Barcelona · Spain
El Xampanyet
A practical guide to El Xampanyet in Barcelona: the 1929 cava bar on Carrer de Montcada, what to order, what it costs, how to dodge the pricey platter they offer and what to do if it's closed.
Worth it for the house cava, the anchovies and a tiled room that has barely changed since 1929. Order the simple things and ask the price of everything else.
El Xampanyet is a cava bar on Carrer de Montcada, in El Born, open since 1929 and run by the same family, now in its third generation. The name comes from xampany, what Catalans called sparkling wine before the name cava was adopted in 1970. The room is small, tiled in blue and white, with a zinc bar and marble tables, and people almost always drink standing up.
Our experience
It was the bar we went back to three nights in a row in Barcelona. On the first day we put it on the way to Santa Maria del Mar, with Bar del Pla as plan B, because our pre-trip research had flagged a temporary closure that spring and we hadn’t confirmed the reopening. The second time was on our Gaudí day: after our break at the hotel we had house cava, anchovies and boquerones at the bar and then had dinner at Bar del Pla. The last was the night of our farewell dinner: one glass of cava three minutes from 7 Portes before sleeping a few hours ahead of our flight.
A bit of history
It opened in 1929 on a street that was already old, the street of the medieval merchants’ palaces, where the Picasso Museum is today. Back then the neighborhood was home to dockworkers and port trades. The bar came through the Civil War, the dictatorship, El Born’s hard years and the Olympic makeover without changing its product: house cava and anchovies.
What to know
Reviews are split. For some it’s the classic neighborhood bar, cheap and unpretentious; for others, a tourist trap with no prices and a line. Both are true at once. The cava and anchovies are good and cheap, but the menu is spoken and the staff often push expensive mixed platters. If you know that going in, the visit goes well.
What to see, in order
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House cava
The xampanyet the bar is named for, served cold in small glasses. It's the thing to order.
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Anchovies
Salt-cured Cantabrian anchovies with bread. The house specialty, along with the boquerones.
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Boquerones en vinagre
White anchovies in vinegar, plumper and less salty than the cured ones, with parsley and olive oil.
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Pa amb tomàquet
Bread with tomato, olive oil and salt to go with everything.
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The blue tiles
Blue-and-white tiled walls, a zinc bar, marble tables and hanging hams. The room is about 25 square meters.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- The menu is spoken and there are almost no prices posted. Ask "¿cuánto cuesta?" before ordering anything beyond the basics.
- Bring small bills: they prefer cash. €20 covers food and drinks for two.
- If it's closed or the line is very long, Bar del Pla is 30 seconds away on the same street.
- It's closed Sundays, Mondays and all of August.
Do
- Check that it's open before you go: it had a temporary closure in spring 2026, and before the trip we couldn't find a confirmed reopening date.
- Order one short round: two cavas, anchovies or boquerones and tomato bread.
- Keep your bag in front while you wait in line on Carrer de Montcada.
Don’t
- Don't accept the mixed cured-meat and cheese platter they often suggest: it costs €15–25 and it's the weakest thing in the house.
- Don't order the croquettes or unpriced specials: they're not the bar's strength.
- Don't come expecting to sit down: there are few tables and almost everyone stands.
Frequently asked questions
What should I order at El Xampanyet?
House cava, anchovies, boquerones en vinagre and pa amb tomàquet.
Can you make a reservation?
No. It's first come, first served, and the room is small, so there's a line at dinnertime.
How much does it cost?
A glass of house cava runs about €2 and the anchovies about €5. For two, about €16 with two glasses and three tapas.
What days is it closed?
Sundays, Mondays and all of August. In spring 2026 it was also temporarily closed, so check before you go.