60 Best Restaurants in Barcelona, Spain

One of the better grazing destinations in El Born (it's part of the Sagardi group of Basque restaurants) the bar here is topped with a colorful array of tapas and pintxos (bite-size snacks typical of the Basque country, served on a toothpick). The restaurant section (which also houses an art gallery) is usually completely booked, but it's more fun to sip and nibble in the bar anyway.

Weather permitting, this French-inspired oyster bar puts tables and banquettes out in the Plaça Sant Vicenç, arguably the prettiest square in Sarrià. Make your choice among 12 varieties of oysters—especially the plump sweet ones from Normandy—shucked and served fresh with rye bread and pats of French butter, as well as other more elaborate tapas dishes.

There are a few fish and meat options on the menu but most visitors skip the animal proteins and opt for the impressive selection of plant-based foods. Delicious salads, tasty vegetarian curries, and fresh grilled vegetables are a hit with the health-conscious and the vegan desserts are even tastier than regular versions. There are three outposts in the city: the Barcelona flagship in Rambla de Catalunya, plus El Born and uptown in Carrer de Tuset.

Cool down with handmade ice cream or horchata (a sweet, tigernut-milk concoction) at this family-owned parlor that’s been serving up creamy goodness on the Rambla del Poblenou since 1912. Lines can be long, especially on hot days, but it’s worth the wait.

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.

If you can find this dive (literally: it's a short drop below sidewalk level), you'll encounter a warm and cluttered space with a dozen small tables and a few spots at the marble counter. Try the excellent pa amb tomàquet and Manchego cheese, Iberian cured ham, or tortilla de patatas (potato and onion omelet).

Its proximity to Barceloneta’s bustling Passeig Joan de Borbó makes this old-school tapas restaurant popular with tourists, but that doesn’t keep the locals away. Traditional Catalan small plates, including a delicious version of bombas—potato balls stuffed with meat, deep fried, and topped with a spicy sauce—are delivered by gruff but efficient waiters.

Delicious artisanal breads and pastries are baked fresh every day at this eco-certified patisserie, with different breads available on different days. The croissants, especially the almond and the seeded vegan, are considered among the best in town.

The name of this boisterous bar refers to the flutelike baguettes used for sandwiches but there's also a seemingly infinite number of tapas and small portions of everything from wild mushrooms in season to wild asparagus or xipirones (baby cuttlefish). Although the food is fresh and flavorsome, service can be brusque—perhaps a result of the sheer number of customers—and you may feel pressure to eat quickly when the queue outside is particularly long. A second branch—the original but perhaps not as good—is at Carrer Balmes 171.

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.

This stylish pastisseria looks more like a designer jewelry store than a bakery, with rows of world-class cakes and pastries gleam temptingly in glass cases, ready to be taken away or enjoyed in-store with coffee or a glass of cava. Owner Josep Rodríguez learned his craft in Michelin-starred kitchens before winning the 2011 world pastry chef of the year award for his rosa dels vents (rose of the winds) cake. Everything is made by hand with ingredients of the finest quality, but prices are reasonable, making extra helpings irresistible. There is a second branch at Via Augusta 166.

If you're jonesing for a burger, this laid-back, Venezuelan-owned fast-food spot is the place to go. The burgers are great, of course, but so are sides like deep-fried cheese sticks (tequeños) with sweet chili sauce. The burger options on the menu are mainly based on your cheese preference, so choose between cheddar, Brie, raclette, or Parmesan and don't be afraid to get your fingers messy. La Real has two locations: in Eixample and in Poble Nou. 

More than a bookstore, the café and restaurant here serves an all-day buffet until 9 pm. Readings, concerts, and book presentations round out an ample program of events. The child-friendly and Wi-Fi–equipped librería features a covered roof terrace that's perfect for munching a slice of cake while catching up on email.

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. 

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.

Top-notch coffee and homemade pastries and cakes make this organic café a particularly bustling spot at breakfast. For lunch or a casual dinner, there's a long list of focaccia sandwiches, as well as excellent quiches, pizza served by the slice, and Italian-inspired salads.

Sunlight streams through the windows of this fashionable corner coffee spot, stuffed with plants, which offers cakes, cookies and vegan pastries, plus tempting nonedibles, such as design magazines and ceramics made in a little first-floor studio.

The name, a pun on para comer algo ("to eat something" with an Andalusian accent), may be only marginally amusing, but the tapas here are no joke, from the classical calamares fritos to the pimientos de Padrón (green peppers, some fiery, from the Galician town of Padrón). Whether at a table, at the counter, or in the private dining room upstairs, this modern space does traditional tapas that reliably hit the spot.

Along with traditional pistachio and chocolate gelato, this artisan gelateria creates some truly out-there flavors, like mandarin and jasmine or brioche with toasted butter, as well as seasonal specialties like Panettone. There's also a wide variety of vegan sorbets.

The secret is out about this tiny, century-plus-old tapas bar, which has become so overrun with visitors in recent years that locals have mostly started steering clear. Nevertheless, it's an atmospheric place, and the innovative tapas—largely made using conservas (foods from cans or jars) and served as bite-size open-sandwiches called montaditos—are well worth the visit. You can’t reserve a table, so arrive early (around noon or at 6 pm when it reopens) to snag a spot.

Tucked away in the far corner of Placeta de Manuel Ribé, Barcelona’s award-winning coffee roaster has opened its very own cafe. Floor-to-ceiling windows create an open, airy atmosphere that draws coffee-lovers through its doors. Roasts rotate monthly. 

An attractive wood-and-stone cider-house replica, Sagardi piles the counter with a dazzling variety of cold Basque-style pintxos served on toothpicks; even better, though, are the hot offerings from the kitchen. The restaurant in back serves Basque delicacies like codfish omelets and txuletas de buey (beef steaks) grilled over coals. The other Sagardi branch at Carrer Muntaner 70–72 is equally good. The outdoor patio gets hectic in the high season but is quite lovely if you can find an empty spot.

Right on Sarrià’s main square, this popular, informal eatery serves an eclectic menu of tapas and main dishes, from cocas (Catalan-style focaccia) with Ibérico ham and brie to hummus, quesadillas, and hamburgers piled high with four cheeses, all in generous, affordable portions. Weather permitting, grab a table out on the Plaça, in full view of the village’s 10th-century church. 

Since opening in 2012, Barcelona’s original specialty coffee bar has been serving high-quality roasts and small bites. Floor-to-ceiling windows create an indoor-outdoor feel, regardless of where you sit. 

If you're looking for a shot or two to spur your climb to Montjuïc, grab a café latte or a flat white at this specialty coffee shop, which has several locations around the city. The gourmet cookies are decent, too. 

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.

Perhaps the only restaurant in Poble Sec to pull off “cool,” Tiberi is fashionable in just about every sense, from the fresh flowers and candle-lit interiors to its all-natural wine, often served in jugs. What stops it from becoming too cool is the unpretentious food, much of which demands messy fingers and oil-dribbled chins, such as toasted sandwiches and toothpick-skewers of olives, anchovies and cheese (called gildas).

Fresh, falafel-like balls of meat, fish, and vegetables in unique, mouthwatering combinations are prepared with laser-sharp focus by the Israeli chef helming A Tu Bola. Everything from the harissa (spicy chili paste) to the hummus is made by hand, elevating the standard far beyond that of typical street food in the surrounding Raval. Be prepared to wait for a seat in the small eating area and follow the staff's advice on portion sizes when ordering from the mix-and-match menu.