Cañete

"A longtime favorite for a mix of modern and classic tapas, Bar Cañete is a quintessential Barcelona dining experience. Tables in the bustling dining room can be reserved for groups of four or more, but otherwise it’s first come, first serve. The best seating is along the bar at the gleaming open kitchen, where diners get up-close views of chefs at work and white-jacketed servers darting back and forth with bottles of cava and artful plates of hand-cut jamón. The menu of tapas and larger plates changes with the seasons, but don’t miss house specialties like giant red prawns that arrive daily from the docks, sea anemones with cured Iberian pork belly, and runny potato omelets." - Sam Zucker

"Despite featuring in pretty much every guide to Barcelona tapas ever written, Bar Cañete has deservedly maintained its reputation as a local joint. If you come early, you may be surrounded by tourists, but at Spanish dinner time (10 p.m.), most of your fellow diners will be speaking Catalan. Tapas are the thing to order here, in as great a quantity as your stomach and wallet will allow (all washed down with a local bottle from the extensive wine list)." - Isabelle Kliger, Gemma Askham

"To get into Cañete, you’ll have to wait in line for 30 minutes as people with sharp shoulders push by, saying they know so-and-so in a bid to skip to the front (don't worry, they’ll be told to wait just like everyone else). The hectic journey to that comfortable bar seat will be a distant memory once you’re devouring the red tuna tartare, grilled baby scallops, squid and white bean stew, and chicken cannelloni. Nowhere in Barcelona rivals the sheer quality of this classic bar, and it’s priced accordingly—don’t expect this meal to be budget friendly (or quick, for that matter). When they ask if you want tomato bread, the answer should be a resounding “¡Sí!”. And while you're at it, order a local Catalan Montsant red or a Godello white from the north of Spain." - isabelle kliger

"Despite featuring in pretty much every guide to Barcelona tapas ever written, Bar Cañete has deservedly maintained its reputation as a local joint. If you come early, you may be surrounded by tourists, but at Spanish dinner time (10 p.m.), most of your fellow diners will be speaking Catalan. Tapas are the thing to order here, in as great a quantity as your stomach and wallet will allow (all washed down with a local bottle from the extensive wine list)." - Isabelle Kliger

"To get into Cañete, you’ll undoubtedly have to wait in line for 30 minutes as people with sharp shoulders push by, saying they know so-and-so in a bid to skip to the front (don't worry, they’ll be told to wait just like everyone else). The hectic journey to that comfortable bar seat will be a distant memory once you’re devouring the red tuna tartare, grilled baby scallops, squid and white bean stew, and chicken cannelloni. Nowhere in Barcelona rivals the sheer quality of this classic bar, and it’s priced accordingly—don’t expect this meal to be budget friendly (or quick, for that matter). When they ask if you want tomato bread, the answer should be a resounding “¡Sí!”. And while you're at it, order a local Catalan Montsant red or a Godello white from the north of Spain." - Isabelle Kliger