The Rough Guide to Barcelona 8 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

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Barri Gòtic
For locations, see map, pp.54–55.
Inexpensive
Venus Delicatessen c/Avinyó 25 T933 011 585;
M Liceu/Jaume I. Not a deli, despite the name,
but it’s a handy place for Carrer d’Avinyo
boutique shoppers, serving Mediterranean
bistro cuisine throughout the day and night.
It’s also good for vegetarians, with things like
lasagne, couscous, moussaka and salads
mostly meat-free, and all costing around
€7–10. No credit cards. Daily noon–midnight.
Moderate
Arc Café c/Carabassa 19 T933 025 204,
W M Drassanes.
Setting the standard for the chilled-out
bistro-bars seemingly now on every corner,
the Arc does substance and style. Drop in
just for a drink by all means – it’s a neigh-
bourhood stalwart – but the seasonally
changing menu is great value, and the
kitchen’s open all day. There are Greek
salad, spring rolls, home-made burgers
and Thai curries (with Thurs & Fri nights
designated Thai food nights). A la carte
main dishes are around €10. Mon–Thurs
10am–1am, Fri 10am–3am, Sat 11am–3am,
Sun 11am–1am.
Can Culleretes c/Quintana 5 T933 173 022,
W ; M Liceu. Supposedly
Barcelona’s oldest restaurant (founded in
1786), serving straight-up Catalan food
( botifarra sausage and beans, salt cod,
game stews) in cosy, traditional surround-
ings. Local families come in droves,
especially for celebrations or for Sun lunch,
and there are really good-value set seafood
meals available at both lunch and dinner.
Tues–Sat 1.30–4pm & 9–11pm, Sun
1.30–4pm; closed July.
Matsuri Pl. Regomir 1 T 932 681 535,
W ;
M Jaume I. Matsuri’s creative Southeast Asian
cuisine concentrates on Thai-style noodles,
soups, curries, salads, plus sushi and
sashimi. Tastes are very definitely Catalan in
execution – nothing too spicy or adventurous
– but the service is friendly and the Indone-
sian-style furniture and terracotta colours
make for a relaxed meal. Around €25 a head.
Mon–Thurs 1.30–3.30pm & 8.30–11.30pm,
Fri 1.30–3.30pm & 8.30pm–midnight, Sat
8.30pm–midnight.
El Salón c/L’Hostal d’en Sol 6–8 T 933 152 159;
M Jaume I. Changes at El Salón have bright-
ened the interior and lightened the mood,
but the modern Mediterranean food still cuts
the mustard. The menu changes seasonally,
with inventive salads giving way to things
like a confit of cod with spinach, pine nuts
and raisins, and most mains are in the
range €10–14. Mon–Sat 8.30pm–midnight;
closed two weeks in Aug.
Expensive
Café de l’Acadèmia c/Lledó 1 T933 198
253; M Jaume I. Great for a date or a
lazy lunch, with creative Catalan cooking
served in a romantic stone-flagged restau-
rant or on a lovely summer terrassa in the
medieval square outside, lit by candles at
night. Seasonal dishes range from confit of
bacallà (salt cod) with spinach and pine
kernels to aubergine terrine with goat’s
cheese, plus grills, fresh fish and rice. Prices
are pretty reasonable (mains €11–18) and
it’s always busy, so dinner reservations are
essential. A no-choice menú del dia is a
bargain for the quality (it’s even cheaper
eaten at the bar); a nice breakfast is served
too. Mon–Fri 9am–noon, 1.30–4pm & 8.45–
11.30pm; closed two weeks in Aug.
Los Caracoles c/Escudellers 14 T933 023 185;
M Liceu/Drassanes. A cavernous Barcelona
landmark with spit-roast chickens turning on
grills outside, dining rooms on various floors
adorned with chandeliers and oil paintings,
and an open kitchen straight out of Mervyn
Peake’s Gormenghast. The restaurant name
means “snails”, a house speciality, and the
chicken’s good too. There’s a full Catalan/
Spanish menu in a multitude of languages.
However, prices are beginning to look
exploitative (€16.50 for chicken and chips),
service can be chaotic, to say the least, and
the best that can be said about the whole
affair sometimes is that it’s been an experi-
ence – you certainly won’t forget it. Daily
1pm–midnight.
Limbo c/de la Mercè 13 T 933 107 699;
M Liceu. Designer restaurant that manages
an intimate feel within a warehouse-style
interior of exposed brick and wooden
beams. The menu is market-led, and there
are Asian influences, so you can expect
things like swordfish tartare with red onion
marmalade and wasabi, though there’s also
a pasta of the week and locally sourced
meat. Most dishes cost between €7 and
CAFÉS, TAPAS BARS AND RESTAURANTS
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Restaurants