5 Tapas You Can Only Find in Barcelona—PLUS How to Eat Like a Local

  • 7 months ago
Eating tapas is essential when traveling anywhere in Spain, and especially in Barcelona. Join Barcelona resident, Claudia Cardia, as she shows us 5 must-eat tapas dishes you can only find in Barcelona, and local tips for ordering and eating tapas—without looking like a tourist.

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CREDITS

Claudia Cardia - Video Editor
Jessie Beck - AFAR Producer
Elizabeth See - Designer
Sarika Bansal - Editorial Director
Michelle Heimerman - Photo Editor

FOOTAGE / PHOTOGRAPHY
Claudia Cardia

CHAPTERS
00:00 What is tapas?
01:07 Typical Barcelona tapas to try
03:12 How to eat and order tapas

Category

🏖
Travel
Transcript
00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - Hola, we're in Barcelona, where I live,
00:07 and I wanna bring you around to eat some tapas,
00:09 specifically from Barcelona and Catalonia,
00:11 that you might not find in the rest of Spain.
00:14 So join me as I show you how to eat and drink like a local.
00:17 (upbeat music)
00:20 Spanish tapas are now known globally.
00:28 You can find them hot or cold,
00:29 eat one as an appetizer, or try lots of them
00:32 and make it a full meal.
00:33 There are classics you can get everywhere,
00:37 like tortilla, patatas bravas, fried calamari,
00:40 and then the more regional ones
00:42 that vary from city to city,
00:44 depending on what the local area has to offer.
00:47 But some of my favorite tapas to eat here in Barcelona
00:50 are the ones you can't find in the rest of Spain.
00:53 You can choose from the menu,
00:55 but make sure to take a look at the glass window,
00:58 where they show the daily preparations,
00:59 and you can tell the weather what you'd like.
01:02 These are the most typical tapas
01:04 you should try in Barcelona.
01:05 This small dish was supposedly invented here
01:10 at La Cueva Fomada, in the neighborhood of Barceloneta.
01:14 It's basically a big croqueta, filled with potatoes and meat.
01:17 It comes with aioli and some spicy sauce.
01:20 Yes, they are snails.
01:24 These are a staple of Catalan cuisine,
01:26 strongly influenced by their French neighbors.
01:29 There is no better place to eat them
01:31 than Tabernaca Margarit, in the neighborhood of Poblacet.
01:34 Tonight we are at Tabernaca Margarit,
01:43 in the neighborhood of Poblacet,
01:45 and while we wait for our table,
01:47 they told us to get a small glass
01:49 and choose between a selection of wine.
01:52 We have some red and some white wine,
01:55 so we'll be happy while we wait.
01:57 (upbeat music)
02:00 It does sound like a strange combination,
02:09 but eggplant and honey are a match made in heaven.
02:12 You can find one of my favorites at Bodega Fermin,
02:15 in the Barceloneta.
02:16 In this old-school bodega,
02:17 you can also try their own homemade vermouth.
02:24 This dish consists of the calf's head and foot,
02:27 cooked slowly for a very long time,
02:30 until they melt in your mouth
02:31 and are absolutely full of flavor.
02:34 I know that some of you might draw the line here,
02:36 but trust me, you want to try this.
02:38 Bodega de Rafael is the perfect place to try this dish,
02:42 a rustic bodega that has probably served the same dishes
02:45 for the past 50 years.
02:46 Tortilla is a classic in all of Spain,
02:51 not only Barcelona, but this is an honorable mention
02:54 I want to add to my list.
02:56 El Champagnet makes the most amazing tortilla de bacalao,
03:00 a creative spin on a classic tortilla
03:02 with cod and crispy fried potatoes.
03:04 Next time you go to a tapas bar in Barcelona,
03:11 here are a few tips to keep in mind.
03:14 The first thing to know is that in Barcelona,
03:16 tapas do not come free with your drink order,
03:18 which is pretty common in the rest of Spain.
03:20 But do not worry, they are usually pretty cheap,
03:23 and you can keep ordering until you're full
03:24 or you've had too many drinks.
03:26 Drinks are an important part of the tapas ritual.
03:29 At El Champagnet, they're famous for their cava,
03:32 but you can never go wrong with a night-cold beer.
03:35 You will notice Spanish people often order a caña,
03:39 the small beer, because they know the heat
03:41 is gonna warm up their beer quickly.
03:43 So they'll rather keep ordering small ones
03:45 than get a big one and drink it warm.
03:47 Lastly, do not expect the service to be prompt
03:50 and quick as in the US.
03:52 Tips are not expected here,
03:54 and staff won't check your table every few minutes.
03:57 Enjoy the calmer rhythm of life
03:59 and the relaxed Spanish lifestyle.
04:01 Take your time for a good meal.
04:04 (upbeat music)
04:06 (upbeat music)
04:09 (upbeat music)
04:11 you

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