Delicooks

Tapas are small portions of food that are traditionally served in bars in Spain as an accompaniment to drinks. They’re a kind of snack that, with the passage of time, have become one of the hallmarks of Spanish cuisine and a whole way of eating: going for tapas. Going for tapas involves going from bar to bar, having a drink and sampling different specialties. Because a tapa is not one particular dish but a concept in itself.

The name "tapa" has a long and interesting history. It is said that drinks were originally served covered with saucers of  food (bread, a piece of sausage ...) to keep out flies or mosquitoes. Either way, tapas, available throughout the country, have different names from region to region. In Euskadi a tapa is called "poteo", in Aragon and Navarra "alifara" in other places, "picoteo".

The tradition owes much to the benign climate of the Peninsula, and to the social and chatty character of the people and the diverse cuisine of the country. Going for tapas is all about socializing while eating and drinking a thousand and one different things.

Initially, it was a way to see friends and have a chat before going home for lunch. All cities have their streets or neighborhoods given over to tapas bars and teeming with customers. The chance to enjoy small servings of various foods has led over time to the appearance of restaurants specializing in tapas where one can sit and eat and try out different dishes mixing traditional with haute cuisine.

Barcelona is no exception. Neighborhoods such as Born, Gotic and Barceloneta are great areas to wander and savor the best of tapas. In recent years, these districts’ cosmopolitan character and innovative  flair have seen the emergence of tapas bars and restaurants at the forefront of haute cuisine. If you are visiting the city, make sure you don’t miss out on this unique experience!  Here we suggest some of the best places in town. You’ll be back for more!

BAR TOMÁS

Fries with alioli and spicy oil were enough to put Bar Tomas on the map as one of the temples of tapas in Barcelona. Located in a down-to-earth bar in the traditional Sarrià neighborhood, Tomas is packed every day with fans of their famous patatas bravas. When the weather is good and if you're lucky, you can sit back on the its terrace and watch the world go by. Quite a show!

C. Major de Sarrià, 49 (Sarrià)
T. 93 203 10 77

Quimet I Quimet

A small place with tall tables and a bar: that’s all you need to enjoy the atmosphere and specialties of this temple of tapas. Located in the traditional neighborhood of Poble Sec, Quimet i Quimet has, over the years, built a reputation among locals and international gourmets for its fish and high-quality seafood, cheeses and sausages. Its walls, full of bottles, give you all the inspiration you need when looking for a good wine or beer. The service is friendly and will make some great suggestions. It’s the ideal spot for an aperitif before dinner, so go early -  it fills up very fast and closes early.

C. Poet Cabanyes, 25 (Poble Sec)
T. 93 442 31 42

BAR LA PLATA

La Plata is one of those authentic tapas bars, with marble tables, tiles on the walls, old bar top and even older wine casks. They have an original concept in tapas: drinks and just two or three tapas. They’re best known for  fried anchovies, tomato, onion, olives and anchovy salad and fried chorizo skewers. Grab a tapa, a glass of wine or a little beer and mix in with the crowd. One of the best tapa experiences you can imagine.

C. de la Mercè, 28 (Quarter)
T. 93 315 10 09

CIUDAD CONDAL

La Ciudad is strictly a beer bar (with great imported beer) where you can savor the most varied tapas. Its location, halfway between the tourist areas, office district and one of the most important shopping streets of the city, makes it a meeting place for the most diverse clientele all day long from 8 am until 1.30 am. It’s always packed, but you can usually elbow your way to a table. After many years of service, it’s now a classic on the tapas scene and a great introduction to the world of tapas.

Rambla de Catalunya, 18 (Eixample)
T. 93 318 19 97

EL XAMPANYET

Xampanyet used to be the poor-mans champagne: a spritzer of white wine with a little soda. The bar has remained true to its down-to-earth roots  and continues to serve up this traditional drink with tapas in a charming tiled bar stuffed with old furniture. While it used to be the haunt of locals, it now has a more cosmopolitan clientele thanks to its great location between the Picasso museum and the Paseo del Born, in the district of La Ribera. Try the xampanyet (bubbly and slightly sweet) or a small beer. Among its famed tapas is anchovies with bread and tomato.

C. Montcada, 22 (La Ribera)
T. 93 319 70 03

JAI-CA

With barely 4 tables and a bar, this place is always packed with locals and groups of young people having fun. A few tourists have started discovering this bustling tapas bar with great seafood and cold beers and reasonable prices. If you’re lucky to get a terrace table,  you’ll have a ringside seat to the spectacle of Barceloneta, the city’s seaside neighborhood.

C. Ginebra, 13 (La Barceloneta)
T. 93 268 32 65

VASO DE ORO

On the edge of Barceloneta, you’ll find the legendary Vaso de Oro, where the waiters are decked out in white waistcoasts -  like ship captains - and the decor recalls a German beer hall, pulling the best draught beer in town. Their tapas are justly famous - check out the Russian and German potato salads, grilled seafood, fried artichokes and Padrón peppers ... and the jewel in the crown, sirloin steak with grilled foie. Sit down, relax and feel part of history.

C. Balboa, 6 (La Barceloneta)
T. 93 319 30 98



LA COVA FUMADA

You won’t even find the name on a sign at this tiny old bar located in the basement of a typical fisherman’s house in Barceloneta. It’s small and always noisy. Here, they serve up fish and traditional dishes such as tripe, and chickpeas with squid. They have eclectic opening hours (from morning until 3 in the afternoon), and the place gets packed -  queues are common. So get up early after a night out and treat yourself to an unforgettable brunch.

C. Baluart, 56 (Barceloneta)
T. 93 221 40 61



MUNDIAL

As the sign says, Mundial has been open since 1925 feeding the whole neighborhood. There are old photos that attest to its past as a haunt of boxers from a nearby gym. Over time, and as the neighborhood has come up in the world, Mundial has grown popular with people from all over the city and with the barrio’s new residents, who come to enjoy the decent portions of seafood and vegetables, either fried or grilled. Unlike other places in town, here you can eat sitting down. If you get there early you’re likely to find an free table.

Pl Sant Agustí Vell, 1 (La Ribera)
T. 93 319 90 56

LA TAVERNA DEL CLÍNIC

You always feel like you’re letting a secret out when you talk about places like this. Located next to the hospital that gives it its name, the Taverna del Clínic is currently managing that difficult balancing act between being both a place for the few in the know and stardom. Owned by the Simoes brothers, from Portugal, the Taverna offers a restaurant service and haute cuisine tapas. The chef trained under Santi Santamaria. In short, it’s a bit like being in a local bar and a top-notch restaurant at the same time. There’s no shortage of good wine, great beers, Iberian ham and a selection of cheeses.

C. Rosselló, 155
T. 93 410 4221
www.latavernadelclinic.com



TICKETS

This is, without a doubt, the coolest tapas joint in town. They opened early last March and it’s a safe bet that they’ll be around for some time since this is the latest brainchild of the Adrià brothers, the cutting-edge chefs behind the world's best restaurant. Tickets serves up both traditional tapas and the most innovative Buli-style dishes, in a relaxed ambience with the highest quality products and drinks. When you’ve had your fill, you can move on to the cocktail bar, 41 º. Check out their website, where you can also make a reservation.
Avenida Parallel, 16 (Poble Sec)
www.ticketsbar.es

COMERÇ 2

Creative, high-end cuisine from one of Ferran Adrià’s most outstanding students. Carles Abellán has given Barcelona exactly what it needed: gourmet tapas in a modern and relaxed atmosphere, almost-but-not-quite a restaurant and with a cosmopolitan look. Settle down at one of the tables and you’ll feel like you’re in a smart restaurant (with wine glasses and quality tableware) yet the food is based on small tapa-sized portions. Try the tasting menu to get an overall feel for the place.
C. Comerc, 24 (La Ribera)
T. 93 319 21 02
www.projectes24.com

2 PALILLOS

Imagine combining traditional tapas with the best of Asian cuisine. That’s what Albert Raurich (another disciple of Ferran Adrià) did,  after visiting the Far East. He was struck by how similar their concept of small, easily share portions was to the Spanish idea of the tapa. The result is his tapas bar on the ground floor of the trendy Camper hotel, just off Las Ramblas and near the MACBA - a  postmodern, eclectic mix of Asian food and the traditional tavern. It’s a great place to savor food from around the globe, courtesy of Raurich and his winning team.
C. Elisabets, 9 (El Raval)
T. 93 304 05 13
www.dospalillos.com

SANTA MARIA

When Paco Guzman opened Santa Maria, he was in the right place at the right time. Just when Barcelona was taking off and the Born district was emerging as the trendy barrio, Guzman decided to open a creative tapas bar. They’re are plenty of bars such as his now, but at the time Santa Maria came as something of a shock. The look is industrial and they serve up the most diverse products using the latest techniques to bring you the thrill of tapas at reasonable prices.
C. Comerç, 17 (La Ribera)
T. 93 309 70 78