spain — Journal of All Blog Posts

Barcelona holds a secure place in the list of most popular global destinations. I mean, of course it does, being a warm coastal city in Spain that maintains an incredible artistic and architectural history. However, I started picking up on something that made me wary to visit: many friends spent time in Barcelona during college, and didn’t seem to return. Then I watched L'Auberge Espagnole, starring Audrey Tautou of Amélie fame. I was left wondering if Barcelona was going to be one giant youth hostel, stuffed to the gills with European hen parties and American college students docked from their Semester at Sea cruises.

OK OK, those judgments might be a little harsh and unfair. And I want you to know I’m not a complete fuddy-duddy; I’m still in my 30s and enjoy dive bars and occasional late nights out on the town, after all! But I have always liked big cities that don’t seem to swing one way or another when it comes to certain age groups. In any case, I was nervous about my “fit” for Barcelona before I arrived.

Lucky for both me and you, Barcelona has it all. I was immediately won over as I found it absolutely gorgeous, easy to navigate, delicious, and surprisingly, a good host to multiple ages and scenes.

Relieved to see an older citizen strolling through the Gothic District

When searching for a hotel, I aimed to find a central, lively neighborhood without landing me the thick of a tourist-only zone. I narrowed in on the Eixample and Gràcia areas, situated in walking distance from the old Gothic Quarter. These neighborhoods were vibrant day and night, consisting of both locals and visitors. In other words, I look to sleep in an area any local would want to both live and dine in.

Ancient corner detail a block from the Barcelona Cathedral

Anyway, you’re here to find out where to eat and drink in Barcelona, right?

Start by grabbing coffee! I enjoy conducting painstaking research on where to get a great specialty coffee before arriving in a new place. I blame this coffee snobbery (aka, bad coffee anxiety) on both being a choosy New Yorker paired with one year spent in San Francisco where there’s a fancy coffee counter at every turn. In any case, it’s hard for me to drink the cheap stuff, so I look out for a third-wave coffee shop to start my day on the right foot.

COFFEE:

Espai Joliu: Carrer de Badajoz, 95, 08005 Barcelona, Spain (Plants & Coffee)

Granja M. Viader: Carrer d'en Xuclà, 4, 08001 Barcelona, Spain (classic cafe serving sandwiches, churros, chocolate, and other sweet snacks)

Nomad Coffee Lab & Shop: Passatge Sert, 12, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Onna Cafe: Carrer de Santa Teresa, 1, 08012 Barcelona, Spain

️Satan’s Coffee Corner: Carrer de l'Arc de Sant Ramon del Call, 11, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

SKYE Coffee Co.: Carrer de Pamplona, 88, 08018 Barcelona, Spain

CHURROS:

Churrería Laietana: Via Laietana, 46, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Xurreria: Carrer dels Banys Nous, 8, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

Xurreria Trebol: Carrer de Còrsega, 341, 08037 Barcelona, Spain

Seldom do I head to a nice restaurant or book a table for lunch. I prefer to make lunch a quick affair, which allows me to spend the middle of my day exploring museums and parks, instead of just sitting for a long lunch and potentially destroying my appetite for an amazing dinner later!

Spain is made for people like me. Tapas bars, scattered throughout the country, allow one to stop in and quickly grab a bite at the bar. No need for elaborate meal service, instead, enjoy varied small plates and a small glass of house vermouth.

LUNCH:

Bar But: Carrer de Bonavista, 8, 08012 Barcelona, Spain

Modern, hip spot for tapas

Xarcuteria La Pineda: Carrer del Pi, 16, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

Super traditional Spanish tapas

La Fábrica: Carrer del Call, 19, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

Yummy Argentinian empanadas

Young boy running through Barcelona’s El Raval area

Dinner in Spain is typically served later than in the United States. Unless you want to eat in an empty room when the restaurant opens at 6 or 7, you should probably plan to eat later, around 8:30 or 9. Dine as the locals do! As with most popular towns, you’re visiting on a weekend or in a busy time of year, always try and get a reservation in advance. Quimet & Quimet is the one spot I recommend below that you actually must show up early for (6PM SHARP) if you want a chance to get inside.

RESTAURANTS:

Agut: Carrer d'en Gignàs, 16, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

Traditional Catalonian restaurant with exceptional decor

Bar Bitácora: Carrer de Balboa, 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Casual tapas, ceviche near the beach

Cafè de L'Acadèmia: Carrer dels Lledó, 1, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

High quality, popular, and casual dinner spot

Cal Pep: Plaça de les Olles, 8, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Old-school tapas destination

La Pepita: Carrer de Còrsega, 343, 08037 Barcelona, Spain

Fun place for quality Catalonian tapas

Quimet & Quimet: Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes, 25, 08004 Barcelona, Spain

Closed Saturday and Sunday. Small, standing-only spot serving tapas and Spanish wine. Arrive just before opening at 6PM and get in line!!! Worth the hassle.

Tantarantana: Carrer d'en Tantarantana, 24, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Quimet & Quimet Tapas Bar in Barcelona. Always a scene and totally worth it.

Finally, you had some dinner and are looking for a place for those evening drinks. I have included on my list below spots for cocktails, wine, or beer. ¡Salud!

BARS:

Boadas Cocteleria: Carrer dels Tallers, 1, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

Classic cocktail bar on La Rambla since 1933

El Ciclista: Carrer de Mozart, 18, 08012 Barcelona, Spain

Hip, bike-themed bar for cocktails and local beer

Bar Betty Ford: Carrer de Joaquín Costa, 56, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

Popular, gay-friendly, American-style bar with decent bar food

BrewDog Barcelona: Carrer de Casanova, 69, 08011 Barcelona, Spain

Scottish craft beer destination

La Federica: Carrer de Salvà, 3, 08004 Barcelona, Spain

Gay-friendly bar with colorful retro design

Botanic Bar Cafe: Carrer de Muntaner, 64, 08011 Barcelona, Spain

Gay bar with lush outdoor courtyard

Zim: Carrer de la Dagueria, 20, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

Wonderfully small, charming wine bar in the heart of the Gothic Quarter

La Candela: Plaça de Sant Pere, 12, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Everyday bar with a fortunate location on the historic Plaça de Sant Pere. Sit outside and people watch!

I grew up in a green, mountainous section of northern New England where the local apple cider is cherished nearly as much as maple syrup. With this upbringing, you may begin to understand my excitement when I learned one of the specialties of the green, mountainous Basque Country in Spain was also cider.

Of course, Basque Country has a considerably older tradition; much larger, more diverse, and ultimately, more alcoholic (the Vermont ciders tend to be of the sweet, deep brown, non-alcoholic variety — though thankfully the cider scene is growing in the northeast). And don’t get me started about how the Spanish cider is poured: from a small, fast stream and caught in a glass at an extreme angle. You know, as you would if you were trying to show off to friends. I just love a good showy pour.

Bartender at La Viña in San Sebastian, pouring cider from the bottle in the Basque style

Now, most people head to Basque country to spend a day or two at the resort town of San Sebastian/Donostia, but it’s well worth it to head just a few miles outside of town one morning to one of the many cider producers. I chose Sidrería Petritegi and partook one of their many “cider experiences” where they take you through their ancient production facilities, into an orchard where you can practice spearing apples and collecting them in a bucket, tour gigantic rooms of barrels, then back to the cafe for some food and cider tasting. Honestly, the best part was learning how to catch the cider properly in your glass as it’s streaming artfully from a giant barrel. It made for a wonderful couple hours and I left very, very happy.

Now, another suggestion if you’re heading to San Sebastian: don’t just drink the cider! You must also eat plates of pintxos right at the bar, just like a local. This concept of pintxos, pronounced "peen-chos" and meaning skewer or toothpick, is very similar to tapas. Pintxos was a fairly novel idea to me before my visit, but it’s just snack-sized plates of quality house dishes, often skewered with a toothpick, and served quickly at the bar. The informality of it all made me feel totally at home. You can put in an order of 4 or 5 options and, if your hunger persists, keep them coming all night. It’s fun to spend your evenings just stopping into several pintxos bars all over San Sebastien, consuming dozens of different options while you watch the bartender pour a tall cider, quite literally. Luckily, it’s all fairly inexpensive compared with NYC prices. You can never go wrong ordering the local sausage, anchovy, and definitely the cheesecake!

CIDER:

Sidrería Petritegi Sagardotegia: Petritegi Bidea, 8, 20115 Astigarraga, Gipuzkoa, Spain. Book here for guided cider tastings.

Sagardoaren Lurraldea (Cider Museum): Kale Nagusia Kalea, 48, 20115 Astigarraga, Gipuzkoa, Spain. This museum and the website is an excellent resource if you desire to learn more about cider making, the history of cider in the Basque Country, or to view all cider experience options in the area.