La Cova Fumada is one of our favourite places in Barcelona. This crowded little restaurant is very old school, having opened way back in 1944. It is most famous for having invented the ‘bomba’, a small ball made of potatoes, pork, rolled in breadcrumbs and egg, deep-fried and, finally, served with spicy pepper sauce and aioli. You can now find these all over the city but here is the original, and the best. There’s more classic tapas on offer too, including butifarra (like black pudding) and grilled sardines, all of which appear from the tiny, hot kitchen in one corner. There’s often a queue of people outside waiting for tables but take our tip and just go inside and find a standing space at the bar – you’ll eat straight away and it’s way more fun anyway.
