jaume I.
Paco
Guzmán’s new-wave tapas bar has a
glass-fronted kitchen turning out taste
sensations – such as Catalan sushi,
octopus confit, yucca chips, or quail
with salsa. Around €40 should get you a
good range of dishes, finishing on a high
note with the famous “Dracula” dessert
– a shot glass of strawberry and vanilla
cream flavours with pop-rocks that sets
off crackles in your mouth. Tues–Sat
1.30–3.30pm & 8.30pm–12.30am;
closed two weeks in Aug.
La Ribera
For locations, see map, p.78.
Cal Pep
Pl. de les Olles 8
T
933 107
961,
W
www.calpep.com;M
Barceloneta.
There’s no equal in town for fresh-off-the-
boat and out-of-the-market tapas, and if
you don’t want to queue, get there on
opening for a seat at the counter. Prices
can be high for what’s effectively a bar
meal (up to €40 a head) but it’s definitely
worth it. After a quick tutorial from the
waiter, sit back and enjoy fried shrimp, hot
green peppers, grilled sea bass, Catalan
sausage and beans, baby squid and
chickpeas, and other classics – the whole
show overseen by Pep himself bustling up
and down the counter. Mon 8–11.45pm,
Tues–Fri 1.15–4pm & 8–11.45pm, Sat
1.30–4pm; closed Aug.
Euskal Etxea
Pl. de Montcada 1–3
T
933 102
185;
M
Jaume I/Barceloneta.
The bar at the
front of the local Basque community centre
is great for
pintxos
-picking – these pint-
sized tapas are displayed along the counter,
so just point to what you want (and keep
CAFÉS, TAPAS BARS AND RESTAURANTS
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Tapas bars