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CATALUNYA >> Barcelona

RESTAURANTS

BAR CENTRAL

One of several great tapas bars in the Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona. A great place for traditional, super-fresh tapas and vegetables a la plancha. Ask them to prepare eggs with fries and shaved foie gras, not on the menu but almost always available. Mario, who owns Bar Central, is the uncle of Antonio, who owns and runs Kioso Universal on the other side of the market.
boqueria.info

BAR PINOTXO

Another tapas bar in Mercat de la Boqueria. Known for great croquetas and “country” foods, such as tripe and chickpea stew.
boqueria.info

CHEESE ME

Very casual café with a great cheese selection and many vegetarian options. A nice break from the typical Spanish food served at every single restaurant, and located in a cozy plaza in the gothic quarter. A great place to stop for a cappuccino while shopping in the neighborhood.
cheeseme.org

TAPAS 24

This is where we took multiple trips to during our visit to Alimentaria, the giant Barcelona gastro-fest. The line is long, so go early or be prepared to wait. Anywhere we go multiple times in the same trip is worth some time in line.
carlesabellan.com

EL QUIM

Another favorite in the Mercat de la Boqueria. One of the busiest bars in the market, so go early. 11am for lunch is advised if you want a seat. This is a great place for gambas al ajillo and vegetables a la plancha.
elquimdelaboqueria.com

KIOSKO UNIVERSAL

We ate at Kiosko Universal where items off the plancha are the specialty. Scrambled eggs with fries and shaved foie gras torchon says it all. Also had wild mushrooms a la plancha, simply prepared with olive oil and green onions, white beans a la plancha with lamb sausage, grilled langoustines, and fresh mussels with salsa verde. Everything we ordered was incredibly fresh – the restaurant gets all its products for the day from the market it’s sitting in, so everything is beyond the best ingredient you’ve ever tried, prepared very simply. And this was just breakfast!
boqueria.info

PACO MERALGO

This is the restaurant in Barcelona where we take EVERYONE. Its name is a play on “Para Comer Algo…” or “To Eat Something…” and we tend to gorge ourselves here on an array of deceptively simple tapas. The service comes on like a circus troupe trying to contain their antics by putting on nice clothes. Everything from the croquettes to the langostines shines.
restaurantpacomeralgo.com

SANTA MARIA

This is right across the street from Comerc 24, and is a local favorite for creative tapas. It has a tiny dining room so come early as it is always busy. There is a great value tasting menu here, so it is always my top recommendation for travelers looking for something special on a budget.
santarestaurant.wordpress.com

TALLER DE TAPAS

This is a super popular pintxos bar in the Gothic quarter. Also stop here for a beer and a variety of snacks while seeing the sites.
tallerdetapas.com

VILA VINITECA

Antonio knows a thing or 2 or 2000 about Jamón Iberico, and let me tell you, he told us every single bit of it. It was fascinating! And you really haven’t lived until you’ve tasted Presa – it’s the cured meat that comes from the base of the pig’s neck (considered the best part of the animal).
vilaviniteca.com

 

IDEAL COCKTAIL BAR

Love Scotch? Imagine your favorite single-malt … or that elusive single-barrel, vintage sip that is reportedly “impossible to find.” You’ll find it here.
idealcocktailbar.com

SUQUET DE L’ALMIRALL

Chef Quim introduced us to Antonio, the Maestro de Jamon at Vila Viniteca. Near the beach in Barceloneta, this place is so small that most of the tourists miss it, but if you have a hankering for Black Rice or the eponymous Fisherman’s Stew, head to this little cave of a restaurant.
suquetdelalmirall.com

QUIMET QUIMET

Quimet Quimet is a small tapas bar where all foods are prepared to order in front of you. The wine list here is extensive and service is on point. One quirk of this tapas bar is that you can drop dirty napkins on the floor instead of on the table.
Poeta Cabanas 25 | Barcelona 08004
tel: 93 442 31 42
tripadvisor.com

41 GRADOS

This cocktail bar is one that resembles Superman’s lair on Krypton, with hanging Plexiglas stalactites and movie projectors everywhere. Mixologists here are professionals who take their art very seriously. One of the local favorites is the gin and tonic.
Avinguda Paral-lel 164 | Barcelona 08015
tripadvisor.com

 

WINERIES

CAVAS MASACHS ‎

For seeing the unique production method of Cava, this is one of our favorite visits. The bottling line is so impressive.
cavasmasachs.com

BODEGAS SUMARROCA  ‎

A highly regarded Cava producer, Bodegas Sumarroca specializes in Brut Nature wines and is owned by Mr. Sumarroca, one of Spain’s most important and awarded agriculturists. The quality of wine on the vineyard is amazing due to the fact the family cares so much about the quality of their grapes. The Brut Nature Gran Reserva is one we have on our own Barcelona menu, and happens to be one of the best Cavas produced in Penedès.
sumarroca.com

 

ACTIVITIES

MERCADO DE LA BOQUERIA‎

This is Gretchen’s favorite site in Barcelona, and one of the best markets in Europe. Come hungry; besides the fresh produce, there are several eateries inside the market.
boqueria.info

ACCOMMODATIONS

U232 HOTEL

One of our favorite hotels in Barcelona, located in the Eixample district. Modern and affordable rooms for Barcelona. Train station is two stops away, and walking distance from a favorite club of ours, Luz de Gas.
u232hotel.com

SILKEN DIAGONAL

Very modern hotel close to great shopping. Not great for business travelers, but perfect for couples.
hoteles-silken.com

ZENIT BORRELL

This is a close second to U232 for favorite hotel in Barcelona. Nice location for walking to great tapas bars, and pretty affordable for the high quality.
borrell.zenithoteles.com

 


REGIONS OF CATALUNYA

BARCELONA | TARRAGONA | LLEIDA | PRIORAT

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