/ We bring you to several excellent tapas bars in the heart of Barcelona and show you the routine: Go right up to the food counter and help yourself to items that look delicious, order your drinks then sit down and enjoy. After several rounds of these delicious little tastes the waiter will come by and count the toothpicks to determine how many items you ate, and collect your money on the spot. Quick, delicious and not expensive, tapas are very satisfying because you are in control, selecting from a wide variety lined up at the bar. In some bars you point to items and the waiter will serve you, in others it is self-service. Tapas fit beautifully into the Spanish life-style because they eat dinner very late, usually after 9:00pm, so they are getting hungry in the late afternoon, and thirsty as well, plus they want to talk and socialize. Tapas are the perfect ingredient to bring all those Spanish elements together. Found throughout Spain, the wide variety of tapas in Barcelona are among the best.