Right in the middle of the most crowded place in Barcelona, las Ramblas, there’s an even more crowded place – la Boqueria market.
And right in the middle of the crowded crowd, there’s the heaven of fresh market kitchen taste (la cocina del mercado, in Spanish): el Quim de la Boqueria, a food bar that does not take any reservations, and is always full.
Quim Márquez has 25 years of kitchen experience. Here he uses only the sea food, the fish, the veggies and the fruits of la Boqueria market. The menu includes Starters and Tapas, an eggs section (Start the Day with Two Fried Eggs!), the Specialties, Grilled Fish, Sandwiches (served until noon) and Homemade Desserts.
Quim shares a bit from the story of the place, on the website: A few lines to explain you how I arrived at the Mercat de la Boqueria in August 1987. I bought a small bar with a 3 meter-long counter and five stools. It was hidden just opposite the main entrance. For sure it was not the best place in the market but I was really excited. The very first days it seemed a huge market, real impressive. I felt dizzy with the idea that I was part of that Paradise of food. It was and still is, a small village inside the big city.
Fried Eggs with Wild Mushrooms, € 18
Quim continues: Every day more people showed me their recognition until one day in October 2000 I was notified that the market was going to be reformed again. That’s my turn, I thought. I had the opportunity to open a new Quim de la Boqueria with a 16 meter-counter and 18 stools just a few meters from where my bar stood . My dream!!! There it was and I was the happiest man in earth. It was a great opportunity and I had to take it.
House Specialty: Eggs and baby squid fried with olive oil, garlic, chilly pepper, Maldon salt and black pepper. € 19.75
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