What kind of clothing? Second hand, brands, fancy,…?
All of the above. Heading next month and am keen to know where to where’s good. Tips for recently opened venues/bars etc. would be awesome too.
A few personal faves based on last 7 years here. I’m biased twds the dirty, raw bcn of old, so the wanky coctelerias, generic foodhalls and corporate festies are inevitably a massive no-no… obv there’s hundreds of decent bars/eats but these are mostly good value imo
Restaurants: Petra (Born), Delicias (Carmel), Tomas (Sarrià), Koska (Poble Sec), Acoba Azul (Gotico), tiny ramen place name forgotten 45 min queue (carrer Girona), Xampanyet (Born - ultra-touristy these days but great food/vibe on good night), maritime museum set menu (drassanes), 7 portes (born) (very posh but the real deal)
Bars: sopena bodega (Clot), monopol (poble nou), monaco (poble nou), pi (gotico), kentucky (raval), madame jazmine (raval), marsella (for absinthe/history etc) (Raval), canigó (Gracia), sol (Gracia), glacier (Plaça Reial)
Gigs/Parties: freedonia (raval), meteoro (poble sec), upload (poble espanyol), nitsa/sala apolo (parallel, all the big international djs/bands, tho can barely be bothered these days), switch pocket club (gracia), marula (gotico), edition hotel (gotico), luv (poble sec)
Vinyl: discos paradiso (raval), wah wah (raval), salvadiscos (poble sec)
Other: forget the city beach - horrible on every level, barceloneta is a shitty cheesefest along front but backstreets still pretty cool in places, approach ramblas+raval with usual caution, swerve the traps tho tibidabo and montjuic offer nice views if you’re on a romantic number, all the obv gaudi, barça stuff etc but boy do they milk it… some good buskers behind the cathedral usually for your local balearic guitar fix, ciutadella park nice place to chill if born gets too intense, sitges worth daytrip too
*In summer it can get v humid, 40+ much of last july.
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Great list!
I would add:
El Cuiner de Damasc - They only do two things - a shawarma and a falafel. Both excellent. Pretty clipped opening hours.
Restaurante Foni - Great and inexpensive African food and potent drinks with their homemade ginger or bissap.
Little Viet - My son is crazy about pho and always tried to steer me towards some generic spots, but this one run by a Colombian guy and his Vietnamese wife is the business.
El Pachuco - Small, boisterous Mexican. You usually have to put your name down in the evening but their is a cool converted pharmacy turned cocktail bar around the corner to wait in.
Bar Brutal - For natural wine.
Bar del Pla - Tapas and things. Not messed around with but just executed very well. Booking usually essential.
La Cova Fumada - Old school joint in Barceloneta serving hearty Catalan style breakfast dishes. Bodega Fermin is seconds away serving local beers on tap and a good spot for people watching. Baluard bakery along the road is dangerous - white chocolate croissants for example.
Guzzo - Fred Guzzo is a great guy and a great DJ. His bar in El Born can be a good spot for some nice music in the evenings.
La Nau - Nice club space with some interesting line ups. Good room and lovely crowd.
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all bangers here, but wanted to add a few extras…opposite La Cova Fumada is Bar Electricitat, and round the corner Bar Leo.
For Natural wine, as well as Pla and Brutal - Pepino (Gracia), Bandinis (St Antoni), Dolores (St Antoni) and Torpedo. If your doing a picnic or beach, head to Cuvee (3000) in Eixample, which is a bottle shop with connections to Brutal.
Casa Almirall in Raval is another favourite (as well as those mentioned here).
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“tibidabo and montjuic offer nice views” …100%
Montjuic has a decent chirunguito spot (when open on the weekends) La Casete del Migdia, and when it is hot in the city, i sometimes go to the municipal pool there to cool down - if you do go, try going in the week to avoid crowds…and it has a great view of Barca. On the opposite end (by Tibidabo) the Carreters de les Aigues is a nice walk…
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I saw cesar de melero at la caseta once. Lovely up there. A bit of a sshh spot that hasn’t got overrun yet
“A bit of a sshh spot”…sorry!
Any gigs happening this weekend that I should check out? Had a look on RA but keen to hear from people in the know
I’ll get back to you later in the week. Quiet time of year tbh. Everyone’s at beach or festies elsewhere
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Erol Alkans doing a Disco set at Nitsa friday…
That will be good. Keen
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My daughter and her boyfriend both 18 arrived today for one week 
hopefully it goes smoothly…
Any hotel shouts? Spending 2 nights in the city on the way to Menorca and wouldn’t mind something other than an Airbnb this time.