Gresca

If you are looking for a quiet, romantic corner to whisper sweet nothings over a candlelit dinner, keep walking. Gresca is a contact sport. Located in the heart of the Eixample, this is the kind of place where the wine list is longer than the menu and the chef, Rafa Peña, looks like he hasn’t slept since the 'bistronomia' movement began in the mid-2000s. It is cramped, it is noisy, and it is arguably the most honest meal you will find in Barcelona.\n\nThe space is split into two distinct but connected halves: the original Gresca restaurant, with its white tablecloths and more formal tasting menus, and the Gresca Bar, a narrow strip of high stools and raw energy. They share a single, open kitchen that serves as a theater for anyone lucky enough to snag a seat at the bar. Watching the brigade work is like watching a high-speed surgery performed with tweezers and fire.