Koy Shunka in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is Hideki Matsuhisa's one-star Japanese counter where the sashimi and nigiri arrive piece by piece from a U-shaped.
Signature: Tasting menu, Sashimi
Order: The Omakase tasting menu and the seaweed-and-yuzu starter.
Tip: Counter seats face the chef; book those over the back tables. Closed Sunday.
Satan's Coffee Corner in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is Marcos Bartolome's third-wave anchor: single-origin beans, alternative-brewing setup and morning.
Signature drink: Filter coffee
Tip: Open daily 09:00-18:00. Closed Sunday afternoons; a second branch sits in the Hotel Casa Bonay.
Milk in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is the Irish-owned all-day brunch-and-cafe near Plaça Reial: flat whites, eggs benedict, espresso martinis at night.
Signature drink: Flat white
Tip: Open daily 09:00-02:00. Brunch served until 16:30. Walk-in only on weekends.
Granja La Pallaresa in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter has poured thick hot chocolate with churros since 1947 on Carrer de Petritxol, the city's chocolate-shop.
Signature drink: Hot chocolate with churros
Tip: Open daily 09:00-21:00. The Carrer de Petritxol queue is shortest before noon and after 17:00.
Satan's Coffee in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is the third-wave roastery-cafe behind Marcos Bartolome: single-origin Ethiopian and Burundi beans on rotation.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The retail counter does whole-bean bags; pour-over costs three euros at the bar.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Burundi, Kenya
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Sensi Tapas in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is the small-room wine-and-tapas counter with a 70-bottle Catalan-focused list and a five-course tasting at 35.
Signature pour: Cava brut by the glass
Wine focus: Catalan and Spanish
Food: Tapas
Tip: Open daily evenings. Book the tasting two days ahead; bar walk-up for tapas-only.
Conesa Entrepans on Plaça Sant Jaume in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter has toasted bocadillos since 1951: 90+ fillings, Sant Jaume working classic.
Try: Toasted bocadillos
Tip: Closed Sunday. Order by number from the wall list; cash and card; counter takes 10 to 30 minutes.
Kaelderkold in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is the Danish-owned craft beer dive just off La Rambla: 17 taps of in-house brews from sister bar Olgod plus.
Tip: Open daily until 02:30. Counter seating only; the tap list rotates weekly, with Belgian and German bottle classics on the back wall.
La Merce is Barcelona's flagship Patron Saint festival around 24 September: open-air calçotada stands, vermouth stations and the human tower competitions.
Tip: Pick up the programme at any kiosk; major food stalls cluster on Avinguda de la Catedral and Plaça Reial.
Cook and Taste in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter runs three-hour Spanish-and-Catalan classes: paella, tapas, gazpacho, sangria, finished with a sit-down lunch.
Conesa Entrepans on Plaça Sant Jaume in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter has run toasted bocadillos since 1951: 90+ fillings, 5 euro sandwich, a lunchtime steal.
Try: Toasted bocadillo
Tip: Closed Sunday. Order by number from the wall; counter takes 10 minutes.
Milk Bar and Bistro in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is the Irish-owned brunch room near Plaça Reial: eggs benedict, the Irish breakfast set, espresso martinis.
Order: Eggs benedict, the Irish breakfast set, flat white espresso.
Tip: Brunch served until 16:30 every day. Weekend wait can hit 30 minutes; book mid-week for groups.
Milk Bar in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter serves the full brunch menu until 02:00: eggs benedict, the Irish breakfast set, espresso martinis once the kitchen.
Try: Brunch all night
Tip: Brunch menu runs until 02:00 daily. The walk-up bar takes orders after the kitchen slows at 23:30.
Macarena on Carrer Nou de Sant Francesc in the Gothic Quarter is the 80-capacity house and techno bunker with the DJ booth in the middle of the floor, programming local and international residencies seven nights a week.
Tip: Capacity is just 80 people, so weekends sell at the door fast; aim for 01:00-02:00 on a weeknight for an easy in. Cash bar.
Jamboree on Plaça Reial has run since 1960 as Barcelona's longest-standing jazz cellar, booking two nightly sets in a brick basement and turning into a hip-hop and funk club after the second set ends.
Tip: Concerts at 20:00 and 22:00 nightly; the WTF Wednesday jam runs free after the late set. The club night kicks in around 01:00.
Harlem Jazz Club on Carrer de la Comtessa de Sobradiel in the Gothic Quarter is a long-running basement that books jazz, blues, flamenco fusion, world music and Latin nights for a mixed local crowd.
Tip: Concerts most nights from 22:30; the Sunday flamenco jam and Tuesday jazz jam are the value picks. Cash at the door for the late set.
Sidecar on Plaça Reial has run since 1982 as Barcelona's underground rock and indie venue, with a red-lit basement booking live gigs early in the evening and DJ sets running through to dawn.
Tip: Gigs from 21:00 then DJ sets to 06:00 on weekends. The street-level cafe is the easy meeting point before doors; the basement opens after the early set.
La Isabela is the year-round rooftop terrace on top of the historic Hotel 1898 on La Rambla, with 360-degree views across Port Vell, Montjuïc and Tibidabo and a small heated pool in the centre.
Tip: Open year-round, but the pool only runs April to October. Cocktails and tapas are served all day; sunset is the time to book.
El Paraigua in the Gothic Quarter is the brick-vaulted cellar of an old convent fitted out with the 1902 modernist decor of a closed umbrella shop, programming flamenco on Fridays and jazz on Saturdays.
Tip: Cellar concerts most weekend nights at 22:00; the street-level cocktail-and-tapas bar is the warm-up. Reservations recommended.
Marula Café on Carrer dels Escudellers in the Gothic Quarter mixes a listening-and-dancing room booking funk, soul, ska, cumbia, jazz and Afro-Latin jam sessions for a 400-capacity floor seven nights a week.
Tip: Live jazz and funk jam sessions are the calling card; floor opens for dancing after the band leaves. Weekends busy from 01:00.
Ocaña on Plaça Reial is the cafe-bar-club complex that occupies a corner of the square, with a street-terrace cafe, the Apotheke basement cocktail bar and a small late-night club running together.
Tip: Apotheke downstairs is the cocktail room and runs DJ sets late; the terrace is the easy afternoon drink with the Plaça Reial in view.
Sor Rita on Carrer de la Mercè in the Gothic Quarter is the Almodóvar-styled queer-friendly bar with leopard-print wallpaper, high heels nailed to the ceiling and a different themed event every night of the week.
Tip: Monday cocktails and tarot, Tuesday open buffet for 6 euros, Thursday free karaoke with a dressing-up box. Walk-in; gets packed late.