It might not seem like much of an ‘insider tip’ to send you to an established franchise but in a city like Barcelona even the chains deliver top quality seafood. Puertecillo Sagrada Familia is for confident connoisseurs – the kind of people who aren’t intimated by pointing out a frozen, boggle-eyed crustacean and confidently demanding it boiled or fried. 

Because that’s what you do at Puertecillo: it’s up to you to pick what you want, how you want it cooked, pay and wait for your number to be called. It’s a relaxed atmosphere loved by locals and travellers alike and offers a little insight into the way modern Barcelona residents treat casual dining. There are two other Puertecillo restaurants in old city center. One in "el Born" and one on Paral-lel.