Barcelona's best tapas bars

There are dozens of places to get your fill of tapas in Barcelona, from 100-year old eateries and market stalls that serve up top-notch classic tapas, to gourmet bars where every dish is a creative feat. Here are some of our favourites. If we've missed your favourite tapas bar in Barcelona, let us know in the comments box below and we'll check it out.

• Cal Pep

  One of Barcelona’s best-loved tapas restaurants, Cal Pep has been feeding the locals for over 30 years. They offer over 70 tapas made with fresh, seasonal ingredients and specialise in seafood dishes. Small and often crowded, you may have a long wait, but it’s worth it. Snag a place at the bar and let the staff or the delightful Pep himself advise you on what to order. Don't miss the huge razor clams and the trifasic (tiny fried fish).

• Tickets Bar

  You’ll need to reserve about 90 days ahead to enjoy some of the legendary Adrià brilliance. This is sophisticated food at its most playful with plenty of nods to El Bullí, Ferran Adrià’s food mecca that closed in 2012. The décor is fun and quirky and reminiscent of a circus, with red and white striped awnings, theatre lights and a greeter in top hat and tails. These are tapas to really savour, from El Bullì’s iconic spherical olives and air baguette to newer creations, such as the mini airbags with manchego cheese and oysters with a ‘pearl’ of seawater.

• Quimet & Quimet

  It’s orders at the bar and standing room only in this tiny place which has been run by four generations of the Quimet family since it opened in 1914. Originally a wine cellar, they still stock an excellent selection of wines. There’s a big range of tapas to choose from, but they are best known for their mouthwatering display of montaditos with toppings that range from the classic to the very creative, such as the delicious salmon, honey and yoghurt combo.

• El Xampanyet.

  El Xampanyet

  This tapas bar in the Born has been serving up its own champagne since 1929. With traditional décor and colourful ceramic tiles, it's always packed and the atmosphere is buzzing. And, no wonder as it offers quality fare at a very reasonable price. Pull up a stool at one of the marble-topped tables and wash down some anchovies with a glass of their finest.

• El Quim de la Boquería

  Quim has been serving up some of the city’s tastiest tapas for 22 years in the heart of La Boquería market. Tapas range from the traditional to the innovative and all the ingredients are bought fresh from the Boquería. This is one of the market’s most popular mini-restaurants, so you may need to wait for a seat. Don’t miss the huevos con chipirones (eggs with cuttlefish).

• La Cova Fumada

  This tiny family-run bodega was founded in 1944 and is a true blast from the past. It’s always busy and popular with locals, so you may need to share one of the seven marble-topped tables with other diners. Apparently, Maria Pla, grandmother of the current owners, invented the ‘potato bomb’ in the Fifties, a deep fried ball of mashed potato and pork, now a classic Spanish tapa. But, it’s the artfully prepared fish that has people coming back for more here.

• Jai-Ca

  A small and unpretentious restaurant in Barceloneta, Jai-Ca (the name is combination of the owners’ names, Jaime and Carmen) is a winner with locals and tourists alike. You may need to queue for a while to get one of the few tables inside or on the covered terrace. The main focus, fittingly for the area, is traditional seafood.

• El Vaso de Oro

  Hugely popular and often crowded, this long, narrow, bar-lined bar in the Barceloneta takes a little stamina, but is well worth it. El Vaso de Oro has been serving up classic tapas made with top quality, locally-sourced ingredients for over 50 years. They also have a wide range of beers, including their own homebrewed one. There are a couple of tables, but mostly it’s eating at the bar.

• Bar Pinotxo

  Bar Pinotxo sits among the half-dozen or so informal eateries within La Boquería market. There are just 14 seats at the bar, but it’s worth hovering to snag one. There’s no menu, so owner Juanito and his cheerful crew will talk you through the options, which include both traditional and more creative tapas. The chickpeas are said to be the best in the city, but we’ll take the baby squid with white beans.

• Tapeo del Born

  Friendly and informal, Tapeo del Born’s menu includes the classics and more elaborate tapas, such as salmon and wasabi potato salad and Moroccan lamb skewer with mint yoghurt. Owner Daniel Rueda and his family take good care of their clients and the prices are reasonable. It's only natural then that this little place gets very busy, so if you want to avoid a long wait, make sure to book.

• Lolita Taperia

  Originally opened as Inopia in 2005 by Albert Adrià y Joan Martínez, this restaurant in Sant Antoni became Lolita Taperia en 2010, when Adrià left to open Tickets. It retains much of what was great about Inopia, including top quality ingredients and the kitsch décor. Eat standing up at the bar or perch on one of the stools dotted around and tuck into some authentic classic tapas.

• Bar La Plata

  They keep things simple at legendary bar La Plata, which opened in 1945, and is proud to still serve the same four tapas as all those years ago. Choose from anchovies, pescaíto frito, butifarra and tomato salad. Luckily, they do all four dishes extremely well. Wash the lot down with wine served in tiny glasses. Again, no tough choices here, just three huge barrels of tinto, blanco or rosado. Cheap and tasty, this is a real locals’ place. Tables can be hard to get but when the weather is good the clientele spills onto the pavement outside.

• Segons Mercat

  Expect classic tapas with an inventive twist at this much-loved little restaurant in the Barceloneta. Although some say they do the best patatas bravas in the city, it’s the wonderfully fresh seafood tapas that really stand out, as you’d expect from its location. Expect friendly, attentive service from this tapería which has a faithful local clientele.

• Tapas 24

  Relaxed and friendly, this tiny place can get very lively. It’s not the cheapest tapas bar in town but worth the price for its fresh ingredients and creative dishes. High on our list are the McFoie burger and the Ous Estrellats al Gust (fried eggs with potatoes and chorizo). Indeed, the chef at Tapas 24 is Carles Abellan of the renowned Comerç 24. They don’t take reservations, so it’s best to get there early. You may even strike lucky and get to sit on the patio.

• Casa Lucio

  This popular eatery in Sant Antoni was opened in 1989 by Lucio Pastor and his wife Maribel, and the focus here is on quality seasonal ingredients and creative tapas. There’s no written menu at Casa Lucio so you’ll just have to trust Lucio who will read the day’s options from his pad. Lots of people opt for the bar, but there are also several tables. Make sure you reserve as it gets busy.

• Casa de Tapas Cañota

  Located near Pl. Espanya, Casa de Tapas Cañota belongs to the Iglesia brothers, owners of the much loved seafood restaurant Rías de Galicia and also known for their partnership with Ferran and Albert Adrià in Tickets. Bright and modern you can feast on first rate Galician-inspired classic tapas, among which the most outstanding are the seafood and fish.

• Bar Cañete

  Take your seat at the long bar that runs the length of this tapería in the Raval and watch the chefs in action as they perfectly execute Cañete’s trademark classic tapas with a twist. The atmosphere is convivial, from the banter to the friendly service, and ingredients are fresh and sourced locally where possible. If you’re looking for something a little more quiet and intimate opt for a table at the restaurant next door.

• Cerveceria Catalana

  This is a popular place to take visiting family who want to try their tapas at a proper table in a restaurant. While you’re waiting in the bar area you can have a drink and eye up what’s on offer. Service is usually fast and efficient and there’s a comprehensive menu with a range of classic tapas.