Barcelona's restaurants and bars offer a wide and wild variety of cuisines and creative dishes.
Even the most ardent foodie will confess that grazing on tapas and dining in fine restaurants is both wearing on the wallet and bruising on the palate.
When out and about there will come a time when you want something more ordinary… a tasty, light bite.
Well… you could grab a pizza.
And, one of the best places to grab a pizza in Barcelona is Lucania II in Vila de Gràcia.
For around the price of a Bikini (grilled ham and cheese sandwich) you can enjoy a delicious, freshly prepared pizza margarita.
Variety
25 variations — including one of my favourites: Carn Bier — minced beef cooked in beer with bacon, plus two or three daily specials.
A printed menu, describing the toppings is available in English (and català, castella and German). Here's the current (though incomplete) list in català:
Quality
Flavour? We're not talking over-aired, spongy, doughy, cakey bases here…we're tasting crispy, thin, deceptively light, perfectly seared imperfect squares of mediterranean deliciousness served with two types of olive oil — normal and extra-picante (olive oil spiced with chillies).
They've got a real handle on combinations that work. Pere and his team have been preparing and serving pizzas for more than 30 years, and they're still dabbling with new recipes. Pere may even invite you to sample a new combination as you sit at the bar.
Value
Obvious. The cheapest pizza is 3,10€ — the most expensive is 4,85€.
A pint of Estrella beer is only 3,25€.
Note: There is a 15 centimos price difference between eating at the bar or seated at a table.
Ambience
It is what it is. No pretension whatsoever. No fake-o Italian frippery. No nonsense. No tablecloths. No cutlery — unless you ask. Very family friendly.
Only well-made pizzas packed with flavour and a bar filled with appreciative and friendly customers.
Service
I don't know how they do it — but as packed and as bustly as it often gets, it's never too noisome, hassly or uncomfortable. You'll never have to wait long. They've got the preparation and service down to pat.
In Sum…
I'm really glad this place exists, it's a really good, reliable standby. We visit regularly, often calling in on the way to Cines Verdi to watch a movie. Or, other times I'll call by for lunch, or later during the day when out and about doing errands. Never been disappointed.
Most recent visit:
Thursday, May 5th, 2022: 4 pizzas and 3 pints of beer = 27,45€.
Location
Carrer de Terol, 29-33, Vila de Gràcia. A few steps from Plaça de la Revolució de Setembre de 1868 at the bottom of Carrer Verdi.
