Josep Manubens

The bottom line of Cal Pep is its unpretentiousness: good quality fresh fare is prepared quickly, cheerfully and in a straightforward way - a reflection of Pep (the nickname of Josep Manubens) himself. There is no fixed menu, as the tapas and raciones change according to what’s in season, but the dishes on offer each day are expertly recited by the cheerful staff and the produce is cooked right in front of you. ‘The fishermen only catch what’s available, so I go along with that,’ says Pep. ‘I’ll buy local seafood at the Lonja [Barcelona’s wholesale fish market], go further afield along the Costa Brava for larger fish and buy Atlantic fish from the Boquería.’