BBE Editor's Pick

Boqueria SoHo

171 Spring St., New York (Soho)

We love the Union Square Greenmarket, but can you blame us for secretly coveting Barcelona’s pulsing Boqueria market? Never mind; those of us on this side of the Atlantic can lay claim to a tapas bar as satisfying as any around Spain's covered masterpiece. At Boqueria SoHo (there is also Boqueria Flatiron), jamón serrano hangs from the ceiling, exposed lightbulbs hover low over communal tables, and young downtown types (and Spaniards of every age) sit perched on tall stools, greedily reaching for crisp pimientos de padrón and garlicky patatas bravas. Chef Seamus Mullen grew up in Vermont but has worked in such revered kitchens as San Sebastián’s Mugaritz and Barcelona’s Abac, as his small plates of Catalonian, Basque, and other regional specialties make clear.

menu musts

Pan con tomate (grilled bread rubbed with tomato and garlic)
Pimientos de padrón (blistered shishito peppers with sea salt)
Albóndigas (lamb meatballs with sheep’s-milk cheese)
Cojonudo (fried quail eggs with chorizo on toast)
Patatas bravas (crispy potatoes with roasted garlic aioli)

sweet seats

Sitting on one of Boqueria’s sexy leather barstools is a pleasure no matter what (you’ll want to take a few home with you), but if it’s a quiet evening you’re after, ask to be led toward the back of the room, where you can still have a view of the open kitchen.

chew on this

You can’t take Chef Mullen home with you (too bad), but Boqueria does carry a selection of artisanal Spanish goodies—olive oil, vinegar, romesco sauce, canned octopus, quince paste, almond nougat—available for purchase.

hours

lunch: Mon.–Sun. 12 noon–5 PM
dinner: Mon.–Sun. 5:30 PM–12 midnight

Price of menu items

$5 (pan con tomate) to $29 (paella valenciana)

171 Spring St. (subway: C, E to Spring St., R, W to Prince St.), New York, NY 10012; 212-343-4255 www.boquerianyc.com