GRASA WINE BAR
The most interesting new wine bar in Barcelona this year is a plant-based one near the beach, which is not a sentence we expected to write. Grasa opened in the old Fervor space in the Barceloneta and built its list around natural wine that rotates fast enough to keep regulars honest, plus sparkling, poured by three founders who clearly drink what they sell. The food is entirely vegetal and — this is the part that matters — not the least bit apologetic about it. The house dish is a vitello tonnato made without the vitello, and it is good enough that arguing about the category is a waste of everyone’s evening: it is savory, layered, and does the thing the original does. Around it, mushroom baos, focaccia with cashew cheese and truffle, roasted oyster mushrooms with lemon, a ravioli, a tartare, good bread. The register is Asian, Italian and Argentine by turns, held together by seasoning rather than by theme. It is not cheap for a vegan bar and the regulars say so, mostly while ordering more. The room is unbothered and beach-adjacent. Come sceptical; the wine list will handle the rest.
