The culture trip Barcelona s 10 Great Cultural Restaurants: A Food Lover s Guide

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1 The culture trip Barcelona s 10 Great Cultural Restaurants: A Food Lover s Guide In Barcelona, food is a lifestyle. Traditional and avant-garde delicacies are put together in an outstanding expression of Mediterranean cuisine, and eating out is both a social need and a custom deeply rooted in local culture. From tiny and crowded tapas bars to stunning fine dining venues, these are ten of the best cultural restaurants in Barcelona. Tickets The celebrated last project by world-famous chefs and brothers Albert and Ferran Adrià ofelbulli fame is named Tickets and is dedicated to showcasing the very essence of the pleasure of eating. With a colourful and exciting décor, this Michelinstarred gastrobar hosts different circus-themed spaces and serves sublime traditional and modern tapas creations. La vida tapa is the slogan of this lively and contemporary tapas bar that has become a very popular venue for Barcelona s foodies; the waiting period to enjoy this stunning dining experience can be around two or three months. Tickets, Avinguda Paral lel 164, Barcelona, Spain, The Culture Trip 1

2 El Xampanyet El Xampanyet is one of the most prestigious tapas bars in Barcelona, with a history of over 80 years. Decorated with tiled walls and marble tables, and located in the trendy El Born, El Xampanyet is an authentic venue that retains its vintage charm and a great personality. Famous for its spectacular anchovies and iberico charcuterie, the singularity of this establishment is also granted by its selection of local Spanish cava (Xampanyet) that can be ordered as the perfect accompaniment to the traditional tapas. El Xampanyet, Carrer de Montcada 22, Barcelona, Spain, Koy Shunka Koy Shunka is one of the best, if not the best, Japanese restaurants in Barcelona, awarded with its first Michelin star in The venue is the second and most sophisticated of chef Hideki Matsuhisa s outlets, opened after the initial success of Shunka, the little brother of Koy Shunka. Its menu offers the chef s elaborate savoir-faire in an exquisite mixture of the most refined flavours of Japan with the best of fresh Mediterranean produce. Every delicacy is prepared with meticulous care for the properties and underlying flavours of each ingredient; the espardenya nigiris, the wagyu or the negitoro temaki just some samples of Koy Shunka s impressive culinary accomplishment. Koy Shunka, C/ Copons 7, Barcelona, Spain, The Culture Trip 2

3 La Cova Fumada La Cova Fumada is a family-run and small-sized tapas bar situated in the seaside neighbourhood of La Barceloneta. Locals and foreigners are attracted by the renown of its legendary potato bomba, a delicious potato filled with meat and a choice of three sauces, graded by spiciness. The menu focuses on authentic Mediterranean delicacies, from fresh fish produce to vegetables, along with a wide selection of Spanish wines. La Cova Fumada is a typical old tavern that embraces the best of Barcelona s tradition, with white marble tables and simple dishes bursting with flavour. La Cova Fumada, Carrer del Baluart 56, Barcelona, Spain, Bar Cañete In the heart of Barcelona, close to the popular Las Ramblas, Bar Cañete comprises two separate spaces: the Barra offers tapas in a informal and fast-paced environment with a very long counter as the main centre of activity; the Mantel is a bistro space where generous courses can be enjoyed in an intimate, relaxed and more refined atmosphere. Bar Cañete serves fish and seafood from Catalonian fish markets and seasonal vegetables from local farmers, moulding them into classic and contemporary Spanish specialties. The fried squid sandwich and the red salted shrimps are a must. Bar Cañete, Carrer de la Unió 17, Barcelona, Spain, The Culture Trip 3

4 Quimet & Quimet Family-run Quimet & Quimet has over 100 years of history. Opened in 1914, this tiny and bustling establishment is now managed, with close attention and friendliness, by the fourth generation of the family. With no chairs to sit on, the diners can eat at the bar counter or at small tables, choosing from an assortment of montaditos, or tapas toppings, prepared with some of the finest Spanish seafood, meat and cheese. These tapas can be enjoyed together with an outstanding selection of wines, which literally reaches up to the ceiling, and the venue s own home-brewed beer. Renowned among the locals and lively, Quimet & Quimet is still not on Barcelona s tourist maps. Quimet & Quimet, Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes 25, Barcelona, Spain Ocaña Ocaña is the ultimate trendy venue to enjoy on a night out in Barcelona. Café, bar, restaurant and terrace meet in a unique environment with one common denominator: creativity and Berlin inspiration. Only open for dinner, Ocaña offers a Catalonian menu based on urban tapas ideal for sharing and prepared with highquality ingredients in a way that represents the restaurant s philosophy: simplicity in manufacture, reverence for the product and a careful overview of popular icons. Ocaña is a casual spot where fun meets gastronomy, followed by impressive cocktails such as the Moscow Mule, a Berlin staple. Ocaña, Plaça Reial 13-15, Barcelona, Spain, The Culture Trip 4

5 Cal Pep Cal Pep is a crowded tapas bar in the fashionable El Born district and one of the most popular venues of Barcelona. Always filled with locals and visitors in a buzzing atmosphere, Cal Pep offers an excellent selection of Mediterranean cuisine prepared with fresh seasonal products and recommends the best of the day, from fish and seafood to meat and vegetables. The extensive variety of its menu features tapas alongside generous main courses: squid, shrimp, botifarra with beans, Spanish omelette and seafood paella are some of the specialties. Diners can sit at the bar counter facing the open kitchen and watch the food being prepared in front of them, but it s also possible to book a table in the intimate back dining room. Cal Pep, Plaça de les Olles 8, Barcelona, Spain, Xemei Xemei, situated in the historic neighbourhood of Poble Sec, is considered to be one of the best examples of Italian cuisine in Barcelona. However, this restaurant goes beyond the standard expectations of Italian gastronomy and presents specialties from a single part of Italy: Venice. Chefs Stefano and Max Colombo, Italian twin brothers, offer the best, typical recipes from their hometown with an extraordinary selection of elaborate plates, from cuttlefish with polenta to the best burrata. Natural fresh produce and organic wines are served with creativity and a delicate presentation in a vintage and glamorous atmosphere. Xemei, Paseo de la Exposición 85, Barcelona, Spain, The Culture Trip 5

6 Pinotxo Bar La Boquería Market is point of reference for traditional food markets all over the world. Inside,Pinotxo Bar is an unmissable stop. Wedged in between endless market stalls and vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and seafood, Pinotxo Bar offers bites of traditional Catalonian cuisine, prepared with the freshest produce from the market. This is a true institution within the market, always crowded with loyal locals and curious visitors, where tapas are served at a mindboggling pace to diners who can enjoy them at the bar counter. Pinotxo Bar, Mercat de la Boqueria , Rambla 91, Barcelona, Spain, The Culture Trip 6