SPAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1481

minimum stay, discount for 7-night stay, 20 percent deposit required to reserve online, pay
balance in cash when you arrive, no breakfast, arrange meeting to check in when you re-
serve, Frederick's mobile [phone], www.tournights.com , [e-mail] ) .
Eating in Barcelona
Barcelona, the capital of Catalan cuisine—starring seafood—offers a tremendous variety of
colorful eateries, ranging from basic and filling to chic and trendy. Most of my listings are
lively spots with a busy tapas scene at the bar, along with restaurant tables for raciones . A
regional specialty is pa amb tomàquet (pah ahm too-MAH-kaht), toasted bread rubbed with
a mix of crushed tomato and olive oil.
I've listed mostly practical, characteristic, colorful, and affordable restaurants. My re-
commendations are grouped by neighborhood—along the Ramblas, in the Barri Gòtic, in El
Born (best for foodies), in the Eixample, and in Barceloneta. I also include some budget op-
tions scattered throughout the city and a suggested route for finding Catalan sweets. Note
that many restaurants close in August (or July), when the owners take a vacation.
Restaurants generally serve lunch from 13:00 to 16:00 and dinner from 20:00 or even
later (Spaniards don'tstart dinner until about 22:00).It'sdeadly toyourBarcelona experien-
ce to eat too early—if a place feels touristy, come back later and it may be a thriving local
favorite.
Becauseoftheircommonstruggles,CatalansseemtohaveanaffinityforBasqueculture,
so you'll find a lot of Basque-style tapas places here (look for basca or euskal taberna ;
euskal means “Basque”). Enticing buffets of bite-size tapas invite you to simply take what
you want. These places are particularly user-friendly, since you don't have to look at a menu
or wait to be served—just grab what looks good, order a drink, and save your toothpicks
(they'll count them up at the end to tally your bill). I've listed several such places (including
Taverna Basca Irati, Xaloc, and Sagardi Euskal Taberna), though Barcelona has many oth-
er similar options. Throughout the city, you'll see signs both for Spanish tapas and Catalan
tapes (same pronunciation and meaning).
Note: Unlike in many Spanish cities, most Barcelona tapas bars do not provide a free,
small tapa with the purchase of a drink; if you want food, order it separately.
Along the Ramblas
Within a few steps of the Ramblas, you'll find handy lunch places, an inviting market hall,
and some good vegetarian options. For locations, see the map on here .