GiGi Von Tapas

In its former incarnation, this locale was a restaurant beloved by bullfighting aficionados who would gather here before or after a corrida. In these more enlightened times (at least here in Catalonia), this venue has been reborn as a modern yet cosy brunch and tapas bar. Although you can still enjoy vistas of the old bullfighting arena while relaxing on their street terrace, while nods to the restaurant’s history are still visible in the interior decor. Check out the bulls’ head-shaped baskets hanging on the wall!

Onto the food, and Gigi’s opens 9am to 4pm for breakfast and brunch, with classic dishes such as eggs benedict vying for your attention with more innovative offerings like flamenco bake (a butter bean bake with chorizo, pancetta, red pepper, cherry tomato, coddled egg, pickled shallots and crispy fried kale). All the morning dishes are made with eggs from free range Catalan chickens. Otherwise there are whole sections of the menu dedicated to burgers, bagels, sweets and smoothies.

From 6pm to midnight, dinner is served, featuring creative tapas such as pork neck with sweet potato, prune and amaretti; tea-smoked duck breast with fermented cabbage, mustard and vinaigrette; and seared octopus with miso, served over a chickpea, caper, kalamata and water chestnut salad. Vegetarians are well catered for by the likes of mushroom ravioli, beetroot tartar and quinoa risotto.

There’s an extensive drink menu to sip on, that includes homemade vermouth, hermetically sealed bodega beer, real sangria, plus wines, whiskeys and gins aplenty. But, given the bar’s history, it’s hard to look past el torero cocktail, made with olmeca blanco tequila, vermouth, passion fruit puree and egg white.

The romantic decor features the original restaurant’s marble tiled floor, knick knacks from the Bordeaux flea market (the owners are quite the collectors!), and old school chairs (literally). While the plates themselves are served up on old china sets from Mercat dels Encants… a nice touch!

For more great value food, check out sister venue Firebug.