Bars and Cafes in L'Eixample (Barcelona)

Café Torino

Though it was only inaugurated in 1995, this café is decorated in such a way as to appear classic and traditional. The first thing you notice is the old wooden facade, which is, of course, only a few years old. They have a wide selection of coffees from all over the world (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Brazil, and so on), which can be served and enjoyed right there or purchased and ground to take home with you. They also have a lot of traditional and herbal teas on hand, as well as Italian Panini. This is a very popular choice with local office workers, both for their mid-morning and afternoon coffee breaks.

Häagen Dazs Café

Welcome to the deliciously inviting world of Häagen Dazs Café. Lose yourself in the delectable flavours and let their exotic ice creams and desserts lure you into a world of creamy delights.in addition to the delicious Häagen Dazs ice-cream flavours, they also serve coffee, tea, herbal tea and milk shakes. It is a very suitable place to stop in the afternoon and have a snack.

Botafumeiro

Widely considered to be one of the best seafood restaurants in Barcelona, you will be treated to nothing but the best of Galician and Catalan local cuisines here. Specializing in seafood dishes, this elegant place promises only the tastiest and freshest of fish preparations. From the minimalistic and neat decor to the vast menu, everything speaks of prime quality. Those looking for some privacy, can dine at one of the dining rooms that are part of the spacious restaurant. 

Amaltea

It is virtually impossible to walk past this place without stopping to take a peek inside. It is a café, a vegetarian restaurant, an ecology bookshop and a dance school that also offers tai-chi classes, all wrapped in one little package! The restaurant menu is quite limited, but the dishes are extraordinary: Green Spaghetti with Vegetables and Spices, Kefir: yoghurt fermented with natural fungus, Vegetarian Moussaka and more. The home-made ice-creams are superb. This is a place for those who want to enjoy a healthy and holistic lifestyle.

Dry Martini

You have to enter into the spirit of an exciting and elaborate game to eat at Dry Martini. First, you go to the bar and get the password from the barman, then head for the back door of the restaurant and come in through the kitchen. Once inside, you share a communal table with everyone else, so it's like having dinner with a group of friends. As soon as you arrive, you're served a Dry Martini and then the chef appears to announce the dishes of the day out loud. It's all reminiscent of the gangster period in Chicago during Prohibition. The food is varied and interesting, including specialties like octopus kebabs and shellfish stew. There's a good selection of Spanish wines, fresh fruit cocktails and martinis to choose from.

Taktika Berri

This place is always packed, so it is best to book a table well in advance. It started off as an ordinary bar and has become one of the main players in the city's culinary scene. There's no menu as such, just a fabulous array of house specialties to choose from, like the assorted tapas selection, called Pintxos (Basque tapas) and Montaditos (like canapés). Other freshly made and highly recommended dishes include: Rioja-Style Potatoes, homemade omelettes, Berza Con Morcilla de Ormaiz (cabbage and black pudding), Marmitako (tuna stew), Pochas (pinto beans) and Cantabrian tuna salad. There are good wines from Rioja and Txakoli (Basque white wine) as well.

La Bolsa

Try your hand as a stockbroker for a few hours! The theme here is the stock market, La Bolsa in Spanish. The price of drinks rises and falls depending on the demand and there are screens showing how much each drink is worth at the time. The more popular the drink, the higher its price and vice versa. The range of drinks is vast, with no less than 17 different kinds of beer. Due to the location in one of the most exclusive districts, and the theme too perhaps, regulars tend to be the young and the wealthy.

Cervecería José Luis

José Luis's first beer hall is located in swanky Calle Serrano in Madrid. Due to its success in the capital, he decided in 1991, to open a new bar exactly like the one in Madrid. Luckily, the quality and good service have gone unchanged. You can order tapas, Pinchos (like kebabs), canapés, omelettes, all sorts of cheeses, and croquettes (a local favorite). The pork loin canapés are exceptional. Drinks are varied and of top-quality.

Kahala

Walking into Kahala, you get the feeling that you are in a tropical jungle instead of a bar. What is most suprising about this original spot is its Hawaian decor, with a waterfall at the entrance, all sorts of exotic plants, totem poles and wicker furniture. Due to this peculiar decoration, it has sometimes been chosen as the setting for various TV series. They offer more than 90 different Hawaian cocktails served in colourful glasses. The place is open from 6 pm right upto early morning.

Cervecería Catalana

This comfortable beer hall, close to La Rambla de Catalunya and decorated in dark shades and varnished wood, is noteworthy for its Montaditos (small pieces of bread with tapas on top), and their Ensaladilla (like potato salad but better), which decorate the bar behind the glass. Their assorted menu of beers - domestic and imported - is also worth a mention. The service is excellent, and the staff, cordial and efficient. They also have a terrace you can enjoy all year round.

El Racó de la Moreneta

This particular spot was inaugurated after the success of the one next to it. It is named La Moreneta after the Virgin of Catalonia. They specialize in freshly-made sandwiches, all sorts of pastries and even ice-creams in the summer. Decorated in wood, there is a big bar at the entrance, where you can enjoy their fare and drinks - coffee, tea and herbal infusions as well as cool drinks. If you want a more relaxing and peaceful ambience, sit at any of the tables at the end. The regulars are mainly students and workers from nearby offices, who usually go have a snack in the morning.

Mora

Saved from decadence by the present owner of Vilaplana's, this spot has been a school for most of the famous pastry cooks for years. One of the main reasons for their new resurgence is the inclusion of a café, so the public can have a taste as well. Customers attracted by the fare can find a comfortable place, with good lighting and nice decor. Try their canapés, pastries and other savoury delights, as well as sweets such us Sachertorte and Montblanc.