In the heart of El Born, this bustling tapas bar serves a vibrant mix of traditional bites and bubbly cava, all in a lively, standing-room-only scene.
"Sharpen those elbows before tucking into the inevitably crowded El Xampanyet in El Born, where the vibes are as bubbly as the cheap housemade cava that keeps locals and tourists chilling in the street out front for hours. When you’re ready for a little food between rounds, order some unfussy tapas like olives, cheese, and charcuterie from the counter display, or made-to-order plates like tortilla with chorizo and grilled Iberian pork with padron peppers hot from the kitchen. It’s located near the Picasso museum, so stop by after a morning visit between noon to 3:30pm, or once the museum closes and the bar opens back up from 7pm on weekdays." - isabelle kliger
"In the tourist-heavy, chronically overpriced El Born, there aren’t a lot of bars like El Xampanyet left. Open for close to 100 years, it stays so busy that the scene often spills out onto the street, where locals happily mingle with out-of-towners. And a glass of cava will only set you back €2. The baked potato is topped with tangy sobrassada and an aioli so garlicky you may worry nobody will want to speak to you after eating it, but it tastes so good you won’t care. This place is always packed, so get there just before they open at noon, and again at 7pm, to beat the crowds." - isabelle kliger
"Dating back to the 1920s and brimming with character, from the tiled walls and vintage wine bottle collection to the boisterous crowds and taciturn barmen, El Xampanyet is well known with both locals and tourists as an excellent place for an aperitivo. It’s ideal for a glass of cava, some house-cured salted anchovies, an assortment of conservas, and a sample of whatever hot dishes are on the day’s menu. Squeeze in the door and prepare for standing room only." - Sam Zucker
"You’ll find El Xampanyet down one of the narrow, pedestrianized streets of Barcelona's El Borne neighborhood, just around the corner from Picasso Museum. Despite its touristy location, it continues to uphold all the traditions of an old-school bar, with its blue-tiled walls and marble tables, and its no-reservations, no-website, no-nonsense approach to food and drink. The bar, which specializes in its namesake sparkling wine, is always crowded, and there’s usually a line waiting outside just to get in." - Isabelle Kliger
"My favorite tapas bar is this place called El Xampanyet. I go every time I'm in Barcelona, and it's usually my first stop. It's always packed. There's usually a line but it moves pretty quickly. And the service is extremely fast, whether they put you in the front or back, or you're standing at a booth. They have a huge selection of seafood: anchovies—I love anchovies—clams, mussels. There's also chickpeas sautéed with pork, and classics like tortilla. It's the epitome of really delicious, simple Spanish food. And the staff is friendly—they all clap when they get a tip, so be sure to tip."
