Sharyn Cairns
From the city’s best sandwich bar to its favourite charcuteria, our gourmet guide to Barcelona has it all.
Els Quatre Gats
Els Quatre Gats
Housed in a gorgeous Modernist building by Puig i Cadafalch, Els Quatre Gats became a gathering place for the likes of Picasso and Rusiñol around the turn of the 20th century. (3 Montsió)
La Botifarreria de Santa Maria
La Botifarreria de Santa Maria
Catalans eat sausage at every opportunity, even for dessert. La Botifarreria de Santa Maria is renowned for its sweet sausages with apples and nuts, but above all for its chocolate sausage. Don’t miss it. (4 Santa Maria.)
La Carte des Vins
La Carte des Vins
Barcelona’s finest bodega is La Carte des Vins run by Frenchwoman Audrey Doré, just beside the Santa Maria Del Mar church. Doré stocks famous and obscure labels from Spain, Europe and abroad, and will happily recommend an excellent, affordable wine to suit your tastes. (1 Sombrerers.)
Sagardi
Sagardi
Sagardi in El Born is typical of the new-breed of trendy Basque tapas bars colonising Barcelona. It’s renowned for pouring cidra (cider) straight from the enormous barriques set into its walls. (62 Argenteria.)
Conesa
Conesa
Go early – or late – to avoid the queues at Conesa, the best sandwich shop in town. Revenous public servants queue here from 11.30am for toasted baguettes with black sausage and onion, butifarra negra amb ceba. (Carrer de la Llibreteria.)
La Pineda
La Pineda
The city’s most charming and authentic charcutería, La Pineda has been sating local appetites for smallgoods, fine cheeses and wines since 1930. Its ‘white sausage’, made with egg, is a godsend for fasting Catholics. (16 Carrer del Pi.)
Carrer de Petritxol
Carrer de Petritxol
Lined with restored mosaics and art galleries, the Carrer de Petritxol is best known as the chocolate street, where the aromas of churros and xocolate perfume winter days.
Café de L’Opera
Café de L’Opera
Café de L’Opera has been a favourite haunt of Barcelona’s bourgeoisie since it opened in 1929. (74 La Rambla.)
Pasteleria Escribà
Pasteleria Escribà
Since 1820, Pasteleria Escribà has been Barcelona’s cake shop of choice. Crowds flock here at Easter for chocolate monas, traditional Easter cakes. (83 La Rambla.)
Pinotxo
Pinotxo
The charismatic Pinotxo (Pinocchio) at his popular tapas bar in La Boqueria market.
