10 Great Bodegas in Barcelona

Can Codina is a bar and restaurant that has been serving delicious traditional tapas and cocktails in the Catalan style since before the Spanish Civil War. Some of the top menu items here include the patatas bravas, or fried potatos and spices in mayonnaise and tomato sauce, plus homemade croquettes. This restaurant just about 12 minutes to the north of the city centre has managed to live through major changes in history without ever losing its traditional vibe, and though it has changed owners, it even still has its original layout and décor from 1931.

When you sit down to eat here, don't bypass the outstanding menu of wine, beer and traditional vermouth. Everything is sourced with local ingredients.

Bar Bodega Quimet is among the most popular bar and kitchen establishments in Barcelona, serving up traditional tapas since 1954, paired with incredible house-made wine. It's located in the neighbourhood of Gràcia and has seen many stories throughout the years, which have left an air of tradition inside its walls. The tapas ranges from seafood to charcuterie plates, and the wine can be purchased by the bottle or even directly from the barrels behind the bar. On weekends, this place gets very crowded with locals packing shoulder-to-shoulder to toast each other and share stories of their week.

This is a traditional neighbourhood bar and a great place for local color. It's just 10 minutes north of the city centre.

Bodega Fermin offers a wide range of wine, beer and cocktails with indoor and outdoor seating plus an outstanding assortment of tapas offerings on the menu. If you're looking for a great place to take a load off with small plates between sightseeing, this simple and straightforward spot is ideal, with reasonable prices, tons of local craft beers and wine and outstanding vermouth. Beer lovers will gravitate toward this one for its gigantic selection of beers both on tap and in the bottle or can from both local breweries and imported selections.

Vermouth connoisseurs will also appreciate this place for the vast selection of barrels along the walls. It's only 17 minutes southeast of the city centre.

Bodega Montferry is a classic tavern and tapas bar that also offers breakfasts and sandwiches, a cross between a local bar and a traditional deli. The breakfast sandwiches are a local sensation with gigantic helpings of butifarra sausage, eggplant, tuna, sun-dried tomatoes and plenty of other options. The restaurant had closed at one point and was purchased and re-opened by a few bloggers who were passionate about the local tapas and wine scene. Their passion shows today in the friendly service, large (for a tapas bar) portions and outstanding wine list.

This one is open 6 days a week and is in the Sants-Montjuïc neighbourhood. It's only 15 minutes west of the city centre.

Lo Pinyol is a hidden gem among foodie destinations in Barcelona, with a slew of tapas dishes, including a selection of pintxos plates and fantastic vermouth. The interior of the bar is cozy and lively, featuring a traditional old-style Catalan décor. The prices here are astonishingly low, and it's popular among locals, which means an authentic atmosphere and vibe. This is an outstanding spot to capture some local tradition and culture while also enjoying a huge selection of authentic small-plate meals and a signature liquor of Barcelona.

Great prices, a huge selection of tapas and outstanding local vermouth all make this a foodie destination. It's located just 9 minutes northeast of the city centre.

Bodega del Vermut, formerly called Cala del Vermut, boasts delicious tapas dishes in the authentic style, plus a selection of fantastic vermouth, wine and Sangria. It also features a warm atmosphere that puts guests at ease right away, and its central location makes it an easy destination. It gets consistently high ratings from local and Internet publications, and many visitors make it a point to come back time and again to this charming spot, declaring the Sangria some of the best in the city.

It's a bit off the beaten path, making it something of a hidden gem in the heart of the city centre. Menu highlights include patatas bravas, pescadito frito and alitas de pollo.

Bodega Sepúlveda is several generations in as a family-owned and operated tavern offering a stunning range of tapas dishes in the traditional Catalan style as well as fantastic beverages. Some of the menu options here include cap i pota and zucchini carpaccio. The wine selection is broad and varied here as well, including many local vintages as well as those from across Catalan and Spain. You can choose from 2 different dining neighborhoods, a larger one downstairs and a smaller, more cozy room upstairs.

This tavern has been in operation since 1952 and the same family has owned it the entire time. It's also located right in the heart of the city centre for easy access.

Bodega Amposta in Fountain Quail is an authentic wine cellar with artwork nearly 100 years old and an outstanding menu of traditional tapas dishes as well as great local wines. This one has been here for just 13 years, but the owner has more than 35 years of experience in Barcelona restaurants, so he knows how to deliver outstanding service, a fantastic menu and a well-cultivated selection of home-brew and regional wines.

The bar sits in a historic location and the photos on the wall reveal a look at the region in 1929 during the Universal Exhibition when very few buildings stood there. It's located just 13 minutes to the southwest of the city centre.

Bodega La Palma is a pillar of the Gothic neighbourhood of Ciutat Vella, or Old City, which has served up fine wine and vermouth for well over a century. This multigenerational meeting spot draws visitors and locals alike and attracts a bohemian crowd as well as political activists. It's changed significantly over the years from its original general store setup to a modern traditional tapas bar. The décor is beautiful, authentic and old-school, and the establishment is a cultural lynchpin of the neighbourhood.

Today, it's a family-run business that survived world wars and pandemics, withstood changes in ownership and still stands strong. It's right in the heart of the historic city centre.

Bodega Maestrazgo is a third-generation stone-walled bodega with thousands of wines from all across Spain, Catalonia and the world over, with a solid tapas menu. What makes this a standout among local bodegas is its laser focus on a wide range of wines. You can book ahead for a wine testing session or you can order flights of wine to try several different varieties. The food here is solid but the wine is the primary attraction and the tapas serves to complement the broad selection of libations rather than the other way around.

The staff here are welcoming and warm, the vibe old-school and elegant and the wine list refined and tasty. It's in the heart of the city centre.