Gràcia. Internet €1 per 15min. Coffee and snacks €1.35-4.50. Beer €2-2.60. Wine €1.55-3. Lunch menú M-F €14; Sa-Su €17. Open M-F 9am-1am, Sa 10am-1am.
COLMADO DE SOL
C. Consell de Cent, 383
BEER, CAFE
93 533 19 47 www.colmadodelsol.com
Although this little cafe offers a variety of deli-style items for takeout or enjoyment at one of their few tables, the real attraction is in their almost limitless selection of beer. Over 300 different types line the walls, all chilled and ready for your stomach. Knock back a few before heading to their tapas bar next door, or pick up a couple of classy brews so you’re not stuck paying €1 for Estrella from a six-pack later in the night.
Girona. Walk along C. Consell de Cent toward C. del Bruc. Colmado de Sol will be right after the intersection. Plates of the day €8. Dinner menú €10. Open M-Sa noon-10pm.
LA FLAUTA
C. Aribau, 23
TAPAS, SANDWICHES
93 323 70 38
La Flauta takes its name from the long, thin crusty Catalan sandwich that puts other bocadillos to shame. Bearing no resemblance to the stale bread and two slices of cheese you drunkenly paid €4 for at 3am, these sandwiches are stuffed full of mouthwatering veggies, meat, and cheese (half €3.65-6.90; whole €4.75-8.75). Lots of veggie options, tapas, and other plates fill out the menu in a decor that would never leave you believing that they’re known for two pieces of bread and some filling.
Universitat. Walk down C. d’Aribau, the road to the left of the University. La Flauta is 1 block down on the left. Weekday lunch menú €10.50. Entrees €4.50-7.90. Sandwiches €3.65-7. 90. Open M-Sa 7am-1:30am.
LA MUSCLERIA
C. Mallorca, 290
SEAFOOD
93 458 98 44 www.muscleria.com
Would you eat them in a can, would you, could you, in a van? Would you eat them in a boat, could you eat them on a float? Although you probably won’t be able to answer these questions, La Muscleria will let you try—they offer up more mussel options than a single mind can muster, though you’ll have to order takeout (at a 20% discount) to experiment with eating locales. Ordering in gets you a bucket of mussels and a smaller dish of fries. Other seafoods (calamari and oysters, to name a few) round out the menu.
Girona. Walk along C. de Girona toward C. d’Aragó and take a left onto C. Mallorca. La Muscleria is located on the left, in a basement. 20% discount for takeout. Salads €6.75-7.05. Mussels €9-10.85. Open M-Sa 1-4pm and 8:30-11:30pm, Su 1-4pm.
CAN CARGOL
C. València, 324
CATALAN
93 458 96 31 www.cancargol.es
A fun selection of snail dishes (including “grandfather” or “mother-in-law” style; each €9.25) are complemented with a range of charcoal grilled veggies and meat-centric entrees, ranging from pig’s feet (€5.25) to bacalau with garlic mousseline (€7.50). Though obviously nicer than your average kebab stand, the relatively laid-back atmosphere with exposed rafters and blackened wine bottles won’t make you feel too out of place when you show up in your shirt and cargo shorts.
Girona. Walk along C. de Girona toward C. d’Aragó and take a left onto C. de Valencia. Reservations recommended F-Su. Appetizers €3.75-8.75; entrees €5.75-18.25. Open daily 1:30-4pm and 8:30pm-midnight.
LA PULPERÍA
Consell de Cent, 329
SEAFOOD
92 487 53 98 www.restaurantelapulperia.com
In a masochistic turn of events, this restaurant lets you eat fantastic pulpo, or octopus, under the watchful eye of an eight-legged friend (admittedly, he’s painted and presumably holds no grudges). Just to be sure there are no hard feelings, a selection of Galician tapas are available around the dark wooden bar, and there’s always room to escape his gaze on the terrace.
Passeig de Gràcia. Walk up Pg. de Gràcia and take a right onto Consell de Cent. Tapas €4-5.60. Octopus €8.25-33. Open M-Th noon-midnight, F-Sa noon-2am.
LA RITA
C. Aragó, 279
CATALAN
93 487 23 76 wwww.laritarestaurant.com
The stomping ground of locals looking for an unbeatably priced midday meal. The cuisine spans a small range of traditional items with a twist, including potatoes and black sausage, duck breast with apples, raspberry coulis, and mango chutney. Though the price is near dirt cheap for the quality, the interior is anything but; expect an upscale but relaxed ambience that will make you question wearing that T-shirt—but not quite regret the decision.
Girona. Walk toward C. d’Aragó and take a left onto the street. La Rita is a flew blocks down on your right. Appetizers €4.75-7; entrees €7-11. Open daily 1-3:45pm and 8:30-11:30pm.
TAPAS, 24
C. Diputació, 269
TAPAS
93 488 09 77 www.carlesabellan.com
Climb down the stairs and into the den of delicious tapas. Chef Carles Abellan, formerly of El Bulli, serves up food that you can actually afford at this alternative to his acclaimed Comerç 24. Marble countertops and colorful paintings of the menu spruce up this cafeteria-esque alcove. Try a plate of patatas bravas (€3. 75) with either a glass of cava (€3) or their house sangría (€3. 75).
Passeig de Gràcia. Walk away from Plaça Catalonia. Tapas, 24 is on the corner of C. Diputació and Pg. de Gràcia. Tapas €2.50-8. Raciones €9-12. Wine and cava €3. Open daily 9am-midnight.
RODIZIO GRILL
C. Consell de Cent, 403
BRAZILIAN GRILL, CATALAN
93 265 51 12
Not only is this buffet food delicious, fresh, and of high-quality, but some of the fare, including Brazilian meats, make their way around to each of the tables. The buffet will cost you €18-20, so come hungry enough to eat the entire blue-and-white cow looking down from overhead.
Girona. Walk along C. de Girona toward C. Consell de Cent and turn right onto the road. Rodizio Grill is to the left. M-Th lunch buffet €18.20; nights and F-Sa €20.50. Desserts €3.24-4. 30. Cocktails €5. Open M-Th 1-4:30pm and 9pm-midnight, F-Sa 1-4:30pm and 9pm-1am, Su 1-4:30pm and 9pm-midnight.
Barceloneta
BOMBETA
C. Maquinista, 3
TAPAS
93 319 94 45
Take heed of the warning scrawled above the bar, “No hablamos inglés, pero hacemos unas bombas cojonudas”—or, for the non-Spanish speaking set, “We don’t speak English, but we make bombas that are out of this world.” A retro facade with windows plastered with menu listings offers typical Spanish fare like tostadas, tortillas, and tapas, but really—just get the bombas.
Walk down Pg. Juan de Borbó (toward the beach) and take a left onto C. Maquinista. Appetizers €3-9.50; entrees €5-18. Open M-Tu 9am-11:45pm, Th-Su 9am-11:45pm.
SOMORROSTRO
C. Sant Carles, 11
SEAFOOD
93 225 00 10 www.restaurantesomorrostro.com
This eatery is one of the few restaurants that is a part of Barceloneta’s restaurant association, a recently established organization dedicated to making the inflated prices of Barceloneta actually worth the cost while bringing the best of the port to its tables. Somorrostro is also one of the best priced of this group, with reasonable seafood dishes, paella, and curries (€13-19) and a nighttime menú (€15). The real draw for the restaurant comes midday on weekdays—a seafood buffet lets you pay for fish, prawns, and more fresh from the port and cooked to your liking for unbelievably cheap prices (€13 per kg).
Barceloneta. Walk on Pla del Palau over Ronda Litoral to follow the harbor. Take the 5th left after crossing Litoral, onto C. Sant Carles. Weekday lunch buffet €13 per kg. Dinner menú €15. Appetizers €5.50-10; entrees €13.60-18.50. Open Tu-Sa 8pm-11:30pm, Su 2-4pm and 8-11:30pm.
BAR BITACORA
C. Balboa, 1
TAPAS
93 319 11 10
During the summer months, the giant neon eyeball of this establishment looks onto a small terrace full of young people flocking from the beach. A spa
rse interior offers lots of seats for those looking to get out of the sun, with scarves from around the world hanging from the pipes as a reminder of colder weather to come. Beautiful salads offer a refreshing alternative to the fried bombas and beer around the beach—try the Salad Bitácora (mezclun, avocado, apple, and walnuts with a honey vinaigrette, €6.50.)
Barceloneta. Walk down Pg. Juan de Borbó (towards the beach) and take the 1st left after Ronda del Litoral onto C. Balboa. Tapas €2.50-8. Sangria €3. Open M-W 10am-midnight, F-Sa 10am-2am, Su noon-5pm.
CAN MAÑO
C. Baluart, 12
SEAFOOD
93 319 30 82
A no-frills bar-restaurant that has been serving fresh seafood for good prices to a never ending crowd of locals for years. Tile floors, white paint, and a random assortment of old framed newspaper clippings provide a refreshing break from those restaurants that make any attempt at interior decoration. If you had any doubts about just how little pretension this place harbors, just ask Tommy the Trout to start singing, “Take Me to the River” to you from his wall plaque.
Barceloneta. Walk on Pla del Palau over Ronda Litoral to follow the harbor. Take the first left after crossing Litoral, onto C. Balboa. Take the 2nd right onto C. Baluart. Meat and fish dishes €3-10. Combination plates €6-8. Open M-F 8am-5pm and 8-11pm, Sa 8am-5pm.
Gràcia
LA NENA
C. Ramon i Caja, 36
CAFE, ORGANIC
93 285 14 76
An extensive menu of gourmet chocolates, ice creams, crepes, sandwiches, and quiches with ridiculously low prices. Don’t try ordering a cold beer to beat the heat, though—the huge banner overhead alerts visitors that they may be the only spot in Barcelona that doesn’t serve alcohol. Chill jazz plays over the speakers and kids’ games and books line the tall, bright walls. For a filling treat, try one of their tostadas, like the goat cheese (goat cheese, tomato, and mushroom on bread), that will have you wishing you too had an extra stomach for more room.
Follow C. d’Asturies, the one-way road leading from the metro stop and take a right onto Torrent de l’Olla. Walk a few blocks and take a left onto C. Ramon i Caja. Sandwiches €3.50. Quiches €5.50. Open daily 1pm-1am.
GAVINA
C. Ros de Olano, 17
PIZZA
93 415 74 50
Although there’s not yet a market for pizza places where you can dine under life-sized patron saints, Gavina is just ahead of the curve. Don’t misinterpret their slant, though—George Washington and a plethora of other nations’ money serve to secularize this sanctuary of informal Italian cooking. The big draw is the gigantic, delicious pizzas. Try their namesake the Gavina (potatoes, ham, onion, and mushrooms), but be sure to bring friends or an otherworldly appetite.
Fontana. Walk on Gran de Gràcia away from C. d’Asturies and take a left onto C. Ros de Olano. Pizza €6.50-14. Wine €8.50-15. Open M-Th 1pm-1am, F-Sa 1pm-2am, Su 1pm-1am.
CHIDO ONE
C. Torrijos, 30
MEXICAN
93 285 03 35 www.chidoone.es
This Mexican restaurant has more luchador mettle than Strong Bad, complete with brightly painted walls splattered with murals, crafty animals, and other knickknacks brought from the homeland. Try one of their handmade tortillas in their delicious quesadillas (€8.50-10), and grab a Mexican beer to wash them down.
Joanic. Take a right onto C. de l’Escorial and a left onto C. de Sant Lluis after a block. Left onto C. Torrijos. Appetizers €8.50-9.50; entrees €9.50-11. Open M-Th 1-5pm and 7pm-midnight, F-Su 1pm-2am.
L’ARMARI
C. Montseny, 13
FRENCH
93 368 54 13
Relaxed French cuisine including foie gras, truffles, cheeses, and a range of tartars fill this bistro. Young locals gather under delicate lighting for a midday meal with friends on mismatched chairs (some of which are somehow sporting a classy zebra stripe), while the black-and-white photos and French books on the walls set an appropriately refined scene. But with €4 mixed drinks before 10pm, don’t feel as if you need to stay straight-laced.
Fontana. Walk on Gran de Gràcia away from C. d’Asturies and take a left onto C. Montseny. Tapas €3.50-6. Entrees €5.50-12. Cocktails €4, after 10pm €5.50. Open M-F 9am-2:30am, Sa-Su 6pm-2:30am.
BARCELONA REYKJAVÍK
C. Astúries, 20
BAKERY
93 237 69 18 www.barcelonareykjavik.com
This difficult-to-pronounce bakery is perfect for the discerning backpacker that’s tired of white bread and sugary, mass-produced magdalenas. This eatery bakes mindblowing breads—if you’ve been in Spain long enough you’ll find their sourdough a godsend—as well as delicious muffins, brioche, and other baked goods. Ingredients and potential flags for each are listed, making people with dietary restrictions’ lives a little easier, if only for a short second before they venture back out into the world of meat, cheese, sugar, and gluten. Be prepared to eat on your feet or save it for later—this little storefront has no seating.
Follow C. d’Asturies, the one-way road leading from the metro stop. Each item labeled for gluten, dairy, eggs, sugar. Items sold by weight. Breads normally €3-5. Baked goods €1-2. Open M-Sa 11am-9:30pm.
ASKA DINYA
C. Verdi, 28
MIDDLE EASTERN
93 368 50 77
Garden views abound in this crumbling rock-walled oasis. Pesky cats look down from overhead as an intoxicating smell of incense fills the nostrils. Afraid of a feline messing with your meal? Well, don’t fear—it’s all a painted ruse (or at least the cats are), but the serious quality of their food isn’t. Loads of Palestinianinspired options fill the menu, including babaganoush (€6.50), hummus, falafel, and tons of vegetarian options. In fact, this is one of the few places where you’re given the option to add meat to your liking instead of trying to keep it out.
Follow C. d’Asturies, the one-way road leading from the metro stop and take a right onto C. Verdi after crossing Torrent de l’Olla. Appetizers €6.50-8.50; entrees €9-13.50. Menú €8. Open daily 1pm-1am.
UGARIT
C. Verdi, 11
SYRIAN
93 217 86 22 www.ugarit.es
If you’re trying to decide among the plethora of food places dotting C. Verdi, all it takes is one step inside Ugarit to make the decision for you. Incredible smells from the Syrian cuisine will have you salivating before you can put down your foot. Named after an ancient city from the area, this restaurant serves seriously fresh cous cous, bread dishes with roasted peppers called mohamora (€5.95) and Syrian vegetarian offers.
Follow C. d’Asturies, the one-way road leading from the metro stop, and take a right onto C. Verdi after crossing Torrent de l’Olla. Ugarit is down a few blocks. Salads €4.90-6.75. Tapas €3.50-4.30. Entrees €6-12. Menú served M-F 1-5pm €10. Open daily 1pm-1am.
NIGHTLIFE
Barri Gòtic and Las Ramblas
BARCELONA PIPA CLUB
P. Reial, 3
BAR, CLUB
933 02 47 32 www.bpipaclub.com
With pipes from four continents, smoking accoutrement decorated by Dalí, and even an ”ethnological museum dedicated to the smoking acccessory,” the only pipe-related article missing from this club—albeit somewhat appropriately—is Reneé Magritte’s “Ceci n’est pas une pipe.” Despite its cryptic lack of signage and an ambience of a secret society, the combination bar, pool room, and music lounge boasts a surprising number of travelers. The dark wood, low lights, and provincial furnishings make for a perfect place to transport yourself from the more collegiate nightlife of the Plaça Reial, even if the only experience you have with smoking is toting a candy cigarette.
Liceu. Walk on Las Ramblas toward water. Left onto C. Ferran and first right to enter Plaça Reial. Pipa Club is an unmarked door to the right of Glaciar Bar. To enter, ring the bottom bell. Rotating selection of tobacco available for sale. Special smoking events. Tango and salsa lessons M and T 8:30-10:30pm. Jam session Su 8:30
pm. Beer €4-5. Wine €4-5. Cocktails €7.50-9. Open daily 6pm-6am.
HARLEM JAZZ CLUB
C. Comtessa de Sobradiel, 8
MUSIC CLUB, BAR
933 10 07 55 www.harlemjazzclub.es
With two live music performances each night and a drink included with admission, Harlem Jazz Club promises to beat those empty-wallet blues. A performance schedule online and on their door lets you choose whether you’ll drop in to hear lovesick English crooning or a little saucier Latin flavor. With acts ranging from Bossa Nova to gypsy punk, blues to funk, and soul to salsa, the club is a fantastic place for any music lover to spend the evening.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 191