A wine fan in Barcelona

Every trip is a wine journey for me. And so was the trip to Barcelona with the entire Walsjérôt team. Of course, you don't have to go to the city itself to see the vineyards, but there's plenty to discover if you enjoy good food and wine. I'll tell you all about it in another blog post. cool cava trip an hour's drive from Barcelona, ​​but first I'll take you to the nicest places in Barca itself.

Don't feel like reading this? Then check this Barcelona list in Google Maps .

Chaotic bars

I love the enormous bustle and chaos in small Spanish tapas bars. I was a little worried that that wonderful culture would be lost due to the coronavirus. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although face masks are still mandatory indoors in Spain and a (late) curfew is still in effect in large parts of the country, all the cafes are packed as if nothing is wrong. Vaccinated and all, I'm only happy about that. It's wonderful to immerse yourself in that Spanish atmosphere again, and I'm going to convince you of that. No prim and proper restaurants in this blog, but packed bars full of surprises.

We started the blog before corona, but in January 2024 it was updated by Nadien with new discoveries.

Top tapas at Bar de Pla

My first tip is Bar del Pla . Close to the Picasso Museum, so even the average tourist is practically there anyway. Definitely pop in if you're in that situation. The wine list is excellent, with plenty of cavas and still wines from the area. And a fair number of natural wines; for the connoisseur.

Even more interesting than the wine, I found the tapas. Forget the random Dutch tapas bars, but think of small dishes that are works of art in themselves. I found the duck liver tartare unforgettable. If I could have had a fantastic Sauternes to go with it, my happiness would have been complete. But hey, we're not going to swear by French wines in Spain, of course.

Let me also point out a fantastic dessert that pairs perfectly with the Bar del Pla house cava (€3.75 per glass…): the millefeuille. Perfectly crisp puff pastry, fresh raspberries, and fluffy pastry cream. Truly brilliant. The HEMA cream puff would look embarrassed in a corner of the bar.

Sherry by the glass at La Vinya del Senyor

Extra tip from Nadien, who visited Barcelona in 2024.

An extra tip from Nadien, who visited Barcelona in early 2024. Visit La Vinya del Senyor , a charming wine bar in the Gothic Quarter, a neighborhood to remember if you're visiting Barcelona. They have a small terrace, a bar where you can sit or relax, and some good tapas. What really caught my attention was the selection of sherries by the glass. And not to be missed: La Bota de Fino 115 and La Sacristia Manzanilla en Rama, to name just a few. I could easily spend the whole afternoon here.

More sherry (and other) at Bodega Solera

Extra tip from Nadien, who found this bar on Instagram and wants to go there ASAP! Who's there first?

A look at them Instagram feed And you know it: you have to go here. This place has it all. The most delicious tapas—I can already picture Gildas passing by—and excellent wines. It's number one on my bucket list. When are we going back to Barcelona?

Regional wine at Orvay

Also located in the heart of the city center Orvay , overlooking the ^14th The 17th-century Santa Maria del Mar Basilica. Or with a view of the extensive wine selection beautifully displayed in this bar. It just depends which way you want to look. Their collection of regional wines from the Penedès (cava), Priorat, and Montsant regions is particularly interesting.

It's fun to try some of it. It's a shame that most of it is only available by the bottle, but hey: as long as you have a large enough group or are thirsty, that shouldn't matter. I haven't eaten anything at this bar myself, but I don't rule out that their dishes might surprise you as well. Let me know!

Get filled up on cava at El Xampanyet

El Xampanyet is a common occurrence. When we went with the whole team, there was unfortunately no room for the five of us. However, when I went back later on my own (sorry guys, all for this blog post), I hoped there would be a bar stool available. Even then, I still had to wait in line for half an hour. The line was actually quite pleasant. Spaniards are always happy to strike up a conversation, and I was determined to get in.

I finally got a stool, tucked away in a corner, but with a great view of the packed restaurant and a view behind the bar. And then the incredible speed of the men and women behind the bar is even more striking. They work incredibly hard while simultaneously keeping a sharp eye on everything. If you want to order, you can expect eye contact, but not for them to come over. There's work to be done, so the washing up, pouring, or preparing food continues as usual. You just shout something at them. That's the way it is.

Without asking, your glass is filled with their own Xampanyet cava. This comes from otherwise unlabeled preserving jars and is poured as if it were water. Your glass is filled to the brim and when pouring, it doesn't matter as long as the amount goes in as out of the glass. It's all about speed. As I write this, I realize you could interpret this as negative criticism. Nothing could be further from the truth: the atmosphere is fantastic and this method fits perfectly. A truly experience.

Unfortunately, I enjoyed that experience so much that I can't quite remember what I ate, except for the Butifarra del Perol: a traditional Catalan spiced pork sausage (with a pleasantly light texture) served with mashed potatoes. Check!

El Xampanyet is a classic, but it's overrun by tourists. We participated, but you have to be in the mood for it. Another great place is Ultra Marinos Marin .

Melting hams at Xarcuteria La Pineda

I'd love to have one of those stands in Walsjérôt with a large ham, from which you can cut beautiful, melt-in-your-mouth slices with a razor-sharp knife. The space it takes up in our small kitchen and the cost of that fantastic charcuterie are currently holding me back.

Still has Xarcuteria La Pineda This made me hesitate again. In this small shop full of charcuterie, cheese, and preserves, I chose a table right next to the sliced ​​hams. I wanted to copy his skills, and I did so so conspicuously that a conversation with the ham man quickly struck up. I ordered a small platter with three Iberico hams (the oldest of which has been aged for seven years: delicious) and a small platter with three of the Iberico sausages, and he told me all about their origins and cutting techniques.

While cutting, I enjoyed a lovely glass of L'Apical Vividors del Vi Negre: Garnatxa from the Penedès region. A light, playful red wine full of ripe red fruit. To accompany the charcuterie, I ordered a glass of Camins del Priorat: a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Merlot, Samso Tinto, and Syrah from the Alvaro Palacios estate. We have a fantastic wine from that estate at Walsjérôt. white Rioja on tap and this was also a really nice wine!

The charcuterie man, who admitted to knowing nothing about wine, advised me to pair his excellent hams with some fresh cava. It cleanses the palate and allows you to taste the differences between the hams even more clearly. Now, those differences were perfectly noticeable, but refusing them would be rude, so I mixed them with a glass of Mistinguet cava reserva. That glass did indeed do its cleansing job, but as a fine wine-food pairing, I'd still prefer the Priorat.

Anyway: it was delicious. I paid €15 for the sausage platter and €19 for the ham platter. I suspect that, at Dutch prices, this will be way too expensive for my wine bar, but: let me know if you're willing to pay for this kind of quality. If enough guests are fans, you'll definitely find me on your side!

Escape the Ramblas for a while

If you want to stroll down Las Ramblas on your way to dinner in the evening, but don't want to end up in tourist-trap restaurants on Las Ramblas, I have one last great tip. We discovered The Eixample Market by chance, but what a joke!

We were given a lovely spot in the courtyard and ordered a variety of tapas from the menu. Delicious classics like beautifully rare-fried solomillo, croquetas that bear no resemblance to anything you'd find at the snack bar here, marinated mussels, and fantastic calamari. We ordered several bottles of wine, including the PSI 2018. Dominio de Pingus What stuck with me most: a very nice Tempranillo from Ribeiro del Duero with a firm, meaty texture. We definitely need to try it on tap at Walsjérôt. Until then: drink it in Barca. Enjoy!

Walsjérôt offsets the _CO2 emissions from air travel made.

Sleeping at Occidental 1929

Are you looking for a good and affordable hotel? Then I can Occidental 1929 Recommend it. It's not necessarily in the city center. We stayed there afterward during Barcelona Wine Week – the hotel is across from the trade fair, so it was mainly convenient. Still, we don't want to deprive you of it, because the price/quality ratio is excellent. You can walk to the bustling shopping streets in fifteen minutes. Across from the hotel is Gemüse Kebab, where there's a line almost every hour of the day. Take advantage of it.