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Barcelona's restaurant scene is an ongoing adventure. Between avant-garde culinary innovation and the more rustic dishes of traditional Catalan fare, there is a fleet of brilliant classical chefs producing some of Europe's finest Mediterranean cuisine.
Catalans are legendary lovers of fish, vegetables, rabbit, duck, lamb, game, and natural ingredients from the Pyrenees or the Mediterranean. The mar i muntanya (literally, "sea and mountain"—that is, surf and turf) is a standard. Combining salty and sweet tastes—a Moorish legacy—is another common theme.
The Mediterranean diet—based on olive oil, seafood, fibrous vegetables, onions, garlic, and red wine—is at home in Barcelona, embellished by Catalonia's four basic sauces: allioli (whipped garlic and olive oil), romesco (almonds, nyora peppers, hazelnuts, tomato, garlic, and olive oil), sofregit (fried onion, tomato, and garlic), and samfaina (a ratatouille-like vegetable mixture).
Typical entrées include faves a la catalana (a broad-bean stew), arròs caldós (a rice dish more typical of Catalonia than paella, often made with lobster), and espinacas a la catalana (spinach cooked with oil, garlic, pine nuts, raisins and cured ham). Toasted bread is often doused with olive oil and rubbed with squeezed tomato to make pa amb tomàquet—delicious on its own or as a side order.
Beware of the advice of hotel concierges and taxi drivers, who have been known to falsely warn that the place you are going is either closed or no good anymore, and to instead recommend places where they get kickbacks.
Aside from restaurants, Barcelona is brimming with bars and cafés, the latter of which can serve as an outdoor meeting spot or a place to socialize and enjoy a cocktail. Be advised that the sidewalk cafés along La Rambla are noisy, dusty, overpriced, and exposed to pickpockets.
Catalan wines from the nearby Penedès region, especially the local méthode champenoise (sparkling white wine, known in Catalonia as cava), pairs perfectly with regional cuisine. Meanwhile, winemakers from the Priorat, Montsant, Empordà, and Costers del Segre regions are producing some of Spain's most exciting new wines.
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.
Between the buzzing indoor dining room, the breezy outdoor patio, and the strongest Bloody Mary game in town, there's a reason why Picnic has reigned supreme on the Barcelona brunch scene for more than a decade. House specials include the quinoa and potato hash browns, the fried green tomatoes with feta and fresh corn salsa, and, of course, the killer eggs Benedict. Accompany it with a ginger gin lemonade or one of the famous chipotle Bloody Marys and you won't go home disappointed.
Named for Roman Polanski's film of the same name, this extraordinary little spot just a block away from the Auditori de Barcelona and the new Encants market is an excellent choice for a pre- or post-concert taste of chef Lluis Ortega's improvisational cuisine, all prepared behind the bar on a single salamander. Hams, potatoes, foies, caviars, olives, anchovies, and tuna, as well as carefully selected wines and cavas, flow freely here. The main draw, though, is the cheese, which is chosen by a chef who loves it dearly and is served in perfect condition. Space is limited, so reservations are essential.
Filled with couples night after night, this candlelit dining spot is an atmospheric space that plays up the room's ancient stone, brick, and wood. The cuisine is light and contemporary, featuring classic Catalan staples like pa amb tomàquet and patatas bravas as well as inventive salads and fresh seafood. Some vegetarian dishes are available.
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.
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.
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.
A polished dining spot with a garden terrace, Roig Robí ("ruby red" in Catalan, as in the color of certain wines) maintains a high level of culinary excellence, serving traditional Catalan market cuisine with original touches directed by chef Mercé Navarro. Top-value prix fixe menus of seasonal specialties are available at both lunch and dinner.
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.
"Farm to pizza" is the tagline at this urban chic pizzeria specializing in home-cured artisanal charcuteries and pizzas made in a wood-fired oven. The dough for the Neapolitan-style pizzas is made with organic hand-milled flour, and all the ingredients are fresh, organic, seasonal, and local (some are grown on-site at the restaurant).
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.
Sense pressa means "without hurry" or "no rush" in Catalan, and if you can score one of the coveted half dozen tables here at the corner of Carrer Còrsega, you will want to linger as long as possible to enjoy this miniscule winner. Risotto de ceps (wild mushroom risotto), garbanzos con espardenyes y huevos fritos (chickpeas with sea cucumbers and fried eggs), or filet mignon of Girona beef cooked to perfection are all good choices. A wall of racked wine bottles dominates the rustic decor, perfectly appropriate for this intimate spot.
It doesn't get much trendier than this red-lit bar specializing in natural wine and sharing plates hidden behind an unmarked door round the back of Barcelona's main teaching hospital. Take a seat at the counter and watch as local, seasonal produce---from leeks to sweetbreads and crispy chicken skin filled with succulent raw shrimp---is placed on the grill in front of you. The wine selection is as funky as it gets so don't be afraid to communicate what you're into to the knowledgeable sommelier. Handy tip for first-time visitors: don't forget to keep a map handy as you wouldn't be the first person to walk past Suru multiple times before eventually finding the door.
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).
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.
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.
A block or so above Plaça Sarrià, on Major de Sarrià—the village high street—Vivanda is an ideal lunch choice, especially if the weather allows for dining in the tree-shaded garden. There’s no menù del dia (prix-fixe lunch), but à la carte prices are reasonable: standouts include the arròs caldós de sipia i escamarianets (black rice in broth with prawns).
Just off Plaça de Catalunya, this combination eco-market and restaurant serves organic ingredients prepared via healthy techniques and traditions. The beef is ecologically produced, the pastas are all made with ecologically pure flours, while the wines and vegetables are locally grown and carefully identified. There is also, unlike most Barcelona restaurants, a decent selection of delicious vegan and vegetarian options. The sustainability theme continues with the furniture and materials, all made of recycled items, adding to the lively, informal ambience redolent of London's indoor markets.
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.
This famous pilgrimage—one of the best restaurants in Catalonia for the last 50 years—is 39 km (24 miles) up the beach north of Barcelona. Sisters Paquita and Dolores Reixach, officially retired, continue to oversee the same line of classical Catalan cuisine that, despite the name Hispania, has characterized this spot from the start. Faves amb botifarra negre (fava beans with black sausage) ranks high on the list of signature dishes here, but the fresh fish and seafood from the Arenys de Mar fish auction are invariably excellent. The dining room, a long glass rectangle surrounded by nature, adds to the elegant experience. It is easily reached by the Calella train from the RENFE station in Plaça Catalunya.
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