Sharky Wine Bar: Can Paixano, Barcelona

Have a side of sandwich with your cava

There’s something deliciously wonderful about drinking a glass of champagne. It’s fruity, it’s bubbly, and let’s face it—just holding a glass in your hand makes you instantly classier. Too bad it’s reserved for the most special of occasions, like weddings, promotions, and Sunday brunch, right?

Wrong! At Can Paixano in Barcelona, you can have as much as you want, whenever you want. As long as you don’t mind squishing up against 40 other people from all over the world while you sip on your sparkling wine.

Started in 1969, this whole-in-the-wall beachside bar is a Barcelona puts the class back in classy by serving up only a single option for cocktails: una botella de cava.

That’s Spanish for a bottle of cava, a.k.a. the champagne of Spain.

A whole bottle of cava? Sure, you might be hesitant to pop the cork on an empty stomach, but at Can Paixno, every botella de cava comes with two tapas. And when we say tapas, we don’t mean a small dish of olives, or a measly croquette. We’re talking about plates full of cured meats, sausages, Spanish cheeses, and delicious, albeit greasy, sandwiches from the grill. You might have to shout your order to the bartenders, or push your way past other foreigners to claim your food, but trust us, it’s worth it.

Can you say “yum” in Catalan? Sure you can. Yumminess is the same in any language.

Grab una bottella if: You’d pick a cheeseburger over strawberries any day.

Don’t drink here if: You always chose to sit out from playing Sardines as a child.