Bacelona local tapas
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Bacelona local tapas
Hello. We are staying at the Grums Hotel and Spa. Does anyone have a suggestion of where we might go to a local tapas bar that is in that area or within walking distance? I am also inquiring about going to a local restaurant in that area, within walking distance, that will not be expensive. I will be there with my family of 6, and I am paying for all. Appreciate any help you may offer.
#6


Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,146
Likes: 83
My favorite place for tapas in Barcelona is Tosca Palau and their sister restaurant Tosca Del Carme.
https://toscatapas.com/palau/
https://toscatapas.com/palau/
#7


Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,312
Likes: 0
QUIMET & QUIMET is a very popular bar serving tapas. They do get a LOT of tourists but it's worth a stop and it's only ten minutes walk from your hotel from what I saw on Google.
https://quimetiquimet.com/en/our-tapas/
https://quimetiquimet.com/en/our-tapas/
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#8

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 0
I'm a Madrid resident, but the classic Quimet & Quimet on 25 Poeta Cabanyes St, not too far from the Grums Hotel and Spa, seems like a good place to have some tapas.
https://quimetiquimet.com/
https://quimetiquimet.com/
#10
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
I know I’m probably too late to help @mibrownidgirl, but just dropping this here for anyone else reading later on:
I see a lot of posts on forums asking about places “close to” some specific thing — and honestly, I think that mindset makes a lot of people miss out on some great parts of Barcelona.
People usually think of the city centre as Plaça de Catalunya, right where the Ciutat Vella (Old Town)meets l'Eixample district. And sure, that’s where most tourists want to be — it’s packed with the stuff you’re probably coming to see. But it’s definitely *not* the whole story.
Barcelona didn’t just pop up all at once — it’s been growing for over 2,000 years, slowly absorbing old villages around the plains surrounding the old town. So when neighborhoods like Sarrià, Gràcia, or Sant Andreu got added to the city in the early 1900s, they weren’t just empty spaces — they were full-on towns with their own vibe, history, main squares, markets, local shops, restaurants, and all kinds of charm including museums and interesting sites to visit. Even today, each one still feels like its own little world. Staying in one of those areas can feel completely different from staying in the centre — in the best possible way.
Now, Barcelona’s not a huge city by global standards. It’s actually super compact — just about 101 km² (around 40 square miles) — but packed with people. It’s one of the densest cities in Europe, with something like 16,000 people per sq/km (~42,000 per sq mile). So, yeah, everything is pretty close together. Sure, walking from one end of the city to the other isn’t exactly a five-minute stroll, I grant you that, but getting around is easy. The public transport here — metro, buses, trams, even taxis — is cheap, clean, safe, and quite efficient.
Long story short: don’t stress too much about being right next to the tourist hotspots. The whole city’s reachable, and honestly, some of the best food, coolest corners, and most local vibes are just a few metro stops away. So get out there and explore a bit — Barcelona’s got way more to offer than just the postcard spots.
I see a lot of posts on forums asking about places “close to” some specific thing — and honestly, I think that mindset makes a lot of people miss out on some great parts of Barcelona.
People usually think of the city centre as Plaça de Catalunya, right where the Ciutat Vella (Old Town)meets l'Eixample district. And sure, that’s where most tourists want to be — it’s packed with the stuff you’re probably coming to see. But it’s definitely *not* the whole story.
Barcelona didn’t just pop up all at once — it’s been growing for over 2,000 years, slowly absorbing old villages around the plains surrounding the old town. So when neighborhoods like Sarrià, Gràcia, or Sant Andreu got added to the city in the early 1900s, they weren’t just empty spaces — they were full-on towns with their own vibe, history, main squares, markets, local shops, restaurants, and all kinds of charm including museums and interesting sites to visit. Even today, each one still feels like its own little world. Staying in one of those areas can feel completely different from staying in the centre — in the best possible way.
Now, Barcelona’s not a huge city by global standards. It’s actually super compact — just about 101 km² (around 40 square miles) — but packed with people. It’s one of the densest cities in Europe, with something like 16,000 people per sq/km (~42,000 per sq mile). So, yeah, everything is pretty close together. Sure, walking from one end of the city to the other isn’t exactly a five-minute stroll, I grant you that, but getting around is easy. The public transport here — metro, buses, trams, even taxis — is cheap, clean, safe, and quite efficient.
Long story short: don’t stress too much about being right next to the tourist hotspots. The whole city’s reachable, and honestly, some of the best food, coolest corners, and most local vibes are just a few metro stops away. So get out there and explore a bit — Barcelona’s got way more to offer than just the postcard spots.





