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• Eating out in Barcelona

Barcelona is a city laced with restaurants catering for all types of budgets. And while most cuisines are represented, it is still eateries dealing in traditional Spanish/Catalan fare that outweigh all the others.

The best known Spanish food is ‘tapas’, a selection of savoury Spanish dishes that can be either eaten on their own as a snack or in a group as a whole meal. Various types of tapas to choose from include squid, cured ham, sun-dried tomatoes and sardines. Each variation is served together on one plate. Another local speciality is ‘Pan con tomate’ (pa amb tom`àquet in Catalan) – a slice of bread rubbed with tomato, olive oil.

If nit-picking at different snacks isn’t your cup of tea, you can still find a good selection of more familiar types of restaurants peppered throughout the city. The Barri Gotic district, as touristy as it is, is where you will find a good selection, as well as around the university on Ronda Universidad and Gran Via. When sitting down is out of the question, you’ll be able to find yourself a filled baguette somewhere along Las Ramblas up until the early evening.

Organised Chaos

Going for a bite to eat in this small champagne bar in La Barceloneta is extremely enjoyable but equally challenging. Specialising in cheap tapas and meat-filled bread rolls, hardly anything costs more than €3. Better still, they sell bottles of champagne for €4! Get down early. Open daily from 9am-11pm.

Restaurants in Barcelona

• Travel Bar

  C/ de Boqueria, Barcelona, Spain

  If you're really broke, but still want a decent meal, locate this bar. Every night at either 7.30pm or 8.15pm you can get a particular meal (pasta, curry etc.) for a mere €1 (once you buy a drink to wash it down with).
  
  Open daily from 10.30am-2am.

• Fresco

  Ronda Universidad, 29, Barcelona, Spain

  Specialising in 'all-you-can-eat' buffets, Fresco is great value for money. For €7.40 you can choose from an wide range of salads, while if you're looking for something a bit more substantial you can stuff yourself with pizza and pasta to your heart's content.
  
  Open from 12.30pm-1am; buffet €9.20 after 8pm/weekends.

• Bar del Pi

  Plaça Sant Josep Oriol 1, Barcelona, Spain

  Even though the selection of tapas here is limited, this is one of Barcelona's most famous tapas bars. Most tapas are under €3 and if you're lucky a pianist will be tickling the ivory keys of the downstairs piano.
  
  Open Mon-Sat 9am to 11pm; Sun 9am to 10pm.

• Can Paixano

  C/de la Reina Cristina, 7, Barcelona, Spain

  Going for a bite to eat in this small champagne bar in La Barceloneta is extremely enjoyable but equally challenging. Specialising in cheap tapas and meat-filled bread rolls, hardly anything costs more than €3. Better still, they sell bottles of champagne for €4! Get down early.
  
  Open daily from 9am-11pm.

• Primer Express

  Ronda de Sant Antoni, 32, Barcelona, Spain

  When you're looking for a quick breakfast in nice surroundings you can't go wrong in this small eatery five minutes from Las Ramblas. For just €1.60 you can get a white coffee and a croissant/donut. For an extra €3 you can get tea and traditional Spanish sausage. They also have tapas from €1.50.
  
  Open Mon-Sat from 8am-10pm.