Tapas on tap with Sam and Eddie Hart

Brothers and restaurateurs Sam and Eddie Hart are true Hispanophiles. Their love affair with Spain began during the long summers they spent as children in the village of Estellencs in Mallorca, where their mother Stefa grew up and still owns a house. Eddie spent a year living in Madrid when he was 19, and Sam spent four years in Mexico before stopping off in Barcelona on his way home (he ended up staying for six months, getting a thoroughly epicurean experience of the city). They were so enamoured by the Catalan cuisine that they set up Fino and Barrafina to persuade Londoners that there is more to Spanish food than paella and rubbery squid. The brothers try to visit Barcelona at least once a year, in search of new discoveries and to drop in on their old favourites.

Cal Pep
8 Plaça de les Olles
(00 34 93 3107 961; calpep.com)
A dear friend of ours who lives in Barcelona first took us here a number of years ago, and we were in awe. In fact we were so blown away that when we opened Barrafina in London, Cal Pep was our inspiration; Barrafina has 23 covers, just like Pep, and the eponymous owner, gravel-voiced Pep Manuben, even allowed us to measure and copy his bar. There are no reservations so if you don't like queuing, it's well worth settling down in the bar opposite about half an hour before the shutters go up, at 1pm and 8pm, to make sure you get a seat. The menu changes daily, and if you don't speak Catalan, there might be a bit of a communication barrier, but the shellfish is exquisite and the crispy fried squid is probably the best we've had.

Botafumeiro
81 Calle Gran de Gràcia
(00 34 932 194 230; botafumeiro.es)
This rather old-fashioned Galician fish restaurant has been packing them in for as long as anyone can remember; our parents used to love eating here when they visited years ago. Inside the entrance are vast bubbling salinated tanks holding crate upon crate of lobsters, oysters and crabs. The restaurant itself is pretty large,
and is rather smart so it's a great place for a special evening out. Order the 'Bandeja de Galicia', which is a super-duper fish platter. Everything on it is kept at the perfect temperature - the oysters icy, the lobster a touch warmer - so it's a real treat.

Ca l'Isidre
12 Calle Les Flors
(00 34 934 411 139; calisidre.com)
This is reported to be the King of Spain's favourite restaurant. Isidre Gironés and his wife run it, as they have for years. Although he must be in his mid-seventies now, Isidre remains the world expert in negotiating the madness of the Boqueria food market. He buys the very best it has to offer each day and creates hearty, old-fashioned food. It's not the trendiest place in Barcelona, but if you're after classic, homecooked Catalan fare in a serious, but not over-the-top set-up, then you
can do no better.

Bar Mut
192 Pau Claris
(00 34 932 174 338)
Bar Mut is a rather poky bar that serves high-quality, well-sourced tapas, similar to Pep, but it's the wine list that's the real draw. Obviously the Rioja is amazing, but for something a little more unexpected go for one of the delicious Spanish whites, like the Ribeiro. Although Spain's most famous white wine is the Galician Albarino, the Ribeiro, from Galicia slightly further inland, is equally fabulous and slightly cheaper.

Bar Bomba
56 Calle Baluard
(00 34 932 214 061)
Pep, of Cal Pep, introduced us to the hidden gem Bar Bomba which his dad used to take him to - it's his favourite place in Barcelona; there are no reservations and it hasn't changed in years. When you roll out of bed at 11am with a hangover it's the best place in the world to be. It's an old-fashioned, rustic place, run by a family of toothless old crones. The father, who must be about 85, and his son run the ancient white marble bar, covered with barrels of wine and filthy old shoes which look like they have been there for about 100 years, while the mother and daughter produce amazing dishes from the kitchen. Their great speciality is the bomba itself, a potato cake filled with stewed beef and covered in spiced garlic mayonnaise which comes served with tiny bottles of ice-cold Estrella beer.

La Vinya del Senyor
5 Plaça de Santa Maria
(00 34 933 103 379)
This is a very beautiful bar in the Born district that we really enjoy. It offers a huge range of very reasonably priced wines by the glass, which you can enjoy outside in the sunshine in a pretty little square. And if you need a bit of perking up, they are more than happy to bring you a nice slice of chorizo.

Hotel Banys Orientals
37 Calle de l'Argenteria (00 34 932 688 460; hotelbanysorientals.com)
We've never managed to stay here because its 43 rooms are always booked, but if we were organised enough this would be our number one choice. It's
a fairly reasonable option considering how lovely and charming it is, and it's wonderfully located in the pretty Born district, with the Ramblas only 500 metres away and plenty of good restaurants to choose from.

W Hotel
1 Plaça de la Rosa del Vents
(00 34 932 952 800; w-barcelona.com)
The W is a big sail-like building which sticks right out into the sea over the docks. The bar on the 26th floor has views over the water and the city; it's all pretty funky. If you're in the mood for international bling then it's perfect.

Hotel Arts
19-21 Calle Marina
(00 34 932 211 000; ritzcarlton.com)
This skyscraper on the beach is reported to be Barcelona's best hotel and it's only a 20-minute cab ride from the city centre. Footballers and stars always seem to be hanging out in the duplex apartments. It's expensive though, so we'd only stay when someone else is paying! Eat out in the city rather than in the hotel.

Hotel Omm
265 Calle Rosselló
(00 34 934 454 000; hotelomm.es)
Although perhaps not quite as traditional as some other hotels, Omm is great for hip young cool cats. There's a nightclub in the basement, and a rooftop pool that's pretty funky. It's near the city centre, so perfectly placed for getting around.