La Llavor dels Origens in Barcelona's Born is the regional-Catalan room: fideua, butifarra, the deep-cut menu of Catalan dishes for diners ready to commit.
Signature dishes: Fideua, Catalan butifarra
Must order: The fideua with squid, and the butifarra with white beans.
Tip: Closed Sunday dinner. The 14 euro weekday lunch is the easier price point.
Address: Carrer de la Vidrieria 6, 08003 Barcelona
Semproniana in Barcelona's Eixample is Ada Parellada's family-run Catalan creative room since 1993: the crema catalana sandwich and Iberian carpaccio are signature.
Signature: Crema catalana sandwich, Iberian carpaccio
Order: The crema catalana sandwich for dessert; Iberian carpaccio to start.
Tip: Lunch carte is the price point; book Friday or Saturday a week ahead.
Cera 23 in Barcelona's Raval is the locals' modern-Catalan room: the volcano black rice arrives at the table flaming, the tuna tartare is the back-up order.
Signature: Volcano black rice, Tuna tartare
Order: The volcano black rice for two; the tuna tartare to start.
Tip: Closed Sunday; the early sitting at 20:00 walks in easier than 22:00.
Els Tres Tombs in Barcelona's Sant Antoni is the canonical neighbourhood vermouth-and-tapas counter, named for the Sant Antoni Three Kings procession.
Signature: House vermouth, Patatas bravas
Order: Vermouth on tap with bravas; tortilla espanyola as the next round.
Tip: Open weekday breakfasts and Sunday vermouth lunchtime; cash easier than card.
Fabrica Moritz in Barcelona's Sant Antoni is the Jean-Nouvel-restored brewery-brasserie with house Moritz on tap and a 35-strong tapas list.
Signature: House Moritz pours, Catalan tapas board
Order: The signature Moritz Epidor and a tapas board for two.
Tip: Open 09:00-01:00 daily; the basement bar takes walk-ins on busy nights.
Ramen-Ya Hiro in Barcelona's Eixample is the locals' tonkotsu counter where the pork broth simmers 12 hours and the queue starts forming at 13:30.
Signature: Tonkotsu ramen, Gyoza
Order: The tonkotsu ramen with chashu pork and a side of gyoza.
Tip: No reservations; queue forms before 13:30 for the lunch turn. Closed Monday all day.
The Fish and Chips Shop in Barcelona's Eixample is the British-import counter with beer-battered cod, chunky chips and tartare sauce on the side.
Signature: Beer-battered cod, Chip shop chips
Order: Beer-battered cod with mushy peas and a pint of London Pride.
Tip: Open daily lunch and dinner; the takeaway window is faster than the dining room.
