La Vieja del Visillo

It opened in late 2025 on Carrer de Santa Magdalena, on the Rambla at the foot of the steps down from Plaça Major, and the first thing you notice is the set design: two floors with murals, designer chairs and bare filament bulbs, a carefully staged look with music playing in the background. It bills itself as a bar for eating well and having a good vermouth, and the menu is sharing tapas with a twist: gildas, assorted croquetas — the wagyu one is the favourite — sirloin or squid brioche, huevos rotos with foie, ravioli with truffle, cassava bravas with aioli and the 'patatas viajeras', which already have a name of their own. Regulars say the meat is the strongest suit — the lamb chops, for instance — and from the sea, the seared octopus leg and the tuna tartare. By the door there are high tables for vermouth and, outside, a terrace on the Rambla; inside there's air conditioning, welcome in summer. It's pricier than the area average and portions aren't large: come for a treat in a lively setting, not for cheap tapas.

Reviewed in November 2026