From having Sevillian women on the walls to an 'In Catalan please': twenty years of Tapas24

BarcelonaTapas 24 restaurant (C. Diputació) has been open for twenty years, and during all this time it has experienced all sorts of things. It was opened by chef Carles Abellan, with a career that has included a stint at el Bulli restaurant and has been awarded Michelin stars at different restaurants, and it is currently run by its employees. Since its beginnings, Tapas 24 has been a successful formula. Due to its location, its dishes, made with quality products, and because it attracted tourists who were specifically looking for dishes to share, which they were told was common in Barcelona.

The initial aesthetic could be described as very kitschy, with Sevillian dancers and bulls drawn from the entrance door to many of the walls, but today it's not so much like that anymore. There are still Sevillian dancers depicted, but now on the plates and also on the napkins there is another premise: In Catalan, please. It's even written on the coasters, and it aligns with the feeling that the chef Carles Abellan confesses he has always felt for our language. The menu, the chalkboards, also written in Catalan. And inside the dishes, the usual recipes, of great quality, especially the salads, the fish, and the seafood. Order the fried anchovies, the prawns, and the mullets, which are three seasonal fish dishes

The classics are not missing. The "bikinis" (a type of sandwich) are still there, and they probably won't ever be able to remove them from the menu. The same goes for desserts, with the three chocolate balls with bread and extra virgin olive oil. It's true that these desserts are everywhere, that many examples of places that make them come to mind, but Tapas 24 has kept them for twenty years. So, for many more years, Tapas 24, and in Catalan please always!