The Eixample is full with places for dining. In this respect there are enough guides to take you through the zillions of places available.
Today I was looking for a place where to have a business lunch. I had no idea where to go, but I had the luck of bumping in the street with the owner of Cata 181 (Carrer Valencia 181. 08011, tel.: 93.323.68.18) a place I tend to go back every now and then for their superb “platillos”. They are only open on the evenings so he suggested to try Osmosis (Aribau 100, tel.: 93.454.52.01), a place run by Ignasi Morales. The standard evening menu will set you back some 60€ per head without wine, but luckily enough they have a menu (Monday to Friday at lunchtime) which for 19€ will give you a very good value meal in a relaxing atmosphere. A pleasant surprise.
Other places in Eixample I hear about lately:
Hisop
Cinc Sentits
Like in most cities, in Barcelona you feel —every now and then— that you need out. Out in Barcelona has a great amount of choice, from the peaks of the Pyrenees to the natural parks, the skiing resorts, the Balear Islands, the sand beaches to the South, the Northern coast or Costa Brava… Wether close or far is a question of time availability. Usually the nicest places are mostly not where the public transport can take you, like the Cap de Creus. When heading North I tend to try and make make my excursions from Begur to the French border. I once stayed at a very nice little hotel built inside an old country house, it was called Mas ses Vinyes and it was 5 minutes drive from different beaches. A calm place with awsome views to rest.
Not far from there I was recently recommended the Hotel Lindos Huéspedes in a close by location to Begur. There are plenty of such places in the area and one can get informed about them online or at any Tourism office.