Interior of Bar del Pi, Barcelona City Centre

What’s the deal?

Gothic Quarter bar housed in an eighteenth century former coaching inn (and birthplace of the socialist PSUC) on the lovely Plaza Sant Josep Oriol with its weekend artists’ fair and live music.  Although slap bang in the middle of one of the city’s most tourist-heavy barrios, Bar del Pi has managed to maintain a flavour of authenticity.  Over the course of an evening, you will see all kinds of people pop in for a quick drink – from tourists to working girls to old, grumpy men – many never making it further in than the first foot or two of the bar.

If you choose to elbow your way through to the back there are a couple of good-sized seating areas where you might just score a table.

The food

Good selection of classy tapas including bombas as big as a child’s head.  A decent range of different wines and cavas by the glass as well as the deadly amaretto-sangria, sold by the litre.

Our bill

1 glass cava – €3.25

1 glass Rioja – €3.10

2 blooming enormous bombas – €2.15 each

Patatas bravas – €3.40

Total: €14.05

Bombas and Patatas Bravas, the usual suspects of Bar del Pi, Barcelona

The staff

Great at dispatching drunken guiris before they even set foot in the door.

Best bits

People watching hotspot with good food.

Not so sure

Relatively early closing – we could stay all night.

More information

Bar del Pi

Plaza Sant Josep Oriol 1

08002 Barcelona

Tel: (0034) 933022123

Metro: Jaume I (L4) or Liceu (L3)

Opening hours:

Tuesday – Friday 0900 – 2300

Saturday 1000 – 2300

Sunday/Public holidays 1000 – 2200