Anima & El Rosolis | Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain

What

Modern Spanish tapas.

Why

It’s a modern take on Spanish cooking. The restaurant is very contemporary and rotates art by local artists. Not too many tourists, the ones there are very low key.

What was once a dangerous, dark, and seedy area, Raval is now going through a hipster renaissance. Art galleries, boutique hotels and chic cafes are popping up all over the place. Around the corner from the Richard Meir-designed MACBA (Museum of Modern Art) is Anima. It’s part wine bar, part cafe. The decor is minimalist and contemporary, with local artists paintings lining the walls. On a beautiful day, there are a handful of outdoor tables out front. It’s a good spot to park, grab a glass of wine, and people watch.

During the afternoon they have a prix fixe lunch which ends at 4pm. The food is not your typical traditional Catalan fare, expect menu items like pumpkin leek risotto with Manchego, beer and honey roasted pork, and ostrich fillet marinated in vermouth.

Before or after dinner, check out their sister tapas bar, El Resolis around the corner for a glass of Verdejo and some tapas. El Resolis feels like something you’d find in Manhattan’s East Village, located on a side street, in-between a few vintage shops.

Raval is said to have the greatest multicultural mix of people in Europe. As trendy the area is, unfortunately it is also a prime area for pick-pockets, so it is worth being acutely aware, especially at night.

City Guide