El Meu Capritx

If you’ve spent any time in the Gothic Quarter, you’ve likely been accosted by a laminated menu featuring photos of neon-yellow rice that looks like it was birthed in a laboratory. To find the real soul of the city, you have to head uphill. You have to go where the rent is cheaper, the streets are steeper, and the people actually live. You go to Horta-Guinardó. This is where you’ll find El Meu Capritx, a place that doesn't give a damn about your Instagram feed, yet manages to be more photogenic in its honesty than any 'concept' restaurant in Eixample.

Located on Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret, just a short hike from the modernist splendor of Hospital de Sant Pau, El Meu Capritx is the kind of neighborhood joint that serves as the culinary glue for the local community. It’s unpretentious, clean, and smells exactly how a kitchen should: of garlic hitting olive oil and the deep, oceanic scent of simmering shellfish stock. There are no velvet ropes here. No 'mixologists' in leather aprons. Just a team of people who understand that food is a service, not a performance.

Let’s talk about the cannelloni—the *canelones*. In many places, this is a soggy afterthought, a way to use up leftover meat. Here, it’s a revelation. It’s a rich, soul-satisfying embrace of tender pasta and savory filling, draped in a bechamel so creamy it should be illegal. It’s the kind of dish a Catalan grandmother makes when she actually likes you. Then there are the croquettes. They are crisp on the outside, giving way to a molten center that defies the laws of physics. Whether it’s the jamón or the mushroom, they are a masterclass in the fryer’s art.

But the real reason people make the pilgrimage up here is the rice. The paella at El Meu Capritx isn't a tourist trap gimmick; it’s a serious undertaking. Whether you go for the seafood version or the 'mar i muntanya' (sea and mountain), you’re getting rice that has absorbed every drop of flavor from a high-quality fumet. The grains are distinct, never mushy, and if you’re lucky, you’ll find that prized *socarrat*—the caramelized, crunchy layer at the bottom of the pan that locals will fight you for. It’s one of the best paella Barcelona experiences you can have without being overcharged for a view of a parking lot.

The atmosphere is buzzing but never chaotic. It’s the sound of families celebrating birthdays, old friends arguing over the latest Barça match, and the rhythmic clatter of plates. The service is efficient and professional—the kind of service that comes from people who know their menu inside and out and don't need to check with the kitchen to tell you what's fresh. It’s a reminder that the best meals aren't always found in Michelin-starred temples, but in the places that feed the neighborhood day in and day out.

Is it worth the trek? Absolutely. If you’re looking for 'cheap eats Barcelona' that don't sacrifice quality for price, this is your spot. It’s an honest assessment of what Catalan dining should be: high-quality ingredients, traditional recipes, and a total lack of pretension. You won't find any foam or dry ice here. You’ll just find good food, cooked by people who care, served to people who know the difference. When you walk out, belly full of rice and a few glasses of decent house wine, you’ll look down toward the sea and the glittering tourist traps and feel like you’ve gotten away with something. Because you have.