La Rita is one of my very favourite lunchtime restaurants. I really enjoy taking visiting friends from the UK and the US there. To English eyes it looks very formal with white linen tablecloths and napkins, big white china plates and uniformed staff. It’s a great spot for long, chatty lunches.

For just Euro 8.70 you can enjoy a really good three-course lunch served with bread, water and wine. There’s always a good choice - for example, arroz negro (rice cooked in squid ink) as a starter followed with grilled chicken and green pepper. And there are always a few choices for vegetarians - pumpkin soup in the winter or chilled gazpacho in the summer, and lovely big salads and omelette.

The desserts here - the chocolate profiteroles for example - are very good.

The service is good - efficient and friendly. It’s very popular with local office workers so get there early to avoid the long queues. When you first arrive don’t be shy to squeeze yourself to the front of the line and let them know you need a table - often the people in front of you will be waiting for a table for six or more.

For visitors, it’s a great location, just 200 metres off the Paseo de Gracia. ¡Buen provecho!

Details about this spot
La Rita | Restaurants (Spanish/Catalan) | Daily menu € 8.70
C/Aragó 279 | Eixample (area map) | +34934872376
13:00 - 16:00, 20:00 - 23:30 daily

Show full posting and map »

Sant Antoni is in one of Barcelona’s very Catalan (= very boring) neighborhoods. Nothing is happening over there, the streets are clean and the inhabitants are close to marriage - or pension.

But once a week, the neighborhood is waking up: Sant Antoni’s flea market calls people from all over town. All ages and nationalities come to have a look at a variety of books, DVDs, computer games, old magazines, posters…

Maybe you are collecting Claudia Schiffers first Vogue-covers, or you are just interested in how to construct of a WW 1 missile- this is your place.

Combine your snooping for old treasures with a visit of Barcelona’s goldies:

Els tres Tombs (Ronda San Antoni 11), a tapas bar located on one of Barcelona’s most noisy street corners, invites you for a drink and some delicious and typical Spanish snacks. Talking? impossible. This place is for watching and observing - one of the Barcelona’s best terraces to just shut up and gawk.

Details about this spot
Sant Antoni flea-market | Shopping
Ronda Sant Antoni | Eixample (area map)
Sun 10:00 - 13:00

Show full posting and map »

“Tourists come in and want to know, ‘Is it a jewelry shop?’ ” Carles Mampel, the multi award-winning pastry-chef genius owner often jokes. And you’ll see why. The brightly lit, pristine interior displays edible artworks in glass cabinets.

Spurred by the deserved success of their shop and tapas bar in El Born Bubó has opened a shop in the Eixample. Situated on Calle Bruc on the corner with Calle Provenza, just off  Diagonal, Bubó sells beautiful cakes, mousses and chocolates such as you never seen or tasted before. Barcelona is home to many, many adventuresome chocolatiers but, for me, Bubó takes the biscuit.

For an unforgettable taste experience stop by for a coffee and a cake or mousse, or treat yourself, or your lover, or your mum, to a little box of exquisite chocolates. And relatively inexpensive when compared with other chocolate shops in the city. Well worth a visit.

Details about this spot
BUBÓ | Shopping, Snacks | Chocolate covered noodle lollipops from € 0.80
C/Bruc 150 | Eixample (area map) | +34934590508
Mon 15:00 - 21:00, Tue - Sat 09:30 - 21:00, Sun 09:30 - 15:00

Show full posting and map »

Don’t be fooled by outward appearances, Can Josep is simply one of the best restaurants in the city, serving unfussy hearty food. Josep, a lovely, big, bearded bear of a man, sources, buys and prepares all the food himself.

He’s an excellent and discerning cook - only using the freshest and best ingredients - if he’s not happy with the quality of produce on offer he won’t buy it, and the planned meal will be scrubbed from the day’s offerings.

The menu changes regularly according to seasonal availability, though often features such delights as cargols (snails), estofat (rich, thick tasty stew), espàrrec (asparagus) peus de porc (pig’s trotters) and ànec (duck). Slow food. If you can’t read Catalan and can’t speak Spanish you may struggle a bit - the staff are helpful (though do not speak English) - but the struggle will be worth it.

Just so you know, Josep is an ardent Republican, so it wouldn’t be wise to sing the praises of any kings and queens when  enjoying your meal. And you won’t find it listed anywhere - so, if you really do want to go where the locals go … Bon profit!

Details about this spot
Can Josep | Restaurants (Catalan) | main course from € 6.00
Call Roger de Flor 237 | Eixample (area map) | +34630816565
Mon - Fri 13:00 - 16:00 & 20:00 - 00:00

Show full posting and map »

Concepción market, situated between Calle Aragón and Calle Valencia, is 120 years old - though you wouldn’t know it as it has been thoroughly modernized. As well as housing a range of excellent cheese, fish, fruit, meat, veg and deli stalls, the market also has: 3 bars; a 24 hour florists (yep - flowers 24 hours a day, 363 days of the year); a large Caprabo supermarket; an electrical appliance store (selling freezers, pcs, washing-machines etc); an underground car-park, and, very interestingly, a well-organized book-crossing point with titles in English, French and German as well as Catalan and Spanish.

If you spend more than € 10.00 at any stall you can claim a free car-park ticket. The market also hosts regular tasting sessions and cookery workshops for kids. Well worth a visit if you like good food and want to avoid the often crowded La Boqueria market on the Ramblas.

Details about this spot
Concepción market | Shopping | Free
Calle Aragó, 313-317 | Eixample (area map) | +34675693616
Mon 08:00 - 15:00, Tue - Fri 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 08:00 - 16:00

Show full posting and map »

Encants is Barcelona’s biggest flea market nearby the Torre Agbbar, Barcelona’s newest architectural high light made by the French star architect Jean Nouvel. Els “Encants Vells” is originally called “La Fira de Bellcaire” and is one of the oldest markets in Europe dating back to the 14th century. Now the market is bigger than 15.000m2 and has 100.000 visitors every week.

Going there is spending half a day looking and snooping for old treasures (books, clothes, furniture, kitchen accessories and many more).

It is not easy to orientate yourself between all these hundreds of little stands and people, but that’s maybe not necessary. Just get lost, let go- but watch your bag! There are always pickpockets around. Don’t be surprised, it’s very likely that you’ll find your stolen bike on sale.

If you are tired from your search for hodgepodge and knick-knacks, grab a coffee to go and sit down in the sun. Watch the people go by, have a chat with a local vendor and let time fly.

Soon enough you’ll find yourself back in Barcelona’s buzzing city centre with Zara’s and Mango’s at every street corner. But here in Encants enjoy time, freedom and atmosphere far beyond Barcelona’s shopping centers.

Details about this spot
Encants Vells market | Shopping | Free
Glòries Metro station | Eixample (area map)
Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat 07:00 - 15:00

Show full posting and map »

One of the best things about living where we do in the city is that within a five minute walk we have a choice of Argentinian, Chinese, Colombian, Ecuadorean, Egyptian, Indian, Japanese, Lebanese, Morrocan, Pakistani, Peruvian, Portuguese, Syrian, Turkish, Vietnamese, as well as Basque, Catalan, Gallego and Spanish restaurants, where we can take our tastebuds out to play. Some are more authentic than others, some good, some not so good.

One of my favorites is Kathmandû - a Nepalese restaurant, which serves the best curries in Barcelona. The décor - blue and orange walls and prayer flags - is simple, the ambience relaxed, the staff friendly and attentive, and the food unfussy and delicious. They have a good selection of vegetarian meals. Try the tasting menu (€ 32.00 for two people) where you get a little bit of everything, then finish off your meal with a cup of chai, a bottle of Indian beer, and/or a refreshing lassi. Very good value.

Details about this spot
Kathmandû | Restaurants (Nepalese) | Daily menu € 8.95
Calle Corsega 421 | Eixample (area map) | +34934593769
Mon- Sat 12:00 - 16.00 & 20:00 - 00:00, Sun 13:00 - 16:30

Show full posting and map »

Another of my favourite lunchtime spots and, lucky for me, and you, it’s right next door to La Rita (see this article) . So, if La Rita is full, or there’s a long queue, just step a few metres to the left and enter La Gramola (the Gramophone) where you’ll enjoy an excellent 3 course lunch with bread and wine for just € 8.50.

The menu here is a curious but tasty fusion of Mediterranean and Japanese. So, for your first course you could try sushi, and for your second course: paella, or steak with roquefort sauce. Or, the other way around, you could start with a Catalan, Spanish or Italian dish and follow up with a Japanese rice or noodle dish. All good, tasty fun.

The restaurant is set out like a series of connected rooms, tastefully decorated with prints and paintings, and there’s a space at the back for smokers. Excellent value - and a good, central stopping-off point if visiting Gaudí’s Casa Battló or La Pedrera, as it’s just 200 metres off the bustling, and expensive, Passeig de Gràcia.

A really good spot for long, lingering, chatty lunches with friends.

Details about this spot
La Gramola | Restaurants (Mediterranean-Japanese) | Daily menu from € 8.50
C/Aragó 277 | Eixample (area map) | +34934874231
Mon - Sat 13:00 - 16:00 & 20:00 - 00:00, Sun 13:00 - 16:00

Show full posting and map »

I like art and visiting galleries but never seem to catch as many exhibitions as I’d like. But one exhibition space I do visit regularly - sometimes re-visiting the same exhibition three or four times - is situated in La Pedrera - the famous apartment building designed by Gaudí. It’s only a twenty minute walk from where I live.

They have an excellent exhibition program with related talks and debates. So, while tourists spend maybe half an hour queuing to pay 8 euros to tour the building and roof, you can nip in and catch an interesting art show.

The exhibition program promotes a good balance of solo retrospectives and shows about movements or moments in art history. The shows, always accompanied with well-written notes, help you re-appraise or re-contextualize work by artists often overlooked because they didn’t quite fit with the prevailing mood or movement of the time. I’ve learned a lot about art from attending exhibitions here.

If you can understand Spanish it’s worth doing one of the free guided tours of the current exhibition on Fridays at 18:00. The staff here are friendly and helpful, and will look after your bags and coats at no charge. And, just so you know, the exhibition space has a public toilet, handy if you’re on the Paseo de Gràcia, as most of the cafés now only allow customers to use their facilities.

Details about this spot
La Pedrera | Art & culture
Passeig de Gràcia 92 | Eixample (area map) | +34902400973
Mon - Sun 10:00 - 20:00

Show full posting and map »

Located next to the Universitat place, one of the neuralgic centres of Barcelona, you will find all kind of traditional Spanish products like the nougat we use to have at Christmas time or the “horchata”, an orgeat, very typical in Valencia, almond milk….

They also do very tasty ice-creams with various flavours, good cakes and they serve you all kind of coffees and juices. They do everything in a homemade style.

They also prepare salad for lunch time.

One of the oldest and most traditional places in Barcelona since it opens in 1910 and it’s the only place where you can have an orgeat all the year long.

It’s a true reference for all the barceloneses.

Details about this spot
La Valenciana | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Coffee & cake € 4.50
Calle Aribau, 16 | Eixample (area map) | +34933172771
Mon - Sat 08:00 - 01:35, Sun 16:00 - 22:30

Show full posting and map »

Yes, the lotus theater is the new live music, plays and performances venue in the right part of Eixample district.

I went there excited like a child who is about to discover his new playground, but the surprise wasn’t that pleasant.

The place used to be a controversial erotic palace shot by the city council due to licensing problems and the new owners, knowing the lack of good stages for not massive concerts, managed to convert it into a live music bar, but didn’t change its outfit at all.

Hence after getting in you find yourself into a Moulin Rouge like brothel, but if the band playing is good enough you will be able to focus on the concert instead of on the exotic dancers on top of the bar and the stuffy atmosphere.

Details about this spot
Lotus Theater | Music, Bars | Beer € 5.00
c/ Bailen 22 | Eixample (area map) | +34902627987
Thu - Sat 00:00 - 04:30

Show full posting and map »

This very big store has a lot of different furniture and objects to decorate your house in a very original way. You will find all kind of plates, glasses, tablecloths, curtains, frames, mirrors, tables, armchairs, garlands, beds and much more.

The store is a mix between classical, bohemian, colonial and ethnic style. So you can be sure that you will find what you are looking for.

Everything matches in this store and it’s a pleasure to hang out there just for the eyes even if you are not going to buy anything.

Details about this spot
Maisons du Monde | Shopping
Via Diagonal, 405 | Eixample (area map) | +34933683207
Mon - Sat 10:00 - 20:30

Show full posting and map »

The perfect match on your second date: dinner and afterwards cinema.

Imagine you spent a great day on the beach and you meet someone you really like. Next day you meet again, you talk all day long and you still really like each other.

You start to get hungry but the restaurants won’t open before 20.30, except for Laurel, a cosy and delicious Argentinean/Uruguayan restaurant in the Eixample district nearby Placa Universitat.

Although there are plenty of argentinean restaurants all over the city, this place offers the best empanadas (Argentinean pies) in all kinds of colors and flavors (€ 2.00 - € 3.00). After trying some empanadas you should go for some goat cheese salad (€ 7.00), some homemade pumpkin-walnut-pasta (€ 9.00), or share a delicious pizza (about € 10.00).

Also try the Argentinean red wine (Malbec) and you will be surprised of its flavor and quality.

Last but not least try the world’s famous divine and unbeatable Havana alfajor (caramel fudge filled cookie covered with either white or dark chocolate or meringue).

Filled up and happy, you and your date should move over to the Cinema Renoir Floridablanca right in front of Laurel for the 20:15 session.

The cinema is one of the few in the city showing mostly independent movies in their original language with spanish subtitles. On Mondays “dia del espectador” you get a special deal for only € 4,20 Euros. The rest of the week is € 5.80 Euros, and on the weekend and on bank holidays you would have to pay 6 Euros.

After having a delicious dinner and watching a great movie it is up to you how you finish off the evening. Barcelona has boundless opportunities 24 hours, every day…

Details about this spot
Restaurant Laurel | Restaurants (Meat, fish,Pasta, Pizza) | Gnocchi € 9.00
Calle Floridablanca 140, bajos | Eixample (area map) | +34933256292
20:00 - 00:00 daily

Show full posting and map »

Leave the overcrowded and buzzing city center behind you and get impressed by the dignified halls of the University.

Feel like you just left Hogwarts express and entered the School for witchcraft and wizardry for the first time, before you will discover the real hidden secret of this mystic place: The University’s garden.

Wandering around among some of the oldest trees of the city, playing with the baby kittens, watching the herons sitting in the trees, the fishes, and the frogs in the pond will probably make you hungry and thirsty.

Get an authentic “bocadillo de jamon y queso” (ham and cheese sandwich for € 2.00) and a “cafe con leche” (€ 1.00) at the cafeteria in the basement, sit somewhere on a shady park-bench, have a siesta, breath deeply, and continue shopping.

Details about this spot
The garden of the University | Relaxing | Cafe con Leche € 1.00
Plaça de la Universitat | Eixample (area map)
Mon - Fri 08:00 - 21:00 (entrance Plaça de la Universitat) Sat - Sun 10: 00 - sunset (entrance Carrer de la Diputaci)

Show full posting and map »

Vinçon is a design store situated in what was once the painter Ramon Casas’s family house - just a few metres from Gaudí’s famous apartment building La Pedrera.

Casas, together with his collaborator Rusiñol, was a witty, clever arts activist who did a lot to prepare the way for the following generation of artists such as Picasso. In keeping with the building’s cultural history the store features a gallery at its heart - La Sala Vinçon - showing work by artists, photographers and product designers.

During the Christmas period the gallery promotes a very succesful art supermarket where you can pick up an original print or painting for less than � 100. Even the carrier bags are artist designed - and have become collectors’ items.

I really enjoy visiting this shop - not to buy things, I could never afford to, but for two reasons: firstly to enjoy the arts and crafts decorative stone, tile and ironwork, and secondly to pick up ideas. Call in, have a wander around, check out the quirky toys and gadgets, climb the stairs to the first floor and marvel at the huge fireplace.

Wander out onto the patio at the back, where you’ll see what was the family chapel, and the trees which grow from inside the shop. Turn around and look up at the back of La Pedrera.

If only Vinçon had a coffee shop and a place to sit and read a book. Like a Catalan Ikea for grown ups with platinum credit cards.

Details about this spot
Vinçon | Art & culture, Shopping
Passeig de Gràcia 96 | Eixample (area map) | +34932156050
Mon - Sat 10:00 - 20:00

Show full posting and map »