food & drink

Forget La Xampanyeria. For a genuine Barce­lona buzz of cheap and sticky bubbles it’s all about El Xampanyet. If you only take your visitors to one place, let it be here. Nestled in the depths of the Born, there could be no more Barcelona bar.

Constantly packed to the rafters with rowdy locals, it is a family-run affair where they’ll give you a cheeky smile and let you skip the queue once they know you. Encased in traditional tiles and crammed with marble tables, it’s a flirt of a spot. And the food comes cheap and fast – lose track of your intake of montaditos and don’t miss the picantes when you see them make their way around the room.