Some restaurants serve tapas. Others live them. Boqueria belongs to the latter. Born from a deep love of Barcelona’s tapas bar culture, Boqueria has always celebrated not just the food of Spain, but the rhythm of it: the clink of vermouth glasses, the buzz of bartenders shouting out orders, the shared joy of unpretentious perfection.
Here’s a shortlist of some of our current favorite tapas bars in Barcelona. These are the places that inspire us—the stalls, counters, and chiringuitos that show us how it’s done. No fluff, no gimmicks. Just bite-sized brilliance, one tapa at a time.
1. Cal Pep
The godfather of counter culture. You’re here for the xipirons amb mongetes (baby squid with beans) and razor clams, but you stay for the theater. Order whatever they tell you. Don’t ask questions.
2. Kiosko Universal
An anchor of our namesake, La Boqueria market. This seafood grill puts product first. One peek at the plancha and you´ll see the fishermens’ morning haul. Razor clams, langoustines, and baby squid. Sit. Order. Trust.
3. Cervecería Catalana
The classics do the heavy lifting at this packed neighnorhood favorite near la Sagrada Familia. Think: croquetas, gambas, and patatas bravas cooked to perfection and served with the coldese cañita of draft beer that you’ve ever had. Tourist-friendly but never tourist-trapped.
4. Bar Cañete
Old-school tapas with new school swagger. A splash of white tablecloth adds polish to a space dominated by the theater of the open-kitchen. Here, the simple turns spectacular with some of the city´s best croquetas and beef cheeks braised for praise.
5. La Cova Fumada
No sign. No menu. Just lineage and legend. This is the revered Birthplace of the bomba, a glorious fried globe of mashed potato and ground beef smothered in aioli and spicy tomato sauce –– a dish that went viral 60 years before the internet, with word-of-mouth spreading and the bomba blowing up menus all over Barcelona.
6. La Pubilla
Market-driven, no-nonsense Catalan cooking in the charming heart of Gràcia. Slip in for breakfast and a café con leche and return for lunch or dinner to choose from the ever changing menu and spectacular wine list.
7. Lluritu
Sardines, scallops, squid, and swagger. Seafood lovers beware. This spot serves up a spectacle of shellfish so tempting, you’ll want to order the whole menu, and then repeat.
8. La Panxa del Bisbe
Gràcia’s answer to modern Catalan comfort. Seasonal plates, clever twists, and a vibe that whispers rather than shouts. Don´t miss the beatifully executed rices dishes that will leave you scraping the pan for every last crispy bit.
9. Quimet y Quimet
Standing room only. Walls of wine and conservas. Montaditos stacked like edible architecture. It’s a tiny cathedral to tinned things and perfect pairings.
10. Paco Meralgo
Upscale tapas without the fuss. Call it posh if you must, but the plates are pure: pan con tomate, calçots, and clams cooked to perfection in bone dry sherry.
11. Chiringuito Escribà
Beachfront bliss. Order Arros Negre, the squid ink paella, sip a rich Catalan white wine, and let the Mediterranean do the rest. A chiringuito with serious pedigree.
12. Tangana
The new kid with old soul. Funky, fresh, and unmistakably Barcelona. Come for the vibe, stay for the rices, fried squid, inventive vegetable dishes, the and the killer playlists.
This list isn’t comprehensive. It’s personal. Boqueria wouldn’t exist without these places. So next time you’re in Barcelona, go walk their tiled floors. Order something you’ve never tried. And raise a glass to this storied city and its incredible culinary heritage.
Salut.
