Bar Brutal in Barcelona's Born is the natural-wine-bar standard run by the Ca l'Anna Cantina team: a 600-strong cellar with a focus on the orange-wine scene.
Food program: Italian-Catalan small plates
Tip: Closed Monday. The bar takes walk-ups, the back-room dining books two days ahead.
Address: Carrer de la Princesa 14, 08003 Barcelona
El Xampanyet in Barcelona's Born has run as a cava-only bar since 1929: a single house cava on tap and conserves on the bar, no spirit list.
Signature pour: House pink cava
Wine focus: House Catalan cava
Food: Tapas
Tip: Open Tue-Sun. Closed Monday. Cash easier than card on busy days. Get in by 13:00.
Bormuth in Barcelona's Born is the vermouth-and-tapas counter on Rec since 2014: bombas, patatas bravas, vermouth on tap, late kitchen until 23:00 every night.
Signature pour: House Yzaguirre vermouth
Wine focus: Catalan vermouth and natural wine
Food: Tapas
Tip: Open daily. The bar takes walk-ups, the back room books. Try the bombas with the house vermouth.
Vinitus in Barcelona's Eixample is the no-reservations Spanish wine bar that drew the after-work crowd from day one: 200 wines by the glass and a 14 euro lunch.
Signature pour: Albariño from Rias Baixas
Wine focus: Spanish
Food: Tapas
Tip: Open daily; no reservations. Queue at 13:00 or 19:30 for a bar seat in the first turn.
Monvinic in Barcelona's Eixample is the modernist wine bar with a 3,500-bottle cellar and an in-house sommelier school: glass pours from the world over.
Signature pour: Priorat by the glass
Wine focus: International cellar
Food: Catalan tapas
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Book the wine table in the back over the bar for serious tastings.
El Xampanyet in Barcelona's Born has run as a cava-only bar since 1929: a single house cava on tap and conserves on the bar, no spirit list.
Signature pour: House pink cava
Wine focus: House Catalan cava
Food: Tapas
Tip: Open Tue-Sun. Closed Monday. Cash easier than card on busy days. Get in by 13:00.
Morro Fi in Barcelona's Eixample is the vermouth-bar that defined the new wave: house vermouth on tap, tinned mussels, olives, no kitchen behind the counter.
Signature pour: House vermouth
Wine focus: Catalan vermouth
Food: Conserves and olives
Tip: Open daily 12:00 to 23:00. The vermouth by the glass with olives is the only order anyone makes.
Bormuth in Barcelona's Born is the vermouth-and-tapas counter on Rec since 2014: bombas, patatas bravas, vermouth on tap, late kitchen until 23:00 every night.
Signature pour: House Yzaguirre vermouth
Wine focus: Catalan vermouth and natural wine
Food: Tapas
Tip: Open daily. The bar takes walk-ups, the back room books. Try the bombas with the house vermouth.
Sensi Tapas in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is the small-room wine-and-tapas counter with a 70-bottle Catalan-focused list and a five-course tasting at 35 euros.
Signature pour: Cava brut by the glass
Wine focus: Catalan and Spanish
Food: Tapas
Tip: Open daily evenings. Book the tasting two days ahead; bar walk-up for tapas-only.
