51 Best Restaurants in The Eixample, Barcelona

Chef Rafa Zafra’s elegant hodgepodge of a menu features contemporary Catalan fare, French classics like sole meuniere, and dishes inspired by his alma mater, El Bulli. The prices are as jaw-dropping as the dining room, which features soaring ceilings, towering marble columns, ornate chandeliers, and gilded accents galore.

If gorging yourself on fresh, seasonal shellfish without paying an arm and a leg sounds like your idea of a good time, then Batea is the place for you. Led by two young chefs, one from Catalonia, the other from Galicia, this is the more laid-back sister restaurant of nearby Besta. The menu is made up almost entirely of different takes on spiny sea creatures---from oysters to mussels, razor clams and white shrimp---sourced fresh from either the Atlantic or the Mediterranean. Seafood-loving locals can't get enough of this place, and neither can overseas visitors, so book well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Named for the car-mechanic shop that once stood here, Benzina blends industrial-chic elements with splashes of color and excellent music (on vinyl, naturally) to create a hip but cozy Italian restaurant. The food, however, is center stage: the freshly made pasta is among the best in the city, while next-door Doppietta, by the same owners, is home to one of the hottest brunch buffets in town.

The atmosphere is relaxed but sophisticated in this invariably fully booked (for good reason!) restaurant with a constantly changing menu that blends the very best seasonal produce from the Spanish regions of Catalonia and Galicia. Freshly caught fish and seafood---think Galician cockles and dry-aged beef, or red shrimp from the Med---take pride of place, as do the seasonal vegetables.

With a "short" 10-course tasting menu priced at just €58 (the longer one is €82 for 14 courses) Cruix is the fine-dining restaurant for people who don't want to spend hundreds of euros on a meal. Everything here is laid-back and unpretentious, including the exposed-brick interior, but the quality speaks to the Chef Miquel Pardo's pedigree: he worked under Spanish superstar chefs like Albert Adrià and Jordi Cruz before opening Cruix in 2017. 

For a cool pick-me-up on a hot Barcelona afternoon, you can't beat the seasonal, locally sourced, Italian-style ice cream from DeLaCrem. Expect classics like vanilla, chocolate, and dulce de leche as well as more unconventional combinations like mandarin and orange blossom yogurt, pear and Parmesan, or pumpkin and toasted butter. There are vegan options, too.

Three former head chefs from the legendary former best restaurant in the world El Bulli combined their considerable talents to create this roller-coaster ride of culinary fun (the word "disfrutar" is Spanish for "to enjoy") spotlighting tasting menus of dazzling inventiveness and good taste. Bowls are swirled to reveal beetroot meringues emerging from sesame-seed "earth" (the seeds are made to look like soil), and jellied truffle-and-egg tempura hit the bull's-eye of pure pleasure; desserts are otherworldly. No wonder, then, that the three chefs now hold their own spot close to the top of the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

This superb café, bakery, and pastry school has set a new standard for sweet treats in the city. The glazed cinnamon rolls are a standout, as is the to-die-for brioche filled with red berries and mascarpone, while the fresh croissant cone overflowing with soft-serve ice cream, praline, and salted caramel is a rare thing of great beauty. Stop in for breakfast or grab something to go.

While Martin Berasategui, one of San Sebastián's corps of master chefs, no longer runs the day-to-day operations of this Barcelona kitchen (it's in the capable hands of chef Paolo Casagrande) the restaurant continues to be a culinary triumph. Expect an eclectic selection of Basque, Mediterranean, and off-the-map creations, a hefty bill, service that's second-to-none, and fierce perfectionism apparent in every dish. If you're not in the mood for the full tasting menu, this is one of few Michelin stars that also offers an à la carte option.

Inside the ultrasleek Mandarin Oriental hotel, this restaurant, with food by Raül Balam and his mother—the legendary Carme Ruscalleda—lives up to its stellar pedigree, with original preparations that draw on deep wells of Catalan culinary traditions. Dishes on the tasting menus display a masterful lightness of touch and come to the table so exquisitely presented that putting a fork into them feels almost like wanton vandalism; the reward, however, is sublime, with treasures of taste revealed in every astonishing bite.

Easily one of the hottest tickets in town for lovers of eclectic, avant-garde cuisine, Slow & Low is run by an energetic multicultural young team who have translated their culinary genius into two tasting menus, which combine Mediterranean, Mexican, Peruvian, and even some Southeast Asian influences. The three tasting menus (11 courses for €115, 13 courses for €140, or 14 courses for €170) are all equally worthy of your time and hard-earned cash.

Much of Xerta's menu is the expected swanky fine-dining fare, but stand-out options use unique produce from the deltas and rivers of the Terres de l'Ebre region, such as sweet miniature canyuts (razor clams), oysters, and fresh eel. The superb weekday four-course lunch menu includes two glasses of wine per person and is a steal at €45.

Purists tempted to run screaming from The Alchemix's blend of creative cocktails and Asian-influenced, avant-garde gastonomy should think again. Against the odds, this strange brew is a transformative triumph, as with the umami-poached king oyster mushroom, with prawns and pork rinds, paired with Uni Mead, a cocktail made from sea ​​urchin, mead, soy milk, tobacco bitters, and lemon juice. Tapas and à la carte dishes, such as steamed cockles with green curry, also impress.

Take a historic luxury hotel and add one of Barcelona's most avant-garde, yet ultra-elegant fine-dining restaurants, and what have you got? Aleia restaurant at Casa Fuster. Set in a opulent dining room overlooking Passeig de Gràcia, Aleia is the kind of place you'll get dressed up for when you want to impress someone special. Choices are limited: there's one tasting menu, priced at €172 (or €134 at lunchtime), the contents of which may vary, but the quality of the produce will never disappoint---like white prawns from Tarragona, de-boned Bresse quail, or Kaluga caviar.

Alegria translates as "joy" and nothing is more joyful than finding a sunny spot on Alegria's popular patio for a glass of iced vermút and a tapa of spicy patatas bravas or the famous truffled ham and cheese toastie. Vermouth culture is all about bar hopping from place to place until you are full (and tipsy) and suddenly realize the sun set a long time ago and you have no idea what time it is—nor do you care. Sant Antoni is full of vermouth bars just like this and Bar Alegria is a great place to kick things off.

Just above Diagonal, this elegant retro space serves first-rate products ranging from wild sea bass to the best Ibérico hams. Crowded, noisy, chaotic, delicious—it's everything a great tapas bar or restaurant should be. The wine selections and range of dishes proposed on the chalkboard behind the bar are creative and traditional and the service is superb. The menu changes with the seasons, but staples include the solomillo with seasonal mushrooms (or foie gras when mushrooms aren't in season) and the utterly decadent lobster with egg and brandy. Don't let the friendly and casual feel of the place lull you into thinking that la cuenta (the check) will be anything but sobering. Entrepanes Diaz, directly opposite, is a spin-off that serves more humble (and more sensibly priced) snacks and sandwiches in a similarly elegant style.

Always a popular place to hang out and watch barcelonins kill some time, this lively café has hosted everyone from local poets to King Felipe. The tapas are nothing special but the sandwiches are excellent and the beer is cold. Plus, this old-fashioned bar de toda la vida (everyday bar), with its long counter and jumble of tables, is open 365 days a year.

One of very few decent spots within a short walk of the Sagrada Família, this "meat bar" doesn't take reservations; instead it offers a walk-in-and-graze tapas menu of items like steak tartare and aged filet mignon in a tiled, industrially chic dining room that doesn't invite lingering but is rarely empty—arrive early for a table. Former Catalan Chef of the Year Dani Lechuga throws in the occasional fine-dining dish to lighten things up. 

Set in a charming Moderniste space dating back to 1892, this bar hits the perfect balance of quality, price, service, and ambience. The menu mixes classic dishes like deep-fried calamari and spicy patatas bravas, with house specials like the steak tartare.

Blanc's menu couples traditional Catalan cuisine with fresh, seasonal products, and the three-course lunch menu, and the ever-changing, five-course "Sundays at Blanc" tasting menu are popular. The dining room is in an airy atrium at the heart of the Mandarin Oriental and feels lively most of the day, starting when the first hotel guests come in for the (excellent) breakfast. 

This three-floor design triumph by Spain's hottest interior decorator, Lázaro Rosa Violán, makes up for in sheer panache what it lacks in consistency. Don't plan on a quick visit: the fresh seafood and rice dishes on offer here can take a while to reach your table. Abandoning the post-Modernisme minimalism that has dominated Barcelona for the last decades, Boca Grande is a baroque celebration of colonial and safari-chic, from the second floor bar, Boca Chica, with its enormous elephant tusks behind the counter, to the spectacular unisex restrooms downstairs. You'll want to linger for a postprandial cocktail on the roof terrace.

A bright and booming tapas bar with a few tables outside, this spot is always packed for a reason: good food at reasonable prices. Try the montadito de solomillo y foie, mini-morsels of foie gras-topped tenderloin that will take the edge off your carnivorous appetite without undue damage to your wallet, or the garlicky shrimp.

Obsessively local, scrupulously sourced, and masterfully cooked, the dishes of Catalan-Canadian chef Jordi Artal put the spotlight on the region's finest ingredients in an intimate, sophisticated setting. It's hard to believe that this garlanded restaurant is Jordi's first, but there's no arguing with the evidence of your cinc sentits (five senses). There's no à la carte option, only a tasting menu priced at €159 and €189. For your money, you will be taken on a fun run-through of reinterpretations of traditional Catalan dishes using cutting-edge techniques, matched with wines exclusive to the restaurant.

At the bottom of Rambla de Catalunya, this scaled-up tapas bar draws a throng of mostly international clients and has tables outside on this busy part-pedestrianized street all year- round. The solomillo (miniature beef fillet) is a winner here, as is the broqueta d'escamarlans (brochette of jumbo shrimp). You'll find similar dishes for less elsewhere, but the combination of location and reliable quality here means that the lines for seats are invariably long.

Elevated sharing plates made from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients are the bottom line at this trendy Eixample eatery. The menu features unlikely combos: artichoke salad with Parmesan cream and bottarga, or glazed mackerel with pumpkin—blends that shouldn't work, but yet they really do—along with nods to the most classic of Catalan "grandma" dishes, like the decadently meaty macaroni covered in cheese. The intimate dining room is chic but unfussy, works by local artists adorn the walls, and the small outdoor terrace has four tables for four for diners who prefer to eat alfresco.

An embat is a puff of wind in Catalan, and this little bistro is a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stuffy right side of Eixample. The relatively affordable market cuisine is always impeccably fresh and freshly conceived, from the accessibly priced three-course lunch selection to the more elaborate evening menu. Star dishes include duck cannelloni with truffle béchamel. The dining room is minimally decorated in white and pine to reflect the modern but unfussy fare.

By concentrating on sophisticated execution rather than groundbreaking creativity, the family-run Etapes provides a reliably satisfying dining experience that suits a wide range of palates. Take a seat on the pleasant terrace or in the narrow, cave-like interior and enjoy elegant interpretations of classic Catalan dishes. These include an Asian-inspired take on a local favorite: roast suckling pig with hoisin sauce & daikon, mango and Mexican-style salad, and a range of rustic desserts cooked at home by the co-owners' grandmother. The set lunch is a true bargain.