La Bodegueta
Rambla de Catalunya, 100 (at Provenca)
Tel: 93-215 48 94
Open: Mon-Sat 7am-1:30am; Sun 7pm-1am
Price guide: €€

An old style Bodega (wine cellar) and Tapas bar on the partly pedestrianised Rambla de Catalunya, this is another guide book favourite and has again suffered for it.

The atmosphere inside can't be faulted - it can be difficult to remember that you are on a main shopping street in Barcelona when you are inside - and the wine from the barrell is good and cheap. But the tapas is more expensive than most and, unfortunately, often not up to scratch.

We say: go for the atmosphere, not the food - there's better and cheaper elsewhere.

Cerveceria Catalana
Mallorca 236 (between Rambla de Catalunya and Balmes)
Tel: 93-216 03 68
Open: Daily: 7.30am - 1.30am
Price guide: €€

A much vaunted tapas bar with constant queues of both locals and tourists at main times.

This is a cerveceria (beer house) so there's a good range of beers, and this is matched by the tapas, which is available from the menu or the bar.

The quality of the food is good, without reaching any sort of stellar peaks. In fairness, we would have to say that this is probably the best of the set of good value tapas places around here (but not by much!).

Our advice: come here if it is outside of normal eating hours (13:00 - 16:00 & 19:00 - 23:00). Otherwise avoid the queues and try Ciudad Comdal or La Tramoia down the road.

Ciudad Condal
Rambla de Catalunya, 18 (at Grand Via)
Tel: 93-318 19 97
Open: Mon - Fri 7am - 1.30am; Sat - Sun 9am - 1.30am
Price guide: €€

A well renowned tapas bar, within reach of both Barri Gotic and Eixample, Ciudad Condal serves good tapas in slightly more classy than average surroundings.

A good range of beers go with the better than average tapas and the service is surprisingly good, even when it gets busy. Try to get an outdoor table on the largely pedestrianised Rambla de Catalunya (the classier brother of La Rambla on the other side of Placa Catalunya) if you can - watch out though: it does get busy at main lunch and dinner times and you may find yourself waiting for tables both inside and out.

Same group as Cerveceria Catalana and it shows in both menu and popularity.

Flamant
Enric Granados, 23 (between Consell de Cent & Arago)
Tel: 93-323 16 35
Open: Daily 1pm - 3.45pm and 9pm - 12am
www.flamantrestaurant.com
Price guide: €

Situated just outside the old town at the bottom of Calle Enric Granados, Flamant offers high quality food at great prices.

Spreading inwards from the unassuming small front, the inside is cavernous, which can sometimes make the service a little slow and cumbersome. But if you can get past this, the menu is extensive and full of surprises - check out the Kangaroo steak, which is as tasty as beef, but immensely tender (and low fat to boot).

Or, if you fancy something a bit lighter, check out the Flamant Cafe next door (same opening hours).

Ginza
Carrer de Provenca, 205 (between Balmes and Enrique Granados)
Tel: 93-451 71 93
Open: Mon-Sun 1.30-4pm and 8.30-11.30pm
Price guide: €€

One of two great value and pretty high quality Japanese restaurants in the same block (see Hanagin below).

Ginza's deal goes like this: 5 dishes for around 17 Euros and every dish beyond that for 1 Euro each. And while the dishes aren't huge, 5 is generally enough for most people. The menu is extensive, including sushi, sashimi and maki, as well as salads and a host of pichos and all made on site, making it fresh and tasty.

In truth there is little difference between Ginza and Hanagin: if you really want to gorge yourself then the Hanagin deal is probably a better one but Ginza has the warmer, more welcoming feel to it.

Hanagin
Carrer de Provenca, 201 (between Balmes and Enrique Granados)
Tel: 93-454 65 95
Open: Mon-Sun 1.30-4pm and 8.30-11.30pm
Price guide: €€

The other half of the Japanese duo on the block, offering, if it's possible, an even better deal than it's neighbour Ginza.

Hanagin's offer is slightly different: 18 Euros for as many dishes as you want! That's right - just keep asking for the menu and ordering until you burst. The food is just as good a Ginza (see above) and the menu just as extensive.

Oh, and there's also a set lunch menu for around 10 Euros.

If we had a gripe about Hanagin, it would be the slightly cafeteria feel atmosphere, but in a world of generally over-priced Japanese food, it is amazing value. Booking is required after 9pm.

Le Relais de Venice
Carrer de Pau Claris, 142 (between C/ Valencia and Arago)
Tel: 93-467 21 62
Open: Daily: 1pm-4pm and 8.30p, - 12.30am (12am Sun)
www.relaisdevenise.com/contact.htm
Price guide: €€€

Mmmmm - steak. And that's all they do here - no menu, just steak! But they do do it well.

For your €22 you get a Waldorf style salad followed by steak and chips cooked as you choose, sliced and drizzled with their special sauce. As you might expect, the steaks are fab. Not huge but don't worry when they first bring you your plate - its not that small, they've just kept half of it warm on hotplates and they bring you it when you have finished, along with more fresh chips. Deserts are a little uninspiring, but that's not why you come here.

Servers are dressed in those French maid style outfits which would be sexy on someone 20 years younger. As is often the case here, the service can be a little brusque - steaks can often be served before you have finished the salad - but they're generally very helpful and cheerful.

La Rita
Carrer Arago 279 (at Valencia)
Tel: 93-487 23 76
Open: Daily: 1pm-3.45pm and 8.30pm - 11.30pm
www.laritarestaurant.com
Price guide: €

Part of the Les Quinze Nits chain that follows the usual formula - decent food at remarkably low prices in a stylish setting.

As always, there is no reservation system - push your way to the front desk and put your name down - you'll be told how long the wait is.

As with the others in the chain, the menu is a variety of local classics and international dishes. It's good quality - if anything more so than the likes of Les Quinze Nits and La Fonda in the Centre - but retains the startlingly good value.

Highly recommended for top class bistro style food without breaking the bank.

Miu
Valencia 249 (between Passeig de Gracia and Rambla de Catalunya)
Tel: 93-193 23 00
Open: Daily 1pm - 3.45pm and 8.30pm - 11.30pm
www.miurestaurant.com
Price guide: €

The latest addition to the low price-high quality Andilana-managed restaurants (see Les Quince Nits, La Fonda and La Rita) is a Japanese, hidden away in a huge downstairs dining room just off the fashionable Passeig de Gracia.

As with the rest of the chain, Miu offers high quality fare at astonishing good value. The sushi in particular rivals some of the more expensive Japanese restaurants in the town.

Try the fantastic lunchtime Menu del Dia for only €10.95 for four courses (Mon-Fri only).

Tapa Tapa
Passeig de Gracia, 44 (at Consell de Cent)
Tel: 93-488 33 69
Open: Mon - Fri 7.45am - 1.30am (Fri 2am); Sat 8.45am - 2am; Sun 10.45am - 1am
www.angrup.com
Price guide: €€

Tapa Tapa is one of the oldest restaurants on Passeig de Gracia, although you wouldn't know it from the modern exterior.

No prizes for guessing what they serve here. This is tapas for the beginner and the tourist, but don't let that put you off - its actually pretty good quality. The menu is on your placemat and includes helpful, if difficult to make out pictures of each dish, so if your Catalan isn't quite up to scratch you can just choose and point. 

Grab a table in the cavernous interior, people watch at a table on Passeig de Gracia or, to kid yourself that you're in a real tapas bar, sit at the bar where you can point at and choose the actual food and the specials.

La Tramoia
Rambla de Catalunya, 15 (at Gran Via)
Tel: 93-412 36 34
Open: Daily: 7am - 1.30am
www.grupcacheiro.com
Price guide: €€

Just off Plaza Catalunya, La Tramoia is a slightly lesser known tapas restaurant that, if anything, is slightly better than its nearby competitors. The restaurant actually splits into two, the upstairs a full a la carte and downstairs and outside serving tapas.

The tapas is at the top end of the quality scale and, although you might find some cheaper, is not unreasonably priced. Some specialities, like the morcilla sausage are fabulous (for those of you who like black pudding especially) and not to be found elsewhere.

Unlike its competitors further up Rambla de Catalunya, La Tramoia is seldom to be seen with queues outside and opens later than most of the others, too.