Child-friendly places to eat

Papas & the Mamas

• Rated as: 3/5

Some people can't bear to see (or hear) children in bars and restaurants. Remember those days? Now you're looking for just the opposite, meet Omar Sayol, who opened Papas & The Mamas in the new part of the Rambla of Poble Nou. 'It's not a kiddies' playground, it's just a place where parents can relax while they have a meal,' says Sayol. It's also a place where you won't have to do a balancing act between tables, and there's plenty of space to park the pushchair.This open space is mostly made of wood (the little ones don't suffer as much if they happen to take a spill against something with a bit more natural give), and there's a small play area and bar in the corner. 'I think we must be the first spot in Barcelona with a bar without barriers; this is for children,' says Sayol.There are sweets, fairy cakes and pastries as snacks from neighboring Xacolata, all made with organic flour. And for lunch, try the sandwiches on 'coca de vidre' bread (a bit sweet, very crunchy), such as the sesame chicken with Roquefort, and daily specials including an organic beef burger with salad and potato pastry. You can also try your best to relax with one of the craft beers on tap, and some great customer service (just like their coffee).

Vil·la Florida

Heading to the neighbourhood civic centre might not be the first idea that comes to mind for breakfast or lunch with the kids. But the cafe and restaurant of the Villa Florida civic centre has a well-designed, healthy daily menu, in which couscous frequently features. They also have good burgers and omelettes, as well as a selection of home-made cakes.

Bar Kasparo

Still the best of the various café terraces around the edges of the quiet, traffic-free Plaça Vicenç Martorell, Kasparo serves tapas, bocadillos, salads and a varying selection of more substantial dishes, available all day. There is no indoor seating, so this is more of a warm weather proposition.

Floral Cafè

With its impressive interior (the work of Alicia Núñez, winner of the FAD interior design award), Floral Café offers a short, to-the-point menu with top-quality products. You can try marvellous steak tartare, goulash, panini and organic beefburgers. Meanwhile excellent pastries and sandwiches are available throughout the day.

Aguaribay

The best thing you can say about a vegetarian restaurant is that it doesn’t look like one. Forget about the vegetarian clichés of sad tofu salads, here they offer a lunch menu featuring imaginative, tasty, nutritious dishes such as beans with cream of polenta and sage or home-made stuffed pasta, and always with an aperitif tapa included. In the evenings they unveil a range of tapas such as papas arrugas, Argentinean pies, burritos and fajitas. A small, well-chosen selection of wine and beer is available.

Je t'Attends

The countless pastry shops that have flooded the city have created a sweet-yet-refined style that people never seem to tire of. Je T'attends fits perfectly into this new tradition, which is both Instagram- and Pinterest-friendly. Coffee and cakes which (according to this new school of thought ) "are almost a shame to eat."

Merquén

• Rated as: 3/5

Merquén is a tasty condiment made from roasted peppers, inherited the Mapuche culture spread in Patagonia and Argentina. In Chile it's used for seasoning refined Andean cuisine. Merquén is also the name Chilean Rolando and Catalan Laia have given their restaurant that combines Chilean soul and Mediterranean flavour, with scrumptious pies and top-notch meat dishes.

Bar Calders

• Rated as: 3/5

For all Pere Calders fans – God has heard your prayers. The cul-de-sac named after the writer has recently become home to one of the loveliest spots in Sant Antoni. They have books by the Catalan author, the draught beer flows freely and there’s a selection of tapas that sends shivers of pleasure through the district. Obviously, the best thing to try is the vermouth. They stock four brands, but if you want to try a Priorat, then you should go for the one from Falset. Incidentally, the outdoor terrace is one of the district’s best kept secrets: You’ll just keep coming back.