El Chato

Charisma. This is the oldest Basque restaurant in Barcelona: it opened in 1942 and Agustín Elorza Jr carries on the tradition. When it started it was literally a trucker restaurant, as the whole neighbourhood was full of northern transport agencies. In more than 75 years the biggest change on the menu has been that now you can order dishes in half portions, which is good news for those who want to try a bit of everything. Elorza is the son of a Basque father and mother from Rioja, and you can tell his origins in dishes such as fresh 'pochas' beans and an excellent oxtail stew, with bone-in meat cooked over a slow flame – forget about futuristic ovens here. You get impressive value for money, as seen in the 600g Galician 'mediana' steak for just €20.