59 Best Restaurants in Barcelona, Spain

"The Four Cats" was founded in 1897 by a quartet of Moderniste artists—the bohemians of their day—whose work still graces the walls, and the building, Casa Martí (1896), by Moderniste master Josep Puig i Cadafalch with sculptural detail by Eusebi Arnau, is a treat in itself. The restaurant in back offers a range of traditional Catalan dishes, but the cooking is uninspired and overpriced so stick to the front room café, where you can linger over a drink, order some of the simpler offerings like pa de coca (thin country flatbreads with tomato and olive oil), cheese, cured ham, or pebrots de Padrón (fried green peppers), and enjoy a bit of local cultural history.

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.

With pan-Mediterranean cuisine and reasonable prices, this attractive bistro 100 yards west of the Rambla is perennially popular. The inexpensive lunch menu attracts in-the-know locals, and à la carte choices like scallops with pea foam are tempting and economical. Traditional marble tabletops, graceful lighting, and one country kitchen table for six or eight diners in the dining room add to the appeal.

There are days when only a pizza will do and this might be the best spot in Barcelona to satisfy the craving, with a combination of wood-fired sourdough pizzas, craft beer, top-notch artisanal ingredients, and a buzzing atmosphere. The eggplant parmigiana pizza is a best-seller, as is the tiramisu for dessert.

In a quiet square just off La Rambla, you could easily pass by Gats without being lured inside, but that would be a mistake if you're looking for a casual spot for seasonal tapas. Expect to see some familiar staples, such as jamón ibérico, pa amb tomàquet, and padrón peppers, along with more unexpected flavor combinations.

The vegan and vegetarian options in Barcelona have improved remarkably in recent years, led by the likes of The Green Spot, with its extensive menu of flavor-packed plant-based dishes designed to please nonmeat-eaters and carnivores alike. The dining room's pale oak paneling elegantly frames an open kitchen and airy dining room.

There's only one drawback to this lively Basque bar between Plaça del Pi and La Rambla: it's harder to squeeze into than the metro at rush hour. Skip the pintxos (small plates) on the bar and opt instead for the small bites brought out piping-hot from the kitchen. Pair them with a cold and refreshing Txakolí, the young, sparkling Basque white wine.

This rustic dining room in Gràcia, a spin-off from the original in Les Corts, is a great spot to savor some of Barcelona's finest paellas and rice dishes. What's more, they can be ordered as individual helpings (as opposed to that standard minimum-two-person serving)—meaning you don't have to eat the same dish as your companion. Fish, seafood, and grilled meats round out a complete menu prepared with loving care and using top ingredients. The midday set lunches offer outstanding value. The other branches at Carrer de Bordeus 35 in Les Corts and at Carrer de Muntaner 6 in Sant Antoni are just as good—the former makes a fine pre- or postmatch option if you're going to an FC Barcelona game at the Camp Nou.

Streamlined but traditional Catalan cooking means this busy and attractive spot is always packed. The crowd may be boisterous, but the dining room is seriously elegant, with crisp white tablecloths, leather chairs, and a loftlike wall of windows. Excellent hearty food, smart service, and some of the best pa amb tomàquet in town will have you squeezing in for a table.

If you have an itch for a taste of Old Havana—ropa vieja (shredded beef) or moros y cristianos (black beans and rice) with mojitos (a cocktail of rum, mint, and sugar), or a round of plátanos a puñetazos (punched plantains)—this is your Barcelona refuge. The upstairs tables overlooking the bar are cozy little crow's nests, and the neighborhood is filled with quirky dives and saloons for pre- and post-dinner carousing.

This restaurant stands out by offering creative twists on classic dishes at comparatively affordable prices. Traditional favorites such as paella, black rice, and fideuà (a paella-like pasta dish) are reinvigorated, and freshness is assured as ingredients come directly from the lonja fish quay across the street, a lively auction where Barcelona's small fishing fleet sells its wares. The fixed-price lunch menu changes weekly and offers a budget-friendly way to try what's in season. You can't do much better for value and quality in otherwise notoriously overpriced Barceloneta.

Literally "The Bishop's Belly," this casual spot achieves a rare feat: putting modern international twists on Mediterranean cuisine without ruining it. La Panxa is a bit off the beaten path and thrives on a steady stream of repeat customers, who come for superb tapas and the restaurant's own craft beer on tap.

Come up to Tibidabo for the great views, but budget time at the restaurant La Venta on Plaça Doctor Andrea, across the square from where the vistas unfold, for lunch in a charming Moderniste setting. For an unusual appetizer, try the uni (sea urchin) au gratin.

Just two blocks uphill from Gaudí's Sagrada Família church, this kitchen serves lovingly prepared and clued-in dishes ranging from warm goat-cheese salad to foie (duck or goose liver) to chuletón de buey a la sal (beef cooked in salt). Decidedly old-school, the interior is largely unchanged since the restaurant opened in 1976. The "Yaya" (an affectionate term for grandmother in Spanish) was apparently of Basque origin, as the cuisine here is a pleasantly schizoid medley of Basque and Catalan.

This dapper, friendly space attracts a crowd with its excellent wine list and the well-crafted tapas based on classic Catalan and Asturian recipes. Consider the black pudding with grilled squid and fabada (Asturian bean stew). Year-round late-night hours make it a handy option.

This bar-restaurant on the Mirador de Tibidabo, with its panoramic view of the city, is a popular late-night hangout, especially after 11:30 when it becomes a disco. The menu is strong on sandwiches and tapas, but includes delicacies like grilled sea bass and cod cheeks with roasted red peppers and garlic mousseline. 

The columns and skylights of this former high-class jewelry shop now frame a Mediterranean restaurant that emphasizes wholesome, market-fresh produce in dishes such as artichoke hearts and veal carpaccio that comes sizzling from the charcoal grill. Cocktails are served until late in the elegant upstairs bar from Thursday to Saturday.

Opened in 1925 and still decorated with murals of old-time boxers, Mundial no longer packs the punch of years gone by when it served some of the best-value, no-frills tapas in the area. It retains its unfussy charm but inflated prices---especially for seafood---and inconsistent service suggest its best days are behind it. Pop in for a taste of the authentic atmosphere and classic dishes such as thin-sliced aubergines with goats' cheese, but check the prices before you order.

A fixture in the neighborhood for over 30 years, Canet is a cozy (just 12 tables, seating about 40) little hideaway with a retro decor vibe, much enjoyed by the locals. The menú del dia (prix-fixe lunch) is a bit pricy, at €12.95, but the deft touch here, with variations on traditional Catalan cooking, makes it well worthwhile.  

Specializing in San Sebastián's favorite dishes, this Basque restaurant has only one drawback: a table is hard to score unless you call well in advance. A good backup plan, though, is the tapas served at the first-come, first-served bar.

The tapas emporium of celebrity chef Carles Abellán shows us how much he admires traditional Catalan and Spanish bar food, from patatas bravas to croquetes de pollastre rostit (roast chicken croquettes), although the star dish is the truffled "bikini," or ham and cheese toastie. The counter and terrace are constantly crowded and the service can be iffy at times, but the food is worth elbowing your way through the crowd for.

Tragaluz means "skylight" (the sliding roof opens to the stars in good weather), and this is a solid choice if you're a design lover. The Mediterranean cuisine is traditional yet light and will please most palates, and it's a popular lunch spot. The entrance from the street is through a Japanese tavern that rides the currently cresting wave of sushi cravings in Catalonia. The main dining room upstairs is reached via the kitchen, and the top floor is an informal space for coffee or an after-dinner drink.

Of the many restaurants that dot the Barcelona seafront, this is one of the better mid-range options. Seafood is the focus here—raw, grilled, or fried—and there’s also an extensive menu of paellas and fideuàs, any of which are best enjoyed on the breezy terrace, overlooking Bogatell Beach and the Mediterranean.