Octopus was a staple of Barcelona cuisine long before it was embraced by the global appetizer machine. Immigrants from the Galica, the northwest region of Spain known for its seafood, brought their love of pulpo to the city, opening pulperias dedicated to simple, fresh pulpo dishes.
My favorite pulperia is in the heart of El Born, on Carrer Princesa right around the corner from the El Born museum. Despite its tourist-zone location, the Bar Celta Pulperia is a no-frills restaurant that proudly displays it’s Galican roots. Little more than metal chairs and tables strewn around a counter, the restaurant looks like it would be more at home in a working-class neighborhood.
There is nothing fancy about Bar Celta. The waiters may or may not be friendly. I like it’s complete lack of charm. The signature offering is pulpo a feira, which is octopus boiled octopus served with olive oil and maybe a sprinkle or salt or paprika. You can’t go wrong with the pulpo a feira and fresh bread, with a lemon to squeeze over the top. There are variations in the presentation, but each dish is fresh and flavorful, presented in the simple style. Octopus is the headliner, but they offer a full array of traditional tapas, including squid, various parts of pig and Padrón peppers, as well as other fresh seafood. The cockles and mussels are always good, but I wouldn’t stray too far from the pulpo, which is the attraction. (And, personally, I would avoid the fried items.)
For the record, the waiters may or may not be friendly and the toilet may not be pristine. This is not a fancy place. But Bar Celta is ideal if you just want to grab a beer and sample tapas in the authentic Galican style.
The Bar Celta web site can be found here.
Bar Celta has a second location, on the edge of the Gothic Quarter, closer to Passeig de Colom (Carrer de Simó Oller, 3, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain)
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