Quick Bites: Top three bocadillo bars

August is probably the month that Barcelona citizens are least inclined to cook—who needs to get even hotter by dallying with the oven? But man can’t live by ice cubes and cheap peaches alone, so read on for three places around town that serve up quality sandwiches that will keep you going over the coming weeks.

JONNY ALDANA

Jonny Aldana is a cute little place in increasingly villagey Sant Antoni that does Catalan smorrebrod. Think open-faced, dark bread topped with imaginative local products such as blood sausage on sweet potato and caramelised onions, and grilled aubergines with goat’s cheese and sun-blush tomatoes. Add a pretty terrace with gingham-clothed tables beneath the plane trees, an intimate dining room for retreating from the sun and the jolly, friendly feel of the place, and Jonny’s is gradually establishing itself as a neighbourhood classic. Top pick: thick slices of bull blanc (chunky pork sausage) topped with peppery rucola, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

Aldana 9 (Sant Antoni), tel. 93 174 2083. Open Mon-Thurs, 11am-midnight; Fri and Sat, 11am-3am; Sundays, 11am to 10pm. www.jonnyaldana.com

LA PERLA DE ORO

This atmospheric deli-style café just off the Ramblas has been around since 1939 and serves a top selection of hot and cold sandwiches, as well as imaginative tapas and salads. It’s a great place for a casual supper seated at one of the mismatched high tables with a bottle of wine from a solid list, but just as good for picking up an impromptu picnic to take to the beach or Montjuïc. Top pick: toasted sourdough spread with tapenade, goat’s cheese and roasted piquillo peppers, sprinkled with oregano and grilled until golden.

Unió 34 (Raval), tel. 93 301 5639. Open Mon-Sat, 8.30am-midnight

LOLITA TAPERÍA

Formerly the bar known as Inopia, this Sant Antoni institution remains best known for top notch, classically Spanish tapas. It is still invariably rammed if you pass by in the evening, but for a quick bite and beer, particularly on Friday or Saturday (the only days of the week they open for lunch), the pulgas de vidrio (sandwiches on extremely crunchy bread) and pan de molde (soft sliced and white) are well worth making a detour for. Each of the bocas is inspired by a region such as Mallorca or another emblematic Barcelona bar—‘La del Quimet’, for example, pays homage to nearby Quimet i Quimet in the shape of smoked salmon, Greek yogurt and truffled honey. Top pick: ‘El de Ressaca’ (the hangover cure) consisting of crispy pancetta, oozy cheese and fried onions.

Tamarit 104 (Sant Antoni), tel. 93 424 5231. Open Tue & Wed, 7pm-midnight; Thu, 7pm-2am; Fri & Sat, 1-4pm, 7pm-2.30am. www.lolitataperia.com

For more Barcelona dining tips, follow my tweets: @taralstevens