CELLER CAL MARINO, in the very soul of Poble Sec is another excellent wine & tapas temple where old-established locals meet handsome hipsters. And they are all looking for the same thing: a glass of proper vermut and/or wine and a bite to eat. They do not just offer a variety of yummy homemade croquetas (e.g. sobrassada with honey, calçots or mushrooms with vermuth!) and Spanish/Canarian tapas but first and foremost serve local and national wines – bottled and to bottle.

The restaurant although quite spacey does not have a lot of tables (actually barrels) with stools to sit, but the spirit is to stand on the bar anyway.

Periodically the owners organise music or performance events in CAL MARINO where local bands and performers entertain you while slurping your delicate vermuth. http://www.calmarino.com/

EL XAMPANYET

C/ Montcada 22  (Born)

Metro:  Jaume I

open monday to saturday 12:00 - 15:30h & 19:00 - 23:00h, sundays only until 15:30h

This place is somehow very famous and always packed with hungry and thirsty tourists and locals.

Their homemade white cava is nice and fresh but in my opinion no comparision to the rosé Can Paixano from the CHAMPAGNERIA.

The big assortment of tapas is very seafoody and they serve a lot of canned mussles - which is a delicatessen in Spain! But I tried a plate of sundried tomatoes with sheep's cheese and it was also simply delicious.

If you can find a spot it is a great place to stop for a drink and a pica-pica (small snacks) when visiting the historic old town, Born or the Picasso museum.

- total on bill: 10-15€ for two glasses of cava and a seafood tapa