Paco Meralgo in Barcelona's Eixample is the long-marble-bar tapas room locals send out-of-towners to. Cantabrian anchovies and Iberico are the headlines.
Signature dishes: Anchovies of Cantabria, Iberico ham
Must order: Cantabrian anchovies on bread, plus the Iberico ham flight.
Tip: Open daily; book the bar for solo dining, the back room for groups.
Address: Carrer de Muntaner 171, 08036 Barcelona
Casa Julia in Barcelona's Born is a family-run dining room cooking the Catalan canon, founded in 1907 and still selling the 13 euro menu del dia weekdays.
Signature: Catalan stew, Croquetes
Order: The Catalan stew if it's on the chalkboard, plus the cigarrillo croquetes.
Tip: Open lunch only Mon-Sat; the 13 euro three-course menu is the value pick.
Sagardi in Barcelona's Born is the Basque pintxos chain with a charcoal-fired txuleta room in the back: order pintxos by toothpick, count at the end.
Signature: Txuleta steak, Pintxos counter
Order: Six pintxos at the bar, then a shared txuleta in the back.
Tip: No reservations for pintxos. The grill room books out Fri-Sat.
Euskal Etxea in Barcelona's Born is the cultural-centre pintxos bar where the Basque counter runs from 19:00 with cider, txakoli and tortilla toothpicks.
Signature: Pintxos toothpicks, Txakoli pours
Order: Four pintxos and a glass of txakoli poured from height.
Tip: Bar opens 19:00. Closed Sunday-Monday. Pay at the end by toothpick count.
Tapeo in Barcelona's Born is the smaller-room counter on Montcada with a sister to El Xampanyet's vibe and a chalkboard list of daily Catalan plates.
Signature: Patatas bravas, Aged sirloin
Order: Whatever is chalked as today, plus the sirloin tapa.
Tip: Walk-in for the bar; reserve the back table the night before.
Can Paixano in Barcelona's Barceloneta has poured pink cava out of bottle-lined tile walls since 1969. Two euro cava, one euro chorizo bocadillo, standing only.
Signature: Pink cava by the glass, Chorizo bocadillo
Order: Three pink cavas and a chorizo bocadillo. Repeat.
Tip: No reservations, no tables. Bar closes early; arrive before 22:00 to get a corner.
Casa Julia in Barcelona's Born is a family-run dining room cooking the Catalan canon, founded in 1907 and still selling the 13 euro menu del dia weekdays.
Signature: Catalan stew, Croquetes
Order: The Catalan stew if it's on the chalkboard, plus the cigarrillo croquetes.
Tip: Open lunch only Mon-Sat; the 13 euro three-course menu is the value pick.
Can Vilaro in Barcelona's Sant Antoni has cooked Catalan working-class plates since 1948: cap i pota, botifarra amb mongetes, daily off-the-bone fish stew.
Signature: Cap i pota, Botifarra amb mongetes
Order: The botifarra amb mongetes and a glass of house red.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Cash easier than card. Lunch menu del dia is 13 euros.
