Join us on this route of the best tapas in El Born! Barcelona is one of the most visited European cities by tourists, thanks to its monuments, its culture, its art and, of course, its gastronomy. However, if you’re passing through the city, you may come across many places that offer very high prices for a somewhat dubious quality.
At Musik Boutique Hotel, we strive to make sure you have the best experience on your trip to Barcelona and that’s why we show you where you can eat the best tapas in El Born. Are you ready to get to know the afternoon snack paradise?
El Xampanyet
The Xampanyet is a tapas bar that opened its doors in 1929 and is still run by the same family to this day. This place is well known by the citizens of Barcelona, but also by tourists, which means that it is practically always full.
But don’t be scared off by the crowds – head inside and try a glass of the house cava, accompanied by a wide variety of tapas, perfect for all tastes. You can’t leave without trying the chistorra sausage and the tuna and leek dish, which are a real treat.
Calabrasa
Now we are going to show you another of the best tapas in the Born that are perfect for the most exquisite gourmets, those who are not satisfied with the typical tapas bar, but want to taste these dishes in a more sophisticated atmosphere. Calabrasa offers signature tapas that blend the best of traditional Catalan flavours with avant-garde innovations.
Take a seat in the air-conditioned interior or on the terrace to sample dishes such as white chocolate and foie mi-cuit doughnuts, Tête de Moine cheese flowers or poached eggs in a potato nest with Iberico ham.
Quillo Bar
Although they have become a popular local favourite and are unmissable for tourists, tapas were born in the south of Spain. When you go to Quillo Bar, you will feel as if you were in a Seville bar. Even on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights you can enjoy a live rumba or flamenco show.
You can go at any time of the day to eat your tapas, as the kitchen is open 365 days a year from 11am to 11:30pm. On the menu you can find options such as cheeses, cold meats, croquettes, shrimp omelette and more traditional tapas.
Cal Pep
Cal Pep is a very emblematic restaurant in El Born, which was founded more than 30 years ago by Josep Manubens. The success of this place lies in the quality of the ingredients they offer, as they are always fresh and seasonal. In addition, the chef prepares them in a creative way so that your taste buds enjoy every bite.
When you look up Cal Pep on the internet, you’ll see that it doesn’t have a menu. This is because the dishes are improvised on a daily basis, taking into account the raw material that arrives from the market to the kitchen. The speciality of this friendly, family-run establishment is seafood and fish, although you can’t leave without trying a tapa of fideuá.
Elsa y Fred
Bar Elsa y Fred also offers the best tapas in El Born. It is a recent new opening in the city and aims to reinvent the concept of tapas in El Born. Their menu is based on a great diversity of tapas and dishes made with well-selected quality products. This has caught the attention of anyone passing through the area, seducing them with its exquisite tapas.
The decoration of the place makes it very cosy and perfect to spend a fun evening with friends. In addition, you can enjoy an excellent quality-price ratio that will not make you regret your choice. If you want to try something new and different, Elsa and Fred are waiting to surprise you.
Bar del Pla
El Bar del Pla es un local en el que podrás encontrar las mejores tapas en el Born. Se trata de un establecimiento que ofrece tapas tradicionales, pero aliñadas con un toque muy personal. Por ejemplo, en vez de servir las típicas croquetas de jamón, podrás degustar unas bolas negras muy sofisticadas, hechas con tinta de calamar.
Otro de los platos tradicionales de Catalunya son los calçots y en Bar del Pla podrás probarlos en tempura. Echa un vistazo a su carta para encontrar sabores tradicionales y asiáticos, con un estilo único y personal.
Casa Lolea
Casa Lolea is a typical tapas tavern, but decorated in a very original way with polka dot patterns all over the place. This is the perfect place to eat tapas, accompanied by a beer or the famous Spanish sangria. One of our favourite dishes is the fresh spinach coca with marinated sardines and mango vinaigrette – a must try!
Here you can also try the most traditional desserts, to end your evening as you deserve: mel y mató (a kind of delicious cottage cheese with honey) with sugared almonds and red fruits, torrijas with cinnamon ice cream, homemade cakes, etc.
Bormuth
Finally, we would like to introduce you to Bormuth, one of the bars you can’t miss if you want to try the best tapas in El Born. In this bar you will find a very relaxed atmosphere in which the priority is the quality of the ingredients used to cook its star dishes.
In addition, the drinks menu is very extensive, so you can find what you fancy at all times. Its specialities include scrambled eggs with ham, boletus croquettes, bravas, salmon caprice, etc. Which one will you choose?
Now that you know the places with the best tapas in El Born, you can start designing your route to get to know the city of Barcelona, without forgetting the exquisite gastronomy. Musik Boutique Hotel is located in the heart of the El Born district, so you will be perfectly connected to the main monuments and tapas bars. Enter our website and discover the best way to stay in the centre of Barcelona!
