Christine’s BARCELONA FAVORITES (of course, the pandemic may have changed a lot of things)

RESTAURANTS/EATING:

  • Vinitus – one of best tapas with very fresh seafood. Carrer del Consell de Cent, 333 (Eixample neighborhood near Metro Passeig de Gracia) Always crowded. Go before 6pm – though they have another location nearby now too.  Reasonably priced.
  • Ciudad Condal – very fresh tapas – very fresh seafood – pretty reasonabl price –depending on what you order can get away with 15-20 euros. sitting at the counter where you can see all the dishes, is the best. Rambla de Catalunya, 18
  • Paradeta – very fresh fish market display – you point to what you want (fish on ice) and they go cook it for you. We end up spending around 25E each, but think it’s a real deal for the amount of food you get.  Don’t go on Tuesday lunch though, might not be the freshest…  many locations.  (near SAGRADA FAMILIA: Passatge de Simo, 18)(In El BORN: Carrer Comercial, 7 – next to ‘El Born Centre de Cultura I Memoria’)
  • El Quim de la Boqueria –Boqueria is the market on the Rambla – (Gothic Quarter) Jane and I had amazing eggs, mushrooms on toast – and we got the very expensive version with foie gras – but it was amazing.  They are overpriced for being in a market, but are a bit famous globally and have been featured on food shows. La Boqueria is VERY touristy, but worth wandering through at least once.
  • Da Greco – Carrer de Santa Teresa, 10, EIXAMPLE neighborhood – amazing Italian restaurant.  does a 35 Euro prix fixe with 4 courses and wine and WAY too much food.  Amazing ‘Pasta Sampler’ for appetizer – in itself too much for one person for a whole meal… very fancy interior.
  • Rumbanroll – BARCELONETTA – good & cheap lunch – 5 euros for plate of 2 things – protein or carb or veg. Carrer de la Maquinista, 6
  • L atelier de blai – carrer du blai 38, EL RAVAL -neighborhood – where the glass of cava was cheaper than the bottle of water. on FUN PINTXOS street –pedestrian street with bars all along, and tables on street – pintxos are appetizers – all kinds of  things on bread – like roasted peppers and cheese, fried shrimp, ham, – more creative than that – all for about 1euro each.  : another recommended one is at #9.
  • CatBarCat Carrer de la Boria, 17 – EL BORN neighborhood – right off Via Laetana – good vegan burgers and beer.  mostly english speakers here. Gritty looking inside.
  • Salamanca – Carrer de Pepe Rubianes, 34, Seafood restaurant on side of beach. Very good quality.  Prices medium – about 20E per person for paella.  Nice family atmosphere. Good paella.
  • Xiringuito Escriba –Av del Liltoral, 62 (Platja del Bogatell) famous for paella and on the beach – also Escriba is mostly famous for its in town bakeries, so don’t skip the dessert. a little expensive, excellent seafood.  20Euros for paella and they prefer to make for 2 or more people at a time.
  • Chiringuitos on the beach – beach bars with food – all along the beach in the summer – not known for great food, but they are fun.
  • Cafe de l’Academia, Carrer dels Lledó, 1, Gothic Quarter – a favorite near Jaume 1er. Small restaurant with great atmosphere and nice food. Just for small groups. 1/2 serving fish dishes allow you to combine that with a starter without breaking the budget. The Alcor house red is also excellent. (patrick’s recommendation)(slightly expensive)
  • Tickets We never made it here.  Always waiting list. I think it has michelin and is much cheaper than the others.  which is why it has busloads of tourists going through.
  • Disfrutar is amazing food theatre. Has 2 michelin star and was created by former chefs of celebrated ‘elBulli’. Expensive, (but cheaper than michelins in other countries) and totally amazing.
  • Vegetalia – veggie restaurant – good! – several locations: (Vegetalia Gothic, 54 Escudeliers)(Vegetalia RAVAL, 1 Emili Vendrell sq)(Vegetalia Born, Fossar de les Moreres)
  • OBE restaurant – Plaza Santa Caterina – good homemade pasta – reasonable price in el born.
  • Bun Bo – Carrer Sagristans 3vietnamese – not bad if you need a hit of asian food – in center of town in gothic quarter
  • MILK – (brunch) – Gignas 21 – haven’t gone yet – american brunch
  • Firebug – (brunch) – Passeig de Sant Joan– haven’t gone yet – american brunch
  • Marmelade – (brunch – all 3 of these are related) – (raval) Carrer de la Riera Alta, 4- – haven’t gone yet – american brunch

CAFES:

  • Cacoa Sampaka– 292 Carrer del Consell de Cent – Metro: Passeig du Gracia, EIXAMPLE neighborhood, – Chocolate shop and café. BEST hot chocolate – in my humble opinion – opt for the non-spicy version – I think it’s called ‘aztec’ or something like that.  very very dark chocolate, but not too bitter.  Really great chocolate – good gifts.    Café isn’t gorgeous – windowless in back – but not terrible.
  • Faborit Casa Amatller – Passeig de Gracia, 41 – 2nd best hot chocolate  – Metro: Passeig du Gracia, EIXAMPLE neighborhood – right next to Gaudi’s CASA BATLLO – ALL about CHOCOLATE and pastries – cute patio in the back and lots of possible gifts
  • Bar El Velodromo Carrer de Muntaner, 213– 1920’s feeling café/restaurant. New York food doesn’t cut it, but they have spanish stuff too.    Open from morning til 3am.  Pool table of some sort.  Not worth going to unless you are in neighborhood.  Food not amazing….
  • Café del Born Center Commercial– WIFI – in square with to ‘El Born Centre de Cultura I Memoria’. Decent food.
  • En Aparte, Carrer de Lluis el Piados,2 (Square), EL BORN neighborhood, in Placa de Sant Pere – French café with wine and light food
  • Pudding Coffee Shop – Carrer de Pau Claris, 90. EIXAMPLE neighborhood – Fun décor – Giant mushrooms and circus feeling – Coffee, lunch, snacks  are fine.  really the décor which is great
  • Café Cosmos – Enric Granados 3, only if you happen to be in the area
  • Federal Café – Passatge de la Pau, 11. GOTHIC quarter neighborhood – one of my favorite WIFI cafes for working– you can stay all day – nice little plaza – Breakfast, lunch, pastries etc.(Vietnamese Spring rolls are best I’ve ever had.  Not like normal dry tasteless ones.)
  • Placa George Orwell – a bunch of cafes with outdoor seating
  • Bar on top of Museu d’Historia de Catalunya – Palau de Mar, Plaça de Pau Vila, 3,go in front door and up elevator to top floor – amazing view over harbor – don’t know restaurant prices – I just have a cup of tea or a drink.
  • Café Menssana – Carrer de Sardenya 48 (off of Marina) – café with veggie stuff, breakfast etc – good ratings – but I don’t remember, I think I went here in early days – so I need to go back to confirm

BAKERIES

  • La Xocolateria by Oriol Balaguer – Carrer de la Fusina, 5. café and bakery – right in square with to ‘El Born Centre de Cultura I Memoria’.  Oriol Balaguer is famous for pastries and chocolate.
  • Pastisseria Escriba – famous for desserts – 2 locations plus paella restaurant on beach (la Rambla, 83 – GOTHIC quarter)(Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes) – I haven’t tried their desserts
  • Hofmann Pastisseria – most amazing croissants – all flavors – Carrer dels Flassaders, 44. EL BORN neighborhood – no place to sit, but very cute neighborhood
  • Baluard (Barceloneta: Baluard, 38)(Poblenou: Maria Aguilo, 51)(Diagonal: Pau Claris, 188) – excellent bakery. great pizza, great bread, good tarts yet. Best croissants in Barcelona!

MARKETS/FOOD

  • Cibus Italia – carrer Roger de Lluria (exemple) – italian food shop – good quality italian supplies

BARS:

  • JazzSi – music and Flamenco: http://tallerdemusics.com/en/jazzsi-club/jazzsiclub/concierto-de-flamenco/
  • 4 Gats – Montsio, 3bis – very cool old bar/restaurant where picasso had his first exhibit – started by local who returned from paris and who worked in ‘la chat noir’ – and wanted to create artist bar. reopened and restored recently – good for a drink and tapas.  expensive for dinner.  don’t know quality of dinner – sort of tourist attraction, but cool enough for a drink.

POBLENOU:

CAFES:

  • Market Cuina Fresca– Carrer de Badajoz 83 – tiny & humble little restaurant with nice food. We would go for breakfast – eggs on tacos.

BARS:

  • Balius – cool bar with jazz sunday eves.
  • Minyam – Calle Pujades 187 – cool bar with tapas
  • 58 – ramblas de poblenou – very good tapas and seafood –
  • Razzmatazz (big disco with 5-7 salles & concert space)

RESTAURANTS:

  • Market – carrer badajoz, 83 – market fresh food – lunch
  • Raco de la vila – ciutat de granada – large, cavernous old restaurant. reasonable prices, can handle busloads of tourists. a bit pricey, but good solid food.
  • madrelievito Laboratorio – Carrer dela Almogavers 148 – our local pizza joint, 1 block away from home, great home made by italians – pizza, pizza bread sandwiches, lasagna and 3E wine. dinner for 2 for 15E
  • Can Dende – ciutat de granada 44 – brunch & eatery – very good – eggs benedict and brunch stuff – prices and tastes for americans…
  • La Scola – gourmet dinner from student chefs

HOTELS:

  • Pulitzer Hotel – We had friends who stayed here and loved it.  It felt luxury but wasn’t too expensive, and right in the center of town – next to Plaza Catalunya

DAY TRIPS:

  • Sitges is easy to get to – bus, train.  very cute beach town with white wash buildings- looks like greek island town.  gay town. beautiful beaches
  • Costa Brava – northern coast. these are not like boston beaches, beautiful craggy rocks with gnarly trees and blue blue green mediterranean. We liked Calella de Palafrugell.  The towns and beaches in the north that you can get to by train are not as interesting.
  • Girona – walled town, very beautiful and dramatic. they filmed parts of Game of Thrones here. about an hour out of town. there are busses here.  the #1 restaurant in the world (for a few years) is here ‘El Celler de Can Roca’ – will set you back probably 300/person. but amazing.
  • Siuriana – cool dramatic town. very small, very atmospheric.