Fast food with style in Barcelona

Sometimes all you want is a quick, tasty bite to eat sitting up a bar with a cold beer or quick cocktail before you get going again for the rest of the day. Here are some cool and delicious options from Barcelona which take fast food to another level...

A tu bola:

Just minutes walk from the Ramblas you´ll stumble upon this small bar with balls...meatballs, spicy mexican balls, falafal balls all freshly prepared in their open kitchen which forms the centre piece of the bar. Descibing itself as gastro street-food, at A Tu Bola, you can order a tapas (balls of your choice with sauce and perfect pitta) or topped on a delicious mash. They are seriously delicious and filling, so a great pit-stop option for the centre of town, pre or post-drinking too! They do the best hummus in town, finished off with fresh tomatoes, onion and parsley & I recommend the spicy Mexican pork meatballs in pitta.

Location: Carrer de l´Hospital, 78

El Tianguis:

Tacos have been big for a while now in Barcelona, and as I´m a massive fan of pulled pork tacos, this place is high up on my list. The mexican restaurant, El Tianguis recently opened a second bar following the success of the Villarroel one which is always full. The second bar on Sepulveda with Villarroel is smaller but I think it´s better as it offers delicious Alhambres (like deconstructed fajitas) and bocadillos that totally hit the spot! They also offers tacos for 1 euro each on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Combine this with their cold beers and frozen margharitas and you´ve got yourself a perfect mid-week dinner night out. A great place for a quick meet up with friends but the seating is limited so be prepared to wait just a little on a busier night.

Location: Carrer de Villarroel, 42 & the second bar is on Sepulveda with Villarroel.

Rooftop Smokehouse: (and a bar with a secret)

I just love the story behind this group of chefs & artisans and how they´ve built their dream. And am obviously inspired by anything that starts on a rooftop! (see my small food experience here Rooftop Tea) 

The idea started on a rooftop in Sant Antoni with a home-made smoker, developed into a very cool & successful food truck which regularly sells out fast at the streed food markets in Barcelona, and now the team have opened their first bar in the Born area of Barcelona. 

The Pastrami Bar offers simple, yet delicious sandwiches with locally sourced produce and is the gateway to the relatively unknown speakeasy bar Paradiso, with some of the best cocktails in town.

Location: Carrer de Rere Palau, 4