Foodie Tip – Barcelona

The Best Cava and Tapas Bar

La Xampanyeria

You will find this small hole in the wall bar hidden in a quiet street, Carrer de la Reina Cristina, close to Port Vell (as well as the El Born district and the Gothic Quarter, Barri Gòtic)

The place is easy to miss as there isn’t even a visible sign promoting it. Sometimes there’s a line in front of it or even a doorman helping in keeping everything civil.

La Xampanyeria (or Can Paixano) was founded back in 1969. In my opinion it is a must-visit during your stay. If you crave a tasty Cava (the Spanish but much cheaper version of Champagne) and hearty tapas at the counter or just about any spot where you can find space, then this is your place!

Check out the Can Paixano website for more information.

Tip: Get a bottle of Cava instead of some glasses. The bottle is quite cheap (approximately 15 Euros) and will come with two tapas of your choice already included in the price!

Photo by ceasedesist on Foter.com / CC BY-SA

For those who don’t speak the Catalan language (probably most) we have prepared this small cheat sheet. Don’t think of asking for a menu, there isn’t one. The only way to figure out what you can order is the big board. Again, Catalan only.

This will help a lot when ordering. Enjoy!

• Banderilla – Pickle
• Botifarra – A sausage similar to Bratwurst
• Bacó – A kind of bacon
• Calents – Hot
• Carxofa – Artichoke
• D‘Ovella – Lamp
• Entrepants – Sandwich
• Foie Gras – Goose liver
• Guindilla – Spicy pepper
• Llongonissa – A pork sausage (peperoni/salami)
• Lomo – Pork loin
• Morcilla – Blood sausage
• Panceta – A salt cured cold cut
• Pechuga – Chicken breast
• Pernil – A slow-roasted marinated pork leg or pork shoulder
• Salsitxa – A sausage
• Seito en vinagre – Sardins in vinegar
• Sobrassada – Air dried sausage spread Streichwurst
• Ternera – Veal
• Xistorra – A fast-cure sausage similar to chorizo
• York – Ham