Mama Cafe

Description:

• Also located in the thick of El Raval's hub of funky eateries, this is one of the more reliable bets where style doesn't give way to substance. The boho crowd is greeted by an urban-savvy staff, who churn out the dishes from a frantic open kitchen. The quality of the hamburgers here is unusually good (for Barcelona), the salads (nearly always with a fruit or goat cheese) are market fresh, and the pastas (such as salmon and capers) are more than acceptable. Mama Cafe is one of the few inner-city restaurants open on Monday (the only day when fish is not available on the menu, by the way, in case you're a seafood lover).

• © Frommer's 2012