Image by AC Uribe

I discovered this place thanks to one of my classmates for University, who told me her mom used to take her here to eat “the best chocolate croissants” in Barcelona. And they are not only delicious – they can be tiny.

One of the best sellers at the Forn Mistral (literally, Mistral Bakery) are the small chocolate croissants, sold by weight. But you can also take home regular sized croissants and other sweets delights, without even taking into consideration different kinds of bread – designed to please even the most picky eater. They also make traditional birthday cakes and if you need anything special in terms of size, it is just a matter of asking.

The main shop is at Ronda Sant Antoni, but in the street just behind it (Torres i Amat 7), there is also a big cafeteria where all the fresh produce in the shop is sold to eat at the place, along with coffee, tea, orange juice or other refreshments. The baguettes turn into delicious and traditional bocatas and the white ensaimadas are better when soaked into a cup of warm café con leche.

No English is spoken, but you can get around pointing at things. The way in the cafeteria is ordering, eating and paying at the counter before leaving. When ordering a coffee with milk, you’ll be asked if you want it “muy caliente” – very hot. If you say yes, be careful not to burn yourself. And don’t miss those croissants!

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Forn Mistral | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Chocolate croissant € 1.80
Ronda Sant Antoni 96 | El Raval | +34933018037
Mon – Sat 07:30 – 21:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafa Dujarric

This is one of the few centrally located places open for live performances of emerging bands in Barcelona!

It was opened in 1992, the year of the Olympic games, big hotels and huge impersonal malls. Fortunately it was also understood that the bohemian mood was something that gave the city its popularity.

In order to play there, bands must pass the filter of the bar manager, a frenetic indie music fan who is quite aware of his roll as a gate keeper for bands that have to struggle their way into this fortified jungle of commercial mass. No wonder there was a comedian representing the country in an international music contest.

Either a jam session or a concert, there is live music every night, except for Tuesdays when they have theater performances and plays!

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Big Bang Bar | Bars, Music | Concerts € 3.00
Botella street 7 | El Raval
Tue – Sun 23:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Rafael Dujarric

There are things that don’t depend on the eyes of the beholder. Red is red no matter who might claim it’s otherwise.

Even though music might be a little relative to one’s taste, at some point pride and prejudice should allow us to admit when good music is good, even if it’s techno, house or electro.

The best part is the minimal mood with which the dj starts heating engines when the hall is half empty around 01:00… better if not Friday or Saturday.

Most Wednesdays they have an international dj.

In order to get in for free just go to bar Manolo on the corner to get the flyers and have a cheap beer, but be aware that the flyers are only valid until 01:30.

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Moog | Music | Entrance on Wed € 10.00
Arc del teatre 3 | El Raval | +34933017282
00:00 – 05:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Anna Boluda

If you love Japanese food -as I do- you probably already have salmon sushi, California maki rolls or misho soup as part of your diet. But for sure you would enjoy trying different cuisine options, wouldn’t you? Well, you can go to Japan, I guess, or you can visit this tiny place (it just sits 20 people) in Barcelona. 

The variety of the main menu is huge, and they are kind enough to add a picture of everything. It’s great to discover that there is much more besides raw fish. Actually, don’t ask them for some basic sashimi: they just don’t serve it. Go instead for the light done Mediterranean tuna fish (my favorite), or the rice & curry with breaded ‘secreto ibérico’ (some delicious pork meat). 

Dinner is based on tapas, following the Spanish way of sharing small dishes. It might not be cheap as they are about 8 or 10 euros each, and you’d probably need two or three per person… But the lunch menu option comes at great prices: 8.50, 10.50 or 12.50 euros, depending on the main dish you choose, plus some salad and an appetizer and soup. 

Dessert is not included in that price, but the chocolate mochis are very well worth the price. They just melt in your mouth!

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Bouzu | Restaurants (Japanese) | Lunch menu € 10.50
Ronda de Sant Antoni, 26 | El Raval
Sun – Thu 13:30 – 16:00 & 20:30 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 13:30 – 16:00 & 20:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Anna Boluda

Fist of all let me clarify this: in Spanish and Catalan we call a ‘bar’ not just the place for drinks, but also all those numerous places where you can have a bite and get some tapas or a sandwich.

Els Tres Tombs is just the typical local bar, with some tables inside and a wonderful terrace just in the border of El Raval neighborhood. Anytime is good to sit there and see the people passing by. They open from very early in the morning till late night, so it’s easy to enjoy a moment there, from a croissant and ‘café con leche’ (coffee and milk) breakfast to some tapas (I recommend the ‘patatas bravas’ or the ‘embutidos ibéricos’ -cold meat) and a beer at midday, or even a whole meal. 

But the best of all, I would say, is the location. Sitting there you can see both the lifelong residents and the newcomer worldwide immigrants that share El Raval nowadays.

The only problem is trying to get a good table on weekends as it’s usually packed from early morning. So good luck!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Els Tres Tombs | Bars, Restaurants (Tapas) | Tapa + beer € 5
Ronda de San Antoni, 2 | El Raval
06:00 – 00:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by AC Uribe

Some years ago, La Verónica was a pizzeria located at… Plaza de La Verónica – so no more questions were needed about the name. However, as the Raval started to change a few years ago, they decided to move to the newly renovated Rambla del Raval. Now, La Verónica is a great option to have a pizza in a good environment in that area.

The place, always carefully lit, has a comfortable layout and nice white tables. At night it’s even nicer to see the combination of white and red in the environment. But the seating arrangement is not the only reason for choosing a restaurant: they make crispy, light-crusted pizza for sophisticated palates.

You won’t find only your regular pizzas but a selection that mixes great cheeses and local flavors like Jamón Ibérico with silky mozzarella and a nice tomato sauce. Careful with their spicy oil – it is, spicy. I would personally recommend the Pizza Veronica with apples. They have a lot of choices for vegetarians and also for dieters with creative salads.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Verónica | Restaurants (Pizza & Salads) | Pizza+Beer +/- € 15
Rambla del Raval 2 | El Raval | +34933293303
Tue – Sun 13:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by AC Uribe

I hadn’t been truly introduced to the great charms of a gin tonic until a friend of mine took me to this bar. Located in a small street, I was amazed at how crowded a place with one type of liquor (namely gin) could get. Turns out there was a reason for it…

La Pesca Salada recovered for the night-crawlers one old store where they used to sell fish – specifically, salted cod. Maybe in the interest of preserving the original heritage took the owners to turn the place into an spectacular voyage into Captain Nemo’s terms: the ceiling resembles fish dermis and you can see a huge sardine can hanging over your head.

Other than the spectacular decoration they serve unique Gin Tonics – with a large menu to choose from. They pride themselves in offering brands no one else in Barcelona pours, both the gins and the tonic water. I’ve tasted a few, but still keeping faithful to a classic blend of Hendricks that includes some cucumber and rose petals.

Just for laughs: the ad that says that only 15 people can be inside. This is never the case.

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Pesca Salada | Bars | Hendrick’s Gin Tonic € 8
La Cera 32 | El Raval | +34686265309
19:00 – 02:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Pedro Ghinaglia

I went to the Marmalade some weeks ago because of some girlfriend’s birthday party and I can’t wait to go back. Oh my… I won’t lie to you. I think this place is just perfect! Actually I’ve dreamt about this place at least two times since then. Why? You could ask… Perhaps because of the Mojito’s effect on me or maybe its exclusive atmosphere? I don’t know yet. What I can assure you is that this is the place where I’ve spent the best night along of this year.

Just few times in my life I’ve been positively surprised by some place as the Marmalade did with me. I’m sure you will find a lot of special places in Barcelona but the Marmalade Bar-Restaurant is one of the best places I could suggest to you feeling such self-confidence about its quality. You will know I’m right from the very first second you get in.

Correct and kind attention, a fine decoration, quality and good taste are the stronger points of this place. What I found there is an exquisite level of sophistication. I must confess I did not try their menu, but somehow I know it must be good. I will try it the next time. I’m so sure about it…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Marmalade | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Dinner € 32.00
Riera Alta, 4-6 | El Raval | +34934423966
19:00 – 03:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Sonja Pöhlmann

A trend in Barcelona: playing ping-pong on one of the numerous public ping-pong tables in the city center.

You have two options:

1. You buy a ping-pong set (2 rackets and a ball) for € 3.00 at the Chinese-cheap-cheap “Cien y mas” – shop on Calle de Carmen in the Raval neighborhood and you play a match on the shady and beautiful square on Calle Floristes de la Rambla between the back-entrance of the Boqueria market and the Art school Massana.

2. You just have a seat on the square an watch the cute guys playing ping-pong.

Whatever option you take, try to get it done before 14:00 because from 14:00 – 16:00 you should enjoy the daily changing lunch menu (€ 8.00) at the Iposa restaurant situated on Calle Floristes de la Rambla.

They have a beautiful terrace outside on one of the most cheerful squares in the Raval under huge trees next to the cute ping-pong guys. Watch the birds in the trees, especially when you are having lunch!

The French chef is always trying to offer something special rather than the usual tapas and paella. As the Boqueria market is only a stone’s throw away, the vegetables and the fish are always super fresh.

Also try their main courses for decent prices such as their risotto and their delicious salads.

Unfortunately the terrace is closed at the moment due to a construction site around the corner but the restaurant is still open so you can enjoy and the delicious food inside the restaurant.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Iposa | Relaxing, Restaurants (Lunch) | Lunch menu € 7.00
Calle Floristes de la Rambla 14 | El Raval | +34933186086
Mon – Sat 13.30 – 16:00 & 21:00 – 00:00, Aug 21:00 – 00:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona

Image by Sonja Poehlmann

When I was little, spinning the globe was one of my favorite games. You know, a little que será, será: Where am I going to live when I am all grown up? When the globe stopped, my finger would point at a magical place like Transylvania, Iceland or Zanzibar or whatever sounded like an exotic place to a seven-year-old.

Little has changed during the past twenty years and from time to time, a little spinning keeps the excitement of the possibilities one has in these very confusing times of international fun.

Also, you could say that this is the outcome of a generation growing up in a globalized world: disoriented, rootless grown-ups who ask themselves over and over again their inner seven year old’s unanswered questions.

If you’ve got the urge to try some good old globe spinning yourself, try Monimoon, a shop that hosts one of Europe’s most complete globe collections just off the Ramblas on Unió. At Monimoon you find a world of globes that come in all colors and sizes: very little, big, medium, blue, brown, made of wood, plastic, plastered with animals, with stars, new and antique.

Once you have your own flashy globe and you are about to start to whirl the world around, do not forget spinning’s first and last eternal rule: you can do it over and over again.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Monimoon | Shopping | Globes from € 15.00
Carrer de la Unió, 13 | El Raval | +34933022026
Mon – Fri 08:00 -13:30 & 15:30 – 19:00, Sat 08:00 – 13:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Barcelona