Barcelonas best

Does, anyone have the best resturant, the best tapas, and the best breakfast in Barcelona?

I'm sure it doesn't qualify as the best, but one of the most fun places is Los Caracoles, just off the Ramblas. It's big and full of groups and they have a great open fire rotisserie outside. Very economical too. There is a great artisan ceramics shop across the street that is open until midnight.

As for the best tapas, that would be very hard, as they all do different things well. The fun is in the trying!

I have 2 favorites, both which serve Basque style pinchos, which are artfully and very tastilly arranged tapas on a slice of baguette. You take the toothpick off the pincho, add them up and that is your bill! Both are close to my favorite church-Santa Maria del Mare.

The first is called Golfo de Bizkaia and near the church at c/Vidreria, 12. The second is Sagardi, Argenteria,62. They have big open "barn style" doors. The former seems to focus on wine, while the latter has more emphasis on cider, with very large casks of draft cider.

Thanks, that is very helpful.

My favorite is Restaurant Set Portes, Passeig d'Isabel II 14. The menu offered many Calalan meals. I didn't try the paella, I like the taste of saffron. But I especially enjoyed dessert, mel i mato. My method to find good tapas! In any region of Spain in the late afternoon, find the neighborhood bar with the largest crowd, and you will enjoy good tapas.

My favorite tapas place in Barcelona would have to be Cal Pep. This is somewhat of a hole-in-the-wall restaurant at the southern end of La Rambla and specializes in seafood. There are no tables, only counter space for about 15 people. The cooks do their magic right in front of you. If you don't know what to order, just tell him to keep 'em coming. Probably the best seafood I have ever tasted. They open at 8pm for dinner but get there about 15 minutes prior, so you don't have to wait. By the way, the word "Can" or "Cal" is the equivalent of the French word "Chez" in Catalan, or at least that's what I was told. Anyway, you will see a lot of restaurants whose name begins with "Can" or "Cal"

Not too far from Cal Pep, is the restaurant Set Portes, which someone else has already recommended. I think it literally means 7 doors, though the last time I was there, I counted 9. Or maybe the Sangria was making me see double. Anyway, they specialize in paella and I love that "black" paella cooked with the squid's ink.

Lastly, if you want to splurge a bit, I would recommend Botafumeiro, a somewhat upscale seafood restaurant that is supposedly frequented by some famous people, or at least the photographs on the wall seem to indicate so. The one photo in that restaurant that I can't seem to forget is one with Bill Clinton and Mumar Khadafi. Seemed like such an odd couple, or maybe not! Anyway, everything I have tried in Botafumeiro has been excellent.

One of the best places for tapas in BCN is Quimet y Quimet, which is about three block to the west of the Ramblas, up near the top. The former sommelier from el Bulli took me there and it was amazing! Incredible combinations, textures, flavors and presentations. Smoked salmon on goat's milk yogurt, drizzled with honey, atop an egg bread crostini. Drifting aboard another crostini was a caramelized onion and fresh tomato relish, smoked oysters, black caviar and laced with truffle oil. MMMMMMMMMMM! They also have there own private label Belgian ale which is fantastico!

Thanks for all the tips, I will check them all out. I will be leaving in about two weeks and am so excited.

If you're into vegetarian, try a place called Fresco. I'm not sure of the exact location (a relative took me there) but it's Centrally located. We went there for lunch at 1:00 PM on a Sunday; by the time we left there was a long line of people waiting to get in. The food is great and it's inexpensive.

My absolute favorite in Barcelona: a basque place called "Txapela". They give you a menu with tons of different tapas on it, all numbered, you just circle and pick what you want and tell the waiter.
Its a great way to try a lot of different things...all are very tasty! They also have really good wine and sangria. A very fun atmosphere as well!!
Kelly

do you remember the address or what district it is in?

i honestly don't. i was staying with friends who are spaniards, so they just took me there. it was central though. im sure you could ask or look it up once you get there though as it seemed pretty popular. Good Luck!

mgarcia,
There's a kind of "website for Txapela HERE (in English) and there's a map as well. Seems they're just off the Plaza de Cataluña. The website is a couple years old and the prices are listed in pesetas but you can get an idea.

Saludos, MadridMan

A lovely place to eat in Barcelona is El Raco ( www.elraco.com ). It's got a great atmosphere, it's very central (near plaza catalunya), it's inexpensive and when I was there people were queuing up for tables until 1230...so you're guaranteed a good atmosphere all the time. The food was delicious too! Enjoy...