Streetlife: Carrer de Riego
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Plaça d’Osca
This square connects Carrer de Riego with Carrer de Premià and nearly every inch of it is covered with bar and restaurant terraces. From vermut to vi, bocatas to pizza and pasta at the outrageously named Teta de Monja (Plaça d’Osca 2), you can come here to satisfy any craving.
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Cacao's Gelato Siciliano
This street has something sweet for the little ones, as well. Choose from a range of flavours such as chocolate and mint, lemon and basil, turrón, pistachio and mango.
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Homo Sibaris
This beer cellar sells brands of artisanal beer you won’t find in many other places in Barcelona. A bottle costs about €3, but they’re worth a taste. If you’re in a more sociable mood, head around the corner to their lively bar in Plaça d’Osca. The folks there will happily give you suggestions on which beers to try first.
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LaGorda Beer Factory
‘Malt, hops, water and yeast…your palate does the rest’. With this slogan, La Gorda encourages everyone—locals and tourists, hipsters and bros, young couples and grandparents—to grab a stool and spend the night drinking exceptional beer. For the most part, they have their own selection on tap: La Gorda ‘Molemen’ IPA, La Gorda ‘Blues’ Brown Ale and La Gorda ‘Old Dirty’ Stout, to name a few. Plus, they offer bottled beers by other local brewers.
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La Paradeta
The first of its five locations, La Paradeta Sants is a seafood restaurant with a twist—you select your raw shellfish from the counter and it is cooked there and then. Initially opening under the name ‘Shellfish’ in July 1994, this much-loved establishment has plenty of experience providing quality seafood at a good price. “La Paradeta is up there with La Sagrada Família, La Rambla and jamón ibérico as a must-see, must-try hallmark of Barcelona,” said professional photographer Troy Joiner. “There are no fancy white tablecloths or pricey wines available, but you won’t find fresher seafood anywhere else.”
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Birras & Tapas
Whether you’re a group of girlfriends chatting over tapas or a couple out for afternoon cañas, this easygoing place is happy to accommodate you. They offer all the classic favourites—patatas bravas, tortilla, pescado frito, piquillo peppers stuffed with cod purée, crunchy camembert—and although they’re probably not the best you’ll ever eat, the extremely reasonable prices make it a worthwhile stop if you’re in the neighbourhood. Patrick, an American living in Barcelona, said, “Stopping at this restaurant on our way home, we had two cañas, two tintos de verano, five tapas and a big plate of churrasco for €32. You can’t ask for better than that.”