Plaza Real … in Barcelona
It was late at night … 1, maybe 2 am … the plaza was crowded, noisy, but yet relaxed and a bit sleepy – like the child begging to stay up but groggy with sleep. Yet, I was hungry and the call of the cafes beckoned. Should I do tapas, just some bread and jamon? Dessert and coffee? More wine (no, definitely no more wine). I slowly strolled passed tables of kissing couples, lost in thought vagabonds and rowdy students. Eating in Barcelona made choosing a cafe easy and difficult at the same time. You could view what everyone was eating to see various foods at different cafes. It was difficult to decide. I turned the corner and almost crashed right into a white aproned waiter. He was carrying a larger than life bowl of steaming mussels. The smell was overwhelming – garlic, saffron, tomatoes, onions, peppers, capers. What was that? Something a bit sweet on the nose. I followed him to a table and ordered a glass of wine (I know, I know, I said no wine but I’m at a café in Barcelona and it’s 2 am and the moon is shining right into the plaza. So yes, more wine!). I ordered and my Barcelona memories will always be filled with mussels and the moon.

Mercat de Sant Josep/ La Boqueria
Probably Barcelona’s best-known market, ideally situated just off Las Ramblas this market is a must whether sourcing ingredients for a fine meal or just wandering through. It’s an assault on the senses with smells coming from the fish and the fruit. The food ranges from ready-made fruit salads for the tired tourist, to quite alive crabs and lobsters. Markets in Barcelona offer the ideal place to purchase some of the freshest food and produce in the city, which is usually reasonably priced. They are the perfect place in Barcelona to buy food for snacks or ingredients for meals and there is generally more choice here than in supermarkets.

Tragaluz
Dining at Tragaluz is to remove yourself from this world and travel to a place where food is the ruler and you are a glorious subject waiting for the next course to loose yourself in. The dining room is divine, the service is first-rate and after 6 hours at the table you feel you might simply make a little bed in the corner and wait until tomorrow where the chef may find you. Of course, he’ll offer you strong coffee and a baguette and invite you back for more! grupotragaluz.com