Wine bars in Barcelona

Resting at the foot of the Gothic Santa Maria del Mar church, this diminutive wine bar packs a colossal punch and is widely revered as one of the city’s very best. If you’re lucky enough to squeeze inside, you’ll find a few poser tables to perch at on the ground floor and a snug area on the upper floor.

Mainly, however, indoor space is reserved for more important things, like cases upon cases of wine. There are around 400 references in stock at any one time, 20 of which are available to sup by the glass. But of course, it’s the coveted outdoor terrace that steals the show, where a fortunate few get to while away an afternoon with the aromas of fine wine and the sonorous sounds church bells washing over them.

La Vinya del Senyor (“The Lord’s Vineyard”) is a harbor for hedonists – a religious experience, even for heathens.

Steps away from the stunning façade of Palau de Musica yet far from the flow of mass tourism, Casa Lolea offers a charming, quality alternative to the overpriced pitchers of sangría that dot the plastic tablecloths of Las Ramblas. Casa Lolea ups the ante on the traditional vermouth bar, serving up a refreshing new brand of artisan sangría ideal for those looking to add modern flair to the Sunday tradition – or for anyone craving an after-work drink with a bit of fizz and plenty of sophistication.

Casa Lolea serves handcrafted and all-natural red and white varieties of sangría, as well as a tangy, herb-infused “gastronomic” sangría that is the perfect combination of spices, fruit and fizz. For spring, they are introducing a fourth variety of sangría made with white wine, elderberry and wild apple. For something a little stiffer but no less spectacular, sample one of their signature sangría cocktails, like a Lolita’s, made with vodka, orange juice, strawberries and sangría.

If a liquid lunch is not part of your diet, don’t worry, head chef Ramón (of Elsa & Fred fame) has got you covered. The non-stop kitchen offers breakfast, tapas and montaditos, and a weekly lunch special – soup and risotto, say. Try the foie micuit with onion marmalade & volcanic sea salt, cecina (cured beef) with semi-dried tomatoes & ricotta, or the salt-cured tuna with orange, scallions & almonds – all pair perfectly with a glass of sangría, wine or a house vermouth.

Thanks to its retro air and bright décor, Casa Lolea has brought a much-needed burst of style to Sant Pere Més Alt. It has also quickly become an elegant meeting spot for both urban foodies as well as young Catalans looking to revamp their grandfather’s Sunday afternoon tradition.

After years of pop-ups and suppers, the Tiberi Club collective finally has a room of its own on Vila i Vilà, and it was worth the wait. H3O Architects built the space around a bottle-green marble bar under low light, around 80 square meters in all – small enough that you’ll likely end the night talking to whoever landed on the next stool.

The wine list is natural and mostly close to home: small growers from the Penedès and around Tarragona, with detours into southern France. It’s an easy list to navigate whether you arrive with opinions about skin contact or just want to point at something good, and classic cocktails cover anyone who’d rather skip the grapes altogether.

From the kitchen come Mediterranean plates built for sharing, with vegetables doing much of the heavy lifting: pumpkin with labneh and pumpkin seeds, grilled polenta with fresh sage, house-made ice cream to finish. The calling card is the gilda – the classic skewer of olive, guindilla and anchovy, here with a cube of cheese and a radish added. It’s the kind of liberty that raises eyebrows in San Sebastián and empties plates in Poble-sec.

The bar shares its building with a cinema and a nightclub – Casa Montjuïc is next door and Laut beyond it – so dinner before a film or a plate after a set needs no cab. Few blocks in the city offer that.

Contracorrent Bar, a local neighborhood wine bar set off the beaten track, attracts a mostly Catalan-speaking, natural wine-loving crowd.

Walking past this bar, you might miss it. Unassuming and hidden away, it’s not the most obvious place you’d see and want to try. But step inside, and it’s a wine and tapas lovers paradise. Working with a selection of fresh and seasonal produce, they serve up high-quality tapas. We recommend: the Catalan “cap i pota,” prawns carpaccio and paprika; the Barbecue beef, spicy chimichurri and roasted garlic; and the cod brandade, creamed mushrooms and chardonnay caramel.

And, of course, you can pair all of this with one of the natural wines on offer. Each wine has been carefully chosen from nearby wineries and offers unique and varied flavors – perfect for pairing with the impeccable selection of food on offer.

The newest wine bar in town, you can now head to Bocanariz and indulge in some of the best wines of the region and abroad!

Located on Carrer de Vallfogona, this cozy wine bar offers wine, nibbles and a charming atmosphere. The two owners opened it with the view to creating an easy and relaxed atmosphere for afterworks or weekend meetings with friends. They say ‘we have both traveled and lived in many countries from a very young age, countries with a winemaking tradition and an incredible gastronomic culture, something that prompted us to train in this field and to give life to this project.’

They are proud to accompany their wine selection with an impressive collection of jazz, soul, blues and funk vinyls. And if you’re interested in picking up a vinyl for yourself, they have a range of second-hand ones in collaboration with Discos Edison’s 10. Simply ask for the catalog if you are interested.

Like fine wine itself, the story of Salut Wine Studio is one of passion, discovery and serendipity. Founder Melissa’s enological career began as a writer and photographer, and saw her learn Catalan in a bid to make more meaningful connections with local winemakers.

Seven years later, her knowledge bolstered by the level 3 WSET qualification, the news that a space in Born had become available couldn’t have come at a more fortuitous time. It’s here that Melissa now offers deep dive tasting sessions, guiding her guests on explorations of the finest organic/biodynamic wines from boutique vineyards in Catalunya and beyond.

Hone your palate and learn to describe different flavor profiles while Melissa shares stories about the vineyards and winemakers behind each bottle. Drop by during casual, afterwork sipping sessions or put your name down for a tasting course and set off on a sensory voyage from grape to glass. I’ll drink to that, salut!

Hone your palate during the lockdown with wine delivery from Salut’s online shop, including two or three-bottle subscription wine boxes delivered monthly.

Savor Academy is Zara’s hands-on food-and-wine workshop, a space she built out herself from upcycled and vintage finds – which tells you most of what you need to know about the vibe. It’s less a stuffy cooking school than a kitchen-table afternoon with a very capable host.

The roster runs wide. On the food side there are paella classes, world-cuisine sessions and a grazing-board workshop; on the drinks side, wine tastings and pairings, blind tastings, and a sangria-and-tapas class. The signature, carried over from its wine-school days, is cava sabrage – learning to lop the top off a bottle with a single pass of a saber, more thrill than spill. There’s also a foodie market tour for those who’d rather walk and eat than chop.

Classes run as open shared sessions or private bookings for small groups, and it’s a reliable pick for team-building or a birthday with something to actually do. Come hungry, leave with a party trick.

Anyone who’s met Stefano Fraternali and his wife Alejandra Delfino of the Vella Terra food and wine fair know about their incredible passion for natural wine. Garage Bar is their newest endeavor, a wine bar dedicated to celebrating and promoting the excellent natural wines and natural, artisanal foods featured in their annual fair.

Their stripped-down space, hidden on a quiet street in upper Sant Antoni, is a welcome addition to the growing natural wine scene in the city, offering wines by the glass, bottle and to take home. The tapas menu includes dishes made from organic produce grown locally. Small plates include simply dressed items like boquerones (anchovies) in olive oil with tomato tartare, octopus a la gallega, bruschetta with vegan sobrasada, steak tartare and a menu of fresh cheeses.

They also run craft beer and wine tastings, as well as a great Meet the Winemaker series, featuring regular visits from local, natural winemakers.

Bar Brutal – the natural-wine bar attached to the Can Cisa bodega on Carrer de la Princesa, in the Born – has been a quiet fixture of Barcelona’s low-intervention wine scene for years. The room is eclectic and unfussy, the kind of place that lets the bottles do the talking.

Specializing in biodynamic and sulphite-free wine, it keeps hundreds of references on hand, from deep, complex reds to bright, mineral whites. The kitchen plays along with a contemporary take on the classics – cured meats, cheeses, seafood and small plates built for sharing over a glass or three. The staff know the list cold and steer you well, whether you arrive curious or converted.

Between Can Cisa’s old-bodega bones and Bar Brutal’s natural-wine obsession, it’s the rare spot that updates the vermouth-hour tradition for the way Barcelona drinks now.

This small tapas bar caters to those who believe in honest cooking. To owners Marta and Sergi, this translates to “simple recipes made with quality ingredients cooked to perfection.” Three years ago the Catalan couple adopted this theme and tossed in a dash of fun and creativity to design an eclectic family vibe around a seasonal tapas menu.

They pulled it off in this sweet little vintage-themed bar that sits next to the arthouse Cinemes Girona. Catch a movie after having a “sexy bikini” made with crunchy coca de cristal bread, or tapas like meatballs with mushrooms, octopus salad with avocado & pistachio, or baby potatoes with brava sauce, spiced just right. Choose one of a dozen local wines available at three euros a glass.

Whether you’re a vegetarian, a clean-eating carnivore or a sweet tooth, you’ll find something to munch on here. Nothing is fried and the dessert rotation is on point, with an olive-oil-and-salt drizzled Catalan black chocolate that’ll rock your world.

Tradition thrives at Bar Bodega Quimet, the old-school wine shop and bar that’s been an integral part of Carrer de Vic since 1954. Known for the quality of its products, this friendly, intimate locale draws in locals and tourists alike – an ideal spot for chatting over a glass of wine, vermouth, cava or an artisanal beer, perhaps accompanied by a few traditional dishes sourced from all around Spain.

Must-trys from the all-day menu include L’Escala anchovies, octopus with potato purée or broad beans with ham and poached egg, while the variado vermut del Quimet (vermouth variety platter) is an ideal option for sharing. You’ll also find a wide range of cheeses, hams, olives from around the country, Extremadura cured meats and more, while the bodega sells a vast array of wines and vermouths.

With no TV or radio to distract, this is a place for good talk, good drinks and good food. Good times.

Taking its name from the temperature wine is best served at, Disset Graus – Catalan for 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit) – is known for its recommendable selection of local wines.

Tucked down a quiet street in the Born neighborhood, this cozy wine bar serves up Catalan wines by the glass and a wider selection by the bottle, cocktails and small plates to a crowd of regulars who keep coming back for the food, ambience and excellent service.

Aside from a collection of classic tapas like croquettes, cheeses and embutidos (cured sausages), they also serve up a selection of hot and cold torrades, toasted bread piled high with a variety of toppings. Choose from options like tuna, red pepper and crispy leek, or vegetarian versions such as eggplant with mozzarella, caramelized onions and basil.

While Spain is now known for having excellent wines at very reasonable prices, it’s often difficult to find the upper echelons of said wines.

He’s succeeded to no end as the bar has become a singular reference for any wine lover who comes to Barcelona. They feature a constantly rotating stock of bottles from all over the world that they import directly. They also have a full kitchen that serves an impressive range of gourmet tapas and Mediterranean fare.

Best of all, it’s a relaxed, comfortable and well-designed setting that almost anyone can enjoy and find any number of things to love.

In the ‘50s and ‘60s, l’hora del vermut (vermouth hour) after Mass was one of the few moments for young boys and girls to meet one another. Later, as a result of the growing influence of the big beer brands, the apéritif declined in popularity in Barcelona. But vermouth has made a true comeback over the past years.

A great place to immerse yourself in the revival of this once outdated drink is Casa Mariol. Do as the locals do and fulfill the vermouth tradition on a Saturday or Sunday morning. The vermouth ritual may be historic but Casa Mariol is a modern bodega: original, well-designed and playful.

Their mouth-watering tapas match perfectly with your oliveta – a glass of vermouth with an olive. The vermouth gift boxes will absolutely impress your friends. Who said vermouth was old fashioned? Not anymore.

Please save the following Catalan saying to your personal hard drive: “Drink good wine, eat good bread, and you will always be healthy.” After which, put the proverb into practice by dropping in to Betlem.

This locale, located on the “right” side of Barcelona’s Eixample, has a history going to back to 1892 and was trans­formed into a gastrobar by Catalan chef Víctor Ferrer. The kitchen never closes. Start your morning off with a latte or a freshly squeezed orange juice and a breakfast treat. During the day they serve hot and cold sandwiches like black butifarra with caramelized onion, as well as meat and cheese platters.

Stay for lunch and choose from one of their five combos; there’s always something tasty on offer for a range of palates: for meat and fish lovers, to people looking for their daily veggies or, on the contrary, for those craving a gourmet burger. On Fridays they serve a chef’s rice special. Finish with Greek yogurt and a seasonal jam or a mouthwatering brownie. Continue with a coffee out on their terrace, and later on order perhaps some tapas de autor, their miniature version of haute cuisine.

Choose from traditional tapas with a twist such as patatas bravas and Iberian ham croquettes or Iberian secret and steak tartare. Especially notable is the care they put in to their wine selection: they offer local wines from small Catalan vineyards, embracing a Km0, local-food philosophy. At night try the vermouth, the cocktail of the day or a gin and tonic with seasonal fruits.

Betlem can be summed up by another saying: “A drink and a small bite, rain or shine.”