"Els 4 Gats occupies part of Casa Martí, a structure designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, one of Gaudí’s Modernisme rivals. Conceived as a Spanish equivalent to Paris’s Le Chat Noir cabaret, the goal was cheap food and piano music. It didn’t take long for Barcelona’s bohemian set to see the charm, too. A 17-year-old Picasso held his first exhibition here, and Antoni Gaudí was a regular. The interior looks like a time capsule: There are black and white portraits of the artsy regulars, sketches by Picasso, and vintage collections line the walls. The intellectual set has been replaced by tourists and the cheap food isn't so cheap anymore, but it's still very much worth a stop." - Gemma Askham
Alamy
