Traveling has lots of advantages, but if there’s something that we all love, it is the fact that it gives us the opportunity to enjoy dishes with new flavors and scents that actually tells us a lot about the place we’re visiting. The gastronomic scene of each destination has its own personality, that we’ll get to discover meal by meal. Well, in other blogs we’ve already talked about Barcelona, its marvelous and quirky architecture and the most beautiful sights in the city. But we haven’t discussed that much about its cuisine. Today, we thought that we could change that by introducing a dish that slowly but surely, has taken over the food scene in the city.
Of course, we’re talking about tapas! They are loved all around Spain, and depending on which city you’re in, its name is going to change, although the sense of the dish stays the same: tapas are not big enough to be considered a complete meal, but they aren’t what we would call a snack… they are more like an appetizer, perhaps. But what makes them so special, is that they introduce you to the ingredients and flavors typical of where you are in Spain. As we’ve hinted before, tapas are not originally from Barcelona, and it took a while for them to become a natural part of the city’s meals. Nonetheless, nowadays you can head over anywhere and most probably, you’ll find all kinds of tapas, from the classics with few ingredients but lots of flavor, to the ones that use new, fresh and very unique ingredients.
Throughout this blog, we’re going to mention some of the best places for “tapear” in Barcelona. Now, bear in mind that the condition to eat tapas successfully is to be with friends, drinking something and having a conversation in a loud bar. We hope that when your time comes to eat tapas in Barcelona, you’ll stick to these conditions, and we assure you that you’ll have a great experience.
Cal Pep:
Since we’re talking about tapas, the best place to begin is Cal Pep, a laid-back restaurant where good company is the most important ingredient for a great experience. Here, there’s a combination of a relaxing yet fun atmosphere, helpful service to guide you through the tapas options, and the most delicious wine to accompany your food. Ah, obviously we can’t forget… Cal Pep’s tapas are some of the most exquisite in the city, because they are always made with fresh and local ingredients, and they have the secret touch of a passionate chef, always striving for the best. The tapas have been designed to reflect Mediterranean cuisine, so it isn’t surprising that some of the most famous ones are the seafood options. Given its popularity, you’ll probably find Cal Pep full of people most of the time, but thankfully, you can either stay in the bar (which is a great place for extroverts to make new friends) or wait for a table at the lounge. Honestly, waiting with a good glass of wine in hand is not so terrible.
Cal Pep knows that in order to enjoy tapas, you have to be in the best company.
Quimet i Quimet:
Talking about tapas in Barcelona without mentioning Quimet i Quimet would be impossible, because this family-owned bar has been around since 1914, and it was one of the first places in the city that adopted the tradition of tapas as their own, becoming one of the most beloved tapas bar in Barcelona. Generation after generation, the house’s speciality has been “montaditos”, which means tapas served on bread, made with high-quality canned goods such as seafood and meat. Even if the bar emphasizes regional and local flavors, there are others with an international twist to them, such as salmon sashimi or black olive paté. Once you enter Quimet, you’ll notice that the entire bar is covered in wine bottles, which is a huge part of the bar’s charming atmosphere. As such, one would think that having a glass of wine with the “montaditos” will be the best option, but Quimet i Quimet has an ace up their sleeve, which is their own Belgian beer, also a perfect companion for some of the best tapas of Madrid.
Quimet i Quimet has been around since 1914, gracing Barcelona with some of the most delicious tapas of the city.
Tapas 24
We could say that Cal Pep and Quimet i Quimet try to perfect the tapas that already exist while giving them an exciting twist. But Taps 24 is a place where new flavors and very specific ingredients become the protagonist of a unique type of tapas. The restaurant is run by chef Carles Abellan, who has a passion for making gourmet versions and reinventions of everyone’s favorite tapas. For example, one of the most popular tapas of the restaurant is the McFoie-Burger one, which literally means turning a hamburger into one or two bites. Here, you even have dessert tapas! There’s the xocolata amb pa, sal i oil, which is a set of balls of chocolate with olive oil, and a hint of salt and wafer. Additionally, since Tapas 24 tries to make gourmet tapas, take the classic “montadito” with ham and watch as the restaurant turns it into the bikini, a kind of toasted ham and cheese sandwich with truffle. The difference is quite clear, right?
Chef Carles Abellan has turned Tapas 24 in an innovative restaurant that has turned tapas into gourmet bites.
El Vaso de Oro
Last, but certainly not least, we want to talk about El Vaso de Oro, a tapas bar that not only gives you the opportunity to enjoy tapas in the best traditional Spanish way, but also helps you experience it while bathing in Barcelona’s shining sun and refreshing sea, thanks to its privileged location in La Barceloneta, one of the city’s most popular seaside areas. The bar has been serving delicious tapas for over 50 years, and in that time, it has become a favorite among tourists and locals alike, due to its characteristic style and its impeccable ability to adapt to its customers’ needs. One could even say that given its location, the bar has been unable to keep people inside! So don’t get confused if you see people happily talking and eating tapas outside of El Vaso del Oro, it is just the natural way things are over there. Some of the most popular tapas that you’ll find there are tortilla and chorizo, but if you’re feeling hungry after them, don’t worry, the bar also serves full meals.
You’ll find El Vaso de Oro in La Barceloneta, one of the city’s most popular seaside districts.
These places are just a few of the countless tapas bars of Barcelona, but they have made a reputation for themselves as the most authentic, gourmet or simply delicious bars to try tapas. We hope that now that you know how diverse the scene is, you’re ready to go from place to place, discovering how Barcelona reflects its own personality in these bite-size delicacies.
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