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Basque PintxosBorn
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.
OrderFour pintxos and a glass of txakoli poured from height.
TipBar opens 19:00. Closed Sunday-Monday. Pay at the end by toothpick count.
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Catalan TapasBorn
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.
OrderWhatever is chalked as today, plus the sirloin tapa.
TipWalk-in for the bar.
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SpanishBarceloneta
Can Paixano in Barcelona's Barceloneta has poured pink cava out of bottle-lined tile walls since 1969. Priced at €. Kitchen leans cava and tapas.
OrderThree pink cavas and a chorizo bocadillo. Repeat.
TipNo reservations, no tables. Bar closes early; arrive before 22:00 to get a corner.
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SpanishEixample
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.
OrderThe Catalan stew if it's on the chalkboard, plus the cigarrillo croquetes.
TipOpen lunch only Mon-Sat; the 13 euro three-course menu is the value pick.
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Catalan ClassicSant Antoni
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.
OrderThe botifarra amb mongetes and a glass of house red.
TipClosed Sundays. Cash easier than card. Lunch menu del dia is 13 euros.
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Catalan ClassicSant Antoni
Casa Fernandez in Barcelona's Sant Antoni is the all-day kitchen open 13:00-01:00 every day. Steak frites, fried squid, Catalan rice on the chalkboard.
OrderThe steak frites in pepper sauce and a side of fried squid.
TipOpen until 01:00 every day. Late-night kitchen is the rare slot in the city.