The Verdict
Quimet i Quimet is a tiny standing-room bodega at Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes 25 in Poble-sec, open since 1914 and still run by the fourth-generation owner known as Quim, the great-grandson of the founder, alongside his sister Joana and his wife Carmen. The draw is not a kitchen so much as a wall: floor-to-ceiling shelves of tinned and bottled conserves that the family assembles, to order, into montaditos on a slice of bread.
The most requested montadito stacks smoked salmon with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and a thread of truffled honey, a combination the bar has served for years; other regulars order the mussels with caviar or the tinned cockles. Montaditos start around four euros each and most visitors spend roughly twenty-five to thirty-five euros with a few glasses of cava poured from the Penedes bottles behind the counter.
There are no chairs and no table reservations: you stand at a marble ledge or against a barrel. That format, and the family's century of practice with the conserves tradition, is exactly what makes the room one of the most rewarding short stops in Barcelona, provided you know what you are walking into.
What to Order
There is no chef in the conventional sense; the counter team assembles montaditos to order from the conserves on the shelves. Start with the smoked-salmon, Greek-yogurt and truffled-honey montadito, then add the mussels with caviar and whatever tinned cockles or razor clams are open that day. Pair with cava or a vermouth on tap. Bottles of preserved fish are also sold to take home.
The Room
The space is two small rooms, perhaps two square metres of usable standing space at busy moments, lined with bottles to the ceiling. It is loud, warm and shoulder-to-shoulder at peak hours, with a marble ledge and a few barrels to rest plates on. Service is brisk and done in Catalan and Spanish; turnover is quick because nobody is seated.
Why It Works for Solo Dining
Standing at the counter with two montaditos and a glass of cava is one of the most natural solo experiences in Barcelona: there is no awkward empty chair across the table, the staff are used to single diners ordering a few bites, and you can leave whenever you are done. It also works for a relaxed first date or a quick pre-dinner stop before a longer meal elsewhere.
Not For
Not for groups who want to sit down to a long dinner, anyone needing a quiet table for a business conversation, or guests with mobility needs who cannot stand for a meal: there are no chairs, no table booking and very little room. It is also not the place for a leisurely multi-course pace, since the format depends on quick turnover at the counter.
Reservations
The bar does not take table reservations for standing service and is busiest in the early evening, when the line can stretch onto Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes. Arrive at opening or mid-afternoon for the easiest entry, bring cash or a card, and expect to share the ledge with strangers. Hours can shift around Catalan holidays and the August closure, so confirm before a special trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Quimet i Quimet known for?
Quimet i Quimet is a standing-room bodega in Barcelona's Poble-sec, open since 1914, known for montaditos assembled to order from tinned and bottled conserves. Its best-known bite layers smoked salmon with Greek yogurt and truffled honey, served with cava poured from Penedes bottles.
Who owns Quimet i Quimet?
The bar has been in the same family for four generations. It is run today by the great-grandson of the founder, known as Quim, together with his sister Joana and his wife Carmen, who assemble the montaditos and pour the cava and vermouth at the counter.
How much does Quimet i Quimet cost?
Individual montaditos start at around four euros each. Most visitors order several bites with a few glasses of cava and spend roughly twenty-five to thirty-five euros per person. It is inexpensive for the quality, though the small plates add up quickly once you start ordering.
Do you need a reservation at Quimet i Quimet?
No. Quimet i Quimet is standing-room only and does not take table reservations for its bar service. The best strategy is to arrive at opening or in the mid-afternoon lull, since the two small rooms fill quickly and a queue often forms on the street in the early evening.
Is Quimet i Quimet good for groups?
Not really. The bar has no chairs and only a couple of square metres of standing space at peak times, so it suits one or two people far better than a large party. Bigger groups looking to sit down are better served by a tapas restaurant with tables elsewhere in Barcelona.
Also in Barcelona
Explore the full Barcelona restaurant guide, or compare other conserves and cava bars such as El Xampanyet and Bodega 1900. For occasion picks, see our solo dining and first date guides.