Affluent hill neighbourhoods above Diagonal: long-running Bar Tomas in Sarria, fine-dining rooms and family-run Catalan classics outside the tourist grid.
Oriol Balaguer in Barcelona's Sant Gervasi is the uphill pastry showroom of the four-time World Pastry Champion: the cruffin and his signature panettone.
Tip: Closed Monday. The panettone needs to be pre-ordered three days ahead in November-December.
Worth the queue: Cruffin
Pastisseria Canal in Barcelona's Sarria has run since 1888 with the same family: mona de Pascua, panellets in autumn, traditional Catalan pastry on a quiet Sarria street.
Tip: Closed Monday. The panellets are the All Saints Day pick; pre-order a week ahead.
Worth the queue: Mona de Pascua
Bar Tomas in Barcelona's Sarria has fried patatas bravas since 1949: a single canonical recipe of double-fried potatoes with the two-sauce ali-oli and red.
Try: Patatas bravas
Tip: Open daily until 22:00. The bravas with both sauces is the order; no reservations.
Mercat de Galvany in Barcelona's Sant Gervasi is the 1927 modernist market in the affluent uptown grid: 75 stalls, almost entirely local trade.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The Saturday morning vegetable run is the busiest; Friday is the cleanest fish day.