Restaurante Ugarit

Restaurante Ugarit has been putting Syrian cooking on Barcelona's map for thirty years, and at its first location in Gràcia the kitchen doesn't stop: you can eat at 4:30pm without a problem, and weekday lunches come with free tea. Everything is made fresh, no frozen shortcuts, and the lamps in the dining room are a marvel.

Start with the combinado de cinco cremas €16.50, a way to try a bit of everything, including a red pepper muhammara that @topfoodbcn sums up as I love it. The Super Ugarit de carnes €23.90 is perfect for sharing: arayes, kibbeh and more, with the arayes even better under a little labneh. The kibbeh, filled with minced meat and pine nuts, everyone likes it dipped in hummus with a touch of heat. And the kafta mechoui €22.50 is a blast, a very complete plate whose minced beef and onion skewers are incredible.

The musaka de berenjena con arroz also delivers what a flavour. @topfoodbcn leaves wanting to come back: generous Syrian cooking, fresh produce and a classic that still works.