BENZiNA

"The Sant Antoni district is the hottest neighborhood in Barcelona these days, and Benzina’s lively terrace is perhaps the center of the whole scene. The owner is British, the chef is Italian, the playlist is from the ‘70s and ‘80s, and the feel is distinctly New York. The restaurant, which opened in 2018, serves unexpected takes on traditional Italian dishes, like eggplant parmigiana with parmesan ice cream or a sferamisu (a deconstructed spherical take on tiramisu), plus strong cocktails, and an excellent selection of Italian wine." - isabelle kliger

"Some come to this former mechanic's garage just for the cocktails. The entrance and left side are packed with glammed-up stool-perchers lapping up social lubrication and listening to a thumping soundtrack of classic rock before they head onto more formal dinners. But the bulk of attendees are here to hunker down with comforting, unstuffy Italian food. Treat the appetizers like tapas: Mix juicy mouthfuls of smoked burrata with onions foam and peas with rich gulps of eggplant alla parmigiana served with parmesan ice cream. For mains, it's all about carb-loading: an unorthodox spin on ravioli with veal, pine nuts, raisins, and orange; perfectly balanced dishes of risotto and gnocchi; even an old-school carbonara, all eggy and sticky and arguably the best in town. If the tunes in the background make you burst into song, who cares? And if you burst out of your jeans—well, chef Nicola Valle has done his job." - Isabelle Kliger, Gemma Askham

"Owner Badr Bennis and head chef Nicola Valle were inspired by the freedom they found in New York’s creative Italian restaurants. At the upscale yet informal Benzina (“Gasoline” in Italian), housed in a former auto repair shop, they serve a menu of updated Italian classics, incorporating international influences, non-traditional ingredients, and colorful presentations. The atmosphere is more akin to a rock and roll bar than your typical red sauce spot. The menu is refreshed every couple of months, with dishes like cacio e pepe risotto with fried squid and mandarin reduction, Roman-style gnocchi with slow-cooked rabbit and kale, balsamic-roasted pork loin with maitake mushrooms, and confit eggplant parmesan topped with basil sorbet." - Sam Zucker

"The Sant Antoni district is the hottest neighborhood in Barcelona these days, and Benzina’s lively terrace is perhaps the center of the whole scene. The owner is British, the chef is Italian, the playlist is from the ’70s and ’80s, and the feel is distinctly New York. The restaurant, which opened in 2018, serves unexpected takes on traditional Italian dishes, like eggplant parmigiana with parmesan ice cream or a sferamisu (a deconstructed spherical take on tiramisu), plus strong cocktails, and an excellent selection of Italian wine." - Isabelle Kliger