a restaurant… Can Ganassa
This year in Barcelona it’s been raining a lot. That’s why at any chance of a sunny day, we’re looking for restaurants with terrace near the beach. Can Ganassa meets the requirements, though instead of being one of those restaurants right in front the crowded Barceloneta’s beach, it’s in a square inside the neighborhood next to the church. If you arrive late you’ll have to wait, as it’s always full of both tourists and locals. However, plentiful dishes of fried fish and some of the best bombas I’ve ever tasted will surely leave you satisfied, in a place that also stands to be the “social headquarters” of the choir’s association All i Oli. Undoubtedly, it’s a restaurant with lots of character.
Where · Can Ganassa
When · Early for a tapas lunch
My order · Fried fish, shrimps, “chipirones” and calamari, two “bombas”, two beers and two coffees · around 30 €
Planout · For those interested in history, I’d recommend the Museu d’Història de Catalunya wich is in a nearby building known as Palau de Mar
a restaurant… Can Rectoret
Are you willing to enjoy some of the best traditional catalan recipes? Then you’d better have a car because to savor the amazing dishes of Can Rectoret you’ll have to go to Santa Perpetua de Mogoda. However, eating charcoal-grilled meat and vegetables in a typical 16th century masia makes the trip worth it. Can Rectoret is a familiar restaurant with a tradition that dates back to 1929 when the great-great-grandfather of the current owners offered the first meals to livestock farmers. Family meals, like those of celebrations, are a great excuse to go to Can Rectoret: you’ll enjoy the food, the kids will have space to run and you’ll get to talk round the table until you feel like driving again. The difficult part will be finding any good reason to leave.
Where · Can Rectoret
When · Any family meal is a good occasion
My order · “Escalivada” and anchovies on toast, sausage with beans, chargrilled suckling lamb ribs, two beers, a red wine bottle, strawberries with “moscatell”, two coffees · 56,60 €
Planout · Explore the surroundings of the beautiful village of Santiga
a cafeteria… Central Cafe
Central Cafe is great as a meeting point and a good place to have a tea with friends or colleagues. You can find several Central Cafe around Barcelona, but the one I like is in the backside of the library La Central. Being almost part of a library, becomes a great mix for some book hunting first and relaxed reading afterwards. They have wifi for customers, so freelance workers, you can also stop to finish some work while you sip a great red berries tea…
Where · Central Cafe
When · In case you can’t wait to read the book you’ve already bought
My order · Red berries tea
Planout · As I said, how about some book hunting in La Central?
a cafeteria… at the Museu Maritim
The MMB (Museu Maritim de Barcelona) is the museum for those who are interested in the naval history and it’s located in the building that once were the shipyards. Currently, the permanent exhibition is closed due to building remodeling but fortunately, the area of the cafeteria and restaurant is still open. It’s a great place to relax in a space of stone walls and high ceilings in the interior, and a wonderful exterior terrace with small stones on the ground and some orange trees to give you shade on summer days. It’s difficult to notice from the street so it isn’t usually a crowded place. I must admit it’s one of my favorites…
Where · Museu Martitim de Barcelona
When · It’s the perfect place to read, think or even have a refreshing lunch
My order · Two cappuccini · 3,40 €
Planout · Buy three or four newspapers and spend sunday morning peacefully reading in a great place
a bar… Bar Lobo
One of the places I keep going to is Bar Lobo. Maybe because it’s so luminous that it’s one of the few places I know where you can feel the winter sun from inside the bar. It could be because of their great hamburgers, because I like the fact that all chairs and tables are different from each other or also because they paste the posters of the upcoming concerts and events of the city in one big corner. Moreover, it’s a nice bar to meet with friends and talk, as it isn’t usually very noisy. Whatever the reason is, the fact is that it makes you feel good, so try not to miss it.
Where · Bar Lobo
When · To meet a friend and chat for a while
My order · Hummus with pita bread, a hamburger with mushrooms sauce and a coke · about 18 €
Planout · For culture enthusiasts, check out some interesting exhibition or activity at CCCB
a pizzeria… Pizza Concept
Last week I was looking for a sunny terrace where I could have a light lunch near the “touristy areas” of Barcelona. As strange as it may seem, there are some places not far from these crowded “areas” where you can find places like that: one of them is Pizza Concept. Located in a small pleasant square, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a spring sunny day. Their lunch menu includes a small salad, a piece of pizza (focaccia style) and something to drink (or another piece of pizza instead of the salad). It may not fill your stomach if you’re starving but it’s great if you want a light, fast yet pleasant meal.
Where · Pizza Concept
When · If you’re working, it’s a good place to stop for a while
My order · A salad with mozzarella di bufala, a piece of pizza with rucola and pomodori secchi, a beer (daily menu) · 7,50 €
Planout · Check out the Iguapop Gallery and their amazing art exhibitions
a butcher’s shop… La Botifarreria
In one of the supposedly “trendy” neighborhoods of Barcelona you can find La Botifarreria. They are specialists in pork meat and everything that comes from it (ham, sausages or any kind of cold meat that you can think of), but most of all, they are famous because of what they make from it: pork sausages with different flavors (apple and curry, mushrooms, champagne and asparagus, goat cheese and tomato… etc.). So next time you’re thinking of doing a barbecue, buy some of them at random and enjoy the experience, because once cooked you won’t notice the difference between them and every bite will become a small surprise.
Where · La Botifarreria
When · To organize a funny barbecue or to buy some good food for a casual meal (the home-made pâtés are also delicious!)
My order · Three pieces of different cheeses, some spanish prosciutto, four pâtés, ham and cheese croquettes · around 28 €
Planout · Visit the cathedral of Santa Maria del Mar and have a glass of wine at La Vinya del Senyor
a bakery… Casa Moner
Casa Moner was a convenient discovery. Convenient because looking for a nice mona* it’s a tough job and finding a place where not only the chocolate figures are beautiful (and don’t have commercial motifs like series’ characters or else) but also have a good price, it’s a fortunate chance. When the chocolate is good as well as beautifully worked, that’s a success. Moreover, in Casa Moner they sell many kinds of bread, some of which are difficult to find in most baker’s shops, and they have a cafeteria at the back of the store where you can have breakfast or even something for lunch.
* If you don’t know what a mona is, check out some images here
Where · Casa Moner
When · If looking for a nice mona or a tasty bread
My pick · A giraffe figure chocolate mona, a lemon mousse and an olive oil “coca” bread · about 48 €
Planout · Check out the Museum of Cinema if you want to learn something about the seventh art
a restaurant… Casa Nun
There are two things that I always miss from Cadaqués: the shop Mo and having lunch at Casa Nun. The restaurant is located in an old house right in front of the beach but hidden somehow from the crowded street. Inside, it preserves the feeling of a village of sailors and artists. The place is quite small, so the tables are quite near one from another but if you’re in the right ones, you can enjoy nice views of the sea, specially from the terrace which I think is one of the nicest in Cadaqués.
Where · Casa Nun
When · Whenever you’re not in a hurry (the service is not “city-style” fast)
My order · Green salad, grilled squid, paella, white wine and two coffees · around 70 €
Planout · Walk by the sea and find a quiet spot to nap under the afternoon sun
a restaurant… La Tertúlia
It was a sunny day before holidays, when we decided to have lunch at La Tertúlia, those kind of places where you’ve gone past so many times and however, the time to go never seems to come up. It’s a quiet place in a hidden square, where the sun shines brightly on its outdoors terrace. This time though we ate in the interior, which is also a very peaceful space. The menu is made up of basic dishes of very good food served on right quantities, a bit expensive but I think it’s worth the meal, specially because of the place’s location. This summer I’m coming back (but in the terrace, of course)!
Where · La Tertúlia
When · That day when you’re not in a hurry to finish the meal
My order · “Trinxat” of fried eggs, potatoes and shrimps, symphony of cod with four sauces, tuna with zucchini and vegetables, two beers, two coffees and two limoncelli · around 70 €
Planout · If you’re still hungry, the shops of two great chocolatiers, Oriol Balaguer and Enric Rovira, are quite near.
albaper 