Vila de Gràcia
Establishment
neighborhood
Tia Santa
337 Carrer de Còrsega, Vila de Gràcia
Not many restaurant menus come with their own legend-purple for soy, beige for gluten, etc. But Tia Santa not only comes with a legend for navigating its menu, it comes with an incredibly thorough one. (Celery is green, mustard is yellow, and vegetarian dishes that can be adapted for vegans is denoted with two leaves in gradations of green. You get the idea.) In case it's not apparent, the restaurant, which translates loosely to "holy aunt," puts a premium on all things sustainable, organic, and healthy. But-to mix a metaphor-that's all just the icing. The real reason to come is that that, in a city of jamon this and queso that, the food is as unexpected as it is delicious.
Hotel Casa Fuster
132 Passeig de Gràcia, Vila de Gràcia
Designed by Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Casa Fuster is a modernist masterpiece. The interior bar, Café Vienés, is particularly beautiful—go here for a coffee or a cocktail. And on Thursday nights, between 9 and 11, the space transforms into a jazz club.
Flash Flash
25 Carrer de la Granada del Penedès, Vila de Gràcia
Flash Flash is a Barcelona classic. It’s always open during the day and it doesn’t close until very late at night (the kitchen closes at 1 am). The interior—done in a sleek black and white—is a big part of the appeal.
Botafumeiro
81 Carrer Gran de Gràcia, Vila de Gràcia
Botafumeiro is a warm family restaurant where you're just as likely to see dignitaries as local celebs. Sit at the bar (kind of a Spanish version of an oyster bar) and have a late lunch.