Tapas bars in Eixample
The Eixample is Barcelona’s bourgeois heart, with its perfect blocks, modernist architecture and wide avenues. But beneath the elegance of Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla de Catalunya lie
century-old wine cellars and tapas bars that have been serving traditional cuisine since the early 20th century — some since before most of their customers were born.
Here tapas share the spotlight with the history of the bar: original modernist façades, wooden
counters from another era and waiters who know their customers of a lifetime. The most
authentic Eixample, far from the tourist shopfront.
The 9 tapas bars of Eixample
Bodega Sepúlveda
Located in the heart of Eixample since 1952, this wine cellar is a reference for traditional Catalan cuisine with first-quality produce. The atmosphere is that of a traditional neighbourhood wine cellar — no pretensions, no frills — where what matters is what’s on the plate.
Our tip: Ask for the daily menu — there's always a seasonal dish not on the regular menu.
Colmado Múrria
Founded in 1898, this modernist delicatessen is an architectural gem of Eixample as well as an exceptional place to eat tapas. Its original early 20th-century décor — tiles, dark wood, vintage
lamps — is perfectly preserved. The gastronomic products you’ll find are of the highest quality.
Our tip: Even if you only go for tapas, take a moment to look at the façade and interior — it's one of the bestpreserved modernist establishments in Barcelona.
Alegria
At the same address since 1899, making the same traditional Barcelona cuisine. Over 125 years of history and it’s still where the neighbourhood people eat. That says more about a place than
any food guide.
Our tip: A bar that has survived every trend since the 19th century. That doesn't happen by chance — the cooking is solid and honest.
Tapas 24
One of the best places in Barcelona for traditional tapas with an authorial touch. A tribute to classic Spanish cuisine, with the care in produce and technique that makes the difference. Its croquettes and truffle bikini are now icons of Barcelona gastronomy.
Our tip: The Iberian ham and truffle bikini is the most famous bite in the house. Don't leave without trying it
El Velódromo
A Barcelona tapas classic since 1933 that remains true to itself. Its long bar is the ideal setting to sit down calmly and order some croquettes that are among the best in Barcelona — just thinking
about them makes your mouth water.
Our tip: The croquettes are the undisputed star dish. Order a portion even if you're full
Café del Centre
Serving traditional cuisine since 1873 in a modernist bar that seems frozen in time. One of the most historic cafés in Barcelona, with a unique atmosphere that makes it much more than a
tapas bar — it’s a journey into the city’s past.
Our tip: Go in without rushing. The atmosphere of this bar deserves that you sit down calmly and take time to look at everything.
Casa Alfonso
Since 1934 its tapas have been a success and the walls full of celebrity photos confirm it. A bar with history and cuisine that doesn’t disappoint. Its Iberian ham is one of the best you can find in a Barcelona bar.
Our tip: The hand-carved Iberian ham is the speciality. Order a board and a house wine.
La Bodegueta
Maintaining its essence since 1942 with absolute fidelity to tradition. Its tapas are as good as its atmosphere — intimate, authentic, quiet. One of those bars where you go in thinking you’ll have something quick and end up staying twice as long as planned.
Our tip: Terrace on Rambla de Catalunya — if the weather's good, sit outside.
Bodega la Moderna
In this old bulk wine shop dating from 1937 you can enjoy authentic cuisine that hasn’t changed in decades. The wine comes straight from the barrel and the tapas are timeless cooking — no
frills and lots of flavour.
Our tip: Order the bulk wine — it's the house hallmark and the reason people have been coming for decades.
Map of tapas bars in Eixample
The tapas bars of Eixample are spread across the whole neighbourhood. We recommend grouping visits by area to avoid crossing the neighbourhood from one end to the other.
Eixample: the modernist neighbourhood with the richest gastronomic history in Barcelona
Eixample was born in the mid-19th century with the urban plan of Ildefons Cerdà, who designed the Barcelona expansion with its famous octagonal blocks. The same period that saw the neighbourhood born also saw the birth of many of its most emblematic wine cellars and bars, which have been serving the ensanche residents for over a century. Today Eixample has the highest concentration of modernist architecture in the world and also some of the most authentictapas bars in Barcelona.
