Cocktails, wine bars and dives: drinking in Barcelona for grown-ups.
Cocktail bars, wine bars, dive bars and gastropubs: drinking in Barcelona for grown-ups.
Paradiso in Barcelona's Born is the speakeasy through-a-pastrami-shop on Rera Palau: Worlds 50 Best No. 1 in 2022, now book months ahead for cocktail theatre.
Signature drink: Supercool Martini
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Reservations via Instagram or Resy open 4 weeks ahead. No walk-ins; the queue at the door is for the dispatchers.
Sips in Barcelona's Eixample is Marc Alvarez and Simone Caporale's Worlds 50 Best No. 1 cocktail bar (2023): a glass cube on Muntaner, tasting-menu drinks.
Signature drink: Ruby Red Negroni
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Reservations book 6 weeks ahead. The 8-course cocktail tasting at 110 euros is the order.
Two Schmucks in Barcelona's Raval is the Pavel Davydov and Moe Aljaff dive-cocktail bar: low-light, loud music, pickle martinis and a Worlds 50 Best top-10 list.
Signature drink: Pickle martini
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Walk-up only; queue starts at 22:00. The pickle martini is the order; cash easier than card.
Dry Martini in Barcelona's Eixample has poured the city's reference martini since 1978: a polished wood bar, white-jacketed bartenders and the silver-counter ritual.
Signature drink: Dry martini
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Open daily 13:00 to 02:30. The martini at the bar is the only order; cocktails-on-the-rocks at the table.
Boadas in Barcelona's Raval, off the Rambla, has poured cocktails since 1933 in a triangular Art Deco bar: Miguel Boadas trained at La Floridita in Havana.
Signature drink: Daiquiri
Food: None
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 12:00-02:00. Closed Sunday. The Daiquiri is the canonical order; counter only.
Solange in Barcelona's Eixample is the James-Bond-themed cocktail bar with a deep luxury-spirits cellar: high-quality classics and a list of signature martinis.
Signature drink: James Bond Vesper
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Open daily 18:00 to 02:00. Book ahead Fri-Sat; walk-ups easier Tue-Thu.
Bar Marsella in Barcelona's Raval, founded 1820, is the city's oldest cocktail bar: dust-stained mirrors, marble tables and the absinthe ritual still served by the glass.
Signature drink: Absinthe
Food: None
Tip: Open Mon-Sun 22:00-02:30. Cash only. The absinthe with sugar-cube ritual is the order.
Dr Stravinsky in Barcelona's Born is the apothecary-themed cocktail bar with its own bitters lab in the back: 30+ house bitters and a quiet basement room.
Signature drink: House bitters cocktails
Food: None
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 19:00 to 02:00. Closed Monday. Reserve the basement table.
Old Fashioned in Barcelona's Gracia is the speakeasy behind an unmarked door on Carrer de Santa Teresa: 60 bottle bourbons, rye, the classic-drink set.
Signature drink: Old Fashioned
Food: None
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 19:00 to 03:00. Closed Monday. Ring the bell at the unmarked door.
Negroni in Barcelona's Raval is the small-room cocktail bar named for and specialising in the Italian aperitivo: 12 Negroni variations and a deep amaro list.
Signature drink: Negroni variations
Food: None
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 19:30 to 02:30. Closed Sunday. The barrel-aged Negroni is the order.
Bobby's Free in Barcelona's Gracia is the password-required speakeasy behind a barber shop on Carrer de la Granada: low-light, jazz, classic drinks.
Signature drink: House Negronis
Food: None
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 19:30 to 02:30. Closed Monday. Password sent on Instagram after booking.
Garage Bar in Barcelona's Eixample is the petrol-station-themed cocktail bar on Consell de Cent: deep gin-tonic list and tapas plates from the open kitchen.
Signature drink: Signature gin tonic
Food: Tapas
Tip: Open daily 19:00 to 02:30. The gin-and-tonic flight is the order; tapas plates close at 23:30.
Peak food season in Barcelona is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Barcelona rewards trust.