We visited Barcelona for the first time this year, and although I was planning to explore numerous Gaudi buildings, higher on the agenda was my stomach. I couldn’t wait to stuff my face with vegetarian tapas.

I love the small-plate style of eating, and would rather graze at three of four restaurants on a night out, than sit in one restaurant and devour a big meal. Barcelona has so many culinary options. During our five day stay we ate out at numerous tapas restaurants, and I’ve compiled this list of quirky places I recommending heading for if you want to eat cheese tapas and pintxo.

La Cereria

It may not look much from the outside, but La Cereria is a vegetarian restaurant in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter with a distinct bohemian vibe. It used to be a musical repair shop but in recent years was taken over by a cooperative and turned into a casual restaurant, although they do still sell musical instruments.

We ordered one of their sharing plates of cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese and more cheese. It was such a huge array of Italian cheese and breads that we struggled to finish it all—but we had a really good attempt to leave an empty plate.

My favorite was the Italian Cheese selection’s centre piece—a pungent sheep cheese mellowed out by the tart sweetness of the cherry marmalade that created a tangy disco for my taste buds. Topped with what looked like a small Turkish Simit.

The tables are close together, but rather than making it seem claustrophobic it added a complimentary cosy air to this room decorated with music memorabilia.

We had initially intended to have something to eat at the popular La Boqueria market just off the Rambla – but rather than being a cultural adventure it felt like a tourist trap – wheel them in, wheel them out style of eating. Yes there was a buzz about this market, but it wasn’t condusive to a relaxing lunch time meal. So we wandered down the back streets of the Gothic Quarter and it was a real bonus to discover La Cereria.

Address: Baixada de Sant Miquel, 3, Gòtic, Barcelona, 08002

Cafe Babel

We were a little early for evening tapas at Cafe Babel and the place was deserted when we arrived, but by the time we left (a couple of drinks later) it was filled elbow-to-elbow with a stylish straight-from-work local crowd.

The exposed brick and archways hint at the heritage of this old building in the historic gothic quarter of Barcelona, and the wood paneling added a dash of modern, but relaxed, shabby chic. We settled at one of the small wooden tables in from of a large patio door, which offered a front-row seat to the adjacent square. A steady stream of foot traffic allowed us to people-watch between mouthfuls of cheese.

My favorite taste combination is savory and sweet in one delectable mouthful, so the generous round of goat cheese topped with raspberry jam was a perfect combination to spread on toasted baguette.

To compliment our cheese tapas we ordered a Spanish tortillas served with fresh baguette topped with fresh tomatoes and garlic—a Spanish take on an Italian Bruschetta. I used to be confused about the difference between a tortilla and a frittata, but the waitress explained that whereas the Italian Frittata is finished in the oven, a Spanish tortillas is flipped and finished in a pan on the stovetop. Other than that the ingredients and preparation are similar.

Address: Carrer del Correu Vell, 14, 08002, Barcelona

El Drac de Sant Jordi

We ate at El Drac mid-evening, and by the time we walked in it was absolutely heaving with people and the noise level meant we had to huddle close at our table for two to have a conversation. It was probably the most touristy place we ate at during our time in Barcelona, but we were enticed in with the 11 Euro Pintxo plate offer.

I fell in love with eating Pintxo in London’s Soho, and thought we’d encounter lots of this style of eating in Barcelona, but they were few and far between, so when I spotted El Drac I dragged Red in.

Pintxo is the Basque take on a Spanish verb to pierce, and traditionally a savory topping is pierced to a piece of bread with a cocktail stick.

The caramelized goat cheese pintxo went to the top of my all-star list, but the other pintxo combined cheese with a sweet accompaniment—quince jam on a hard cheese, and an intense sun dried tomato on a mozzarella slice.

Address: Placa Sant Josep Oriol 3, 08002 Barcelona

Bar del Pla

If you’re planning on visiting the Pablo Picasso Museum, Bar del Pla is only a short stroll away and was recommended to us by a local.

We ate two orders of a delicious black squid ink rice balls which contained a mild creamy cheese. I wish I’d photographed them, but they got eaten so quickly I completely forgot. These became a firm favorite during our stay in Barcelona and ate these deep fried croquettes in four different tapas bars—and each time they missed getting captured on camera. Trouble is they were one-bite wonders.

Address: C. Montcada, 2, 08003 Barcelona

Bodega La Palma

This snug tapas bar in the Gothic Quarter started life as a grocery shop in 1935, but morphed into a tapas bar in the eighties, but still retains the casual vibe of the arty meeting place it once was in it’s heyday.

Wandering around this historic area of Barcelona you’re absolutely spoilt for choice for endearing tapas bars. Many of them are like La Palma—unassuming from the outside, but quirky on the inside.

Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly eat any more cheese, you’re offered a cheese desert, that was a dramatic marriage of sweet and savory.

Address: Carrer de la Palma de Sant Just, 7, 08002 Barcelona

Cheese to-go

We were excited to stumble across a little artisan market in the Plaça del Pi right beside the Bascillica de Santa Maria del Pi.

It’s a compact collection of stalls selling bread, cheese, honey and other nibbles, and during a few days in Barcelona we visited here a couple of times to stock up on a delectably mellow and smooth local goat cheese.

We worked our way through two of these little drums during late-night snack sessions at our hostel, and took another one with us in our train journey picnic from Barcelona to Madrid.

Pin this Image