Step out the front doors of Kimpton Vividora Hotel in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, for a tour of modern Spanish cooking.
Our favorite tapas places take traditional recipes and add new wave touches with fusion flavors and hard-to-find ingredients. Drink lists also get a contemporary look with small producers and natural wines. Exceptional dining is available right in our neighborhood. Here is our favorite tapas crawl on foot through Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
Your tapas crawl starts local at El Chigre 1769, which supports small farming producers and the slow food movement. Image Credit: Dani Cuevas.
A quick 10-minute walk from the hotel lands you in the trustworthy hands of the bar team at El Chigre 1769. This cider and vermouth bar pairs drinks with hot and cold snacks from Catalan and Asturian origin. The bar is a member of the slow food community, highlighting local and sustainably sourced foods.
Rustic charm meets Catalan tapas and exceptional wines at Bodega La Puntual. Image Credit: Alex Froloff.
After your cider and vermouth aperitivos, wander over to Bodega La Puntual. The neighborhood restaurant has a tavern feel. Our General Manager Mike Robinson recommends the spicy patatas bravas. And, don’t miss the anchovy-stuffed olives best washed down with a cervesa fresca.
The sauce makes the dish, and the patatas bravas at Bodega La Puntual are swoon-worthy. Image Credit: Alex Froloff.
You’re now just a five-minute walk from La Xampanyeria, the standing-room tapas bar from the Can Paixano winemakers where hams and cured meats hang from the ceiling. Fresh sandwiches are paired with Can Paixano’s famous cava. This is a quick stop on the tapas crawl as the place has a hustling, bustling vibe and the staff turns tables quickly.
Is there anything more Spanish than arroz negro (black rice paella)? Image Credit: Dani Cuevas.
Next up, take a seat at Bar Brutal at the back of Can Cisa restaurant. This hip food lover’s destination has a casual environment and serious menu. Local ingredients are top quality, and a majority of the extensive wine list is natural. Ask for a recommendation on a dish or a sip, and you’ll be trying new things in no time. We can’t live without the seared ahi tuna, porchetta sandwich, pulpo and sweet breads.
Prepare to taste the best pulpo (octopus) outside of Galicia at Bodega La Puntual. Image Credit: Alex Froloff.
The last stop on our tapas walking tour of the Gothic Quarter is Bar del Pla. Hugely popular for the lively atmosphere and exceptionally high-quality tapas, it’s easy to hang here all night. Dig into the Iberico secreto, oxtail with foie gras, pan con tomate and txuleton. Insider’s tip: the complete sherry selection isn’t listed on the menu. Ask for an oloroso or a manzanilla, and see what they have!
Our very own neighborhood, the Gothic Quarter, houses some of the finest places to try inventive Catalan tapas. Opening in November, the Kimpton Vividora Hotel is your homebase for culinary exploration. We’re excited to see you in Barcelona.
Join us in Barcelona and get yourself in a Catalan state of mind. Image Credit: Dani Cuevas.
—Katherine Brooks
