Restaurants in Barcelona

Illuminated by the garish neon lights of tacky mobile phone shops and empty, old man bars, Bar Cañete’s gilded façade glows like an apparition. But as you step inside it feels like traveling through time to Spain’s glory days when everyone had oodles of cash to spend on fine food and wine.

White-coated waiters waltz like nimble Navy officers between the main dining room and the long, narrow bar, where debonair diners perch on leather stools and leer at chefs flinging blue-flamed pans around the open kitchen. The focus is on classic Catalan dishes spruced up with a little creative pizzazz and poetic license.

Try classic croquettes enhanced with tender lobster and other “secret ingredients,” or wild tuna tartare with Mascarpone and wild trout caviar. Meat and fish dishes (the sea bass is divine) are cooked simply but perfectly, and the three-course menú del día offers good value for money. An impressive wine menu and friendly service seal the deal.

“Why buy it if you can make it?” Such is the philosophy at Caravelle, a creative café and restaurant on Pintor Fortuny. The brainchild of Zim and Poppy, an Australian-British couple who owned gastropubs in London before coming to Barcelona, this place pairs a minimalist, seemingly effortless style with a varied American-European menu based on homemade ingredients.

Hot sauces, jam, ice cream, cola, craft beer… it’s all made from scratch, and it all tastes amazing. The menu changes seasonally, but must-tries have included the mouthwatering fried chicken, slow-cooked carnitas tacos, double cheeseburger or salmon poké bowl. The Full Spanglish brunch (available in veggie form too) will make your weekend – pair it with a flat white from the La Marzocco machine.

And it’s never too early for Caravelle’s own craft beer – Galactic pale ale, Mixtape New-World Pilsner, Midnight IPA, or many more – all brewed onsite with brewmaster Ben.

Along Passeig de Joan de Borbó, you’ll encounter dozens of restaurants, some with unique style and accomplished, local cuisine… others, well, not so much. But farther down towards Barceloneta’s beach, you’ll come across a place that serves what is arguably the best paella in the city: La Mar Salada.

Being so close to the ocean, and to the daily local fish auctions, it’s no wonder La Mar Salada specializes in seafood, as do many of the restaurants in the area. With some of the best seafood around, it’s difficult to stand out from the crowd here, making it all the more impressive that they do. La Mar Salada wins praise for its good service and comfortable atmosphere, but more importantly, for the quality and presentation of its food.

The menu is varied, incuding tapas, salads, steak and grilled fish, but most people go for their rice dishes, such as arroz negro (tinted black with squid ink) or one of their famous paellas, which I can personally vouch for as utterly delicious.

This casual, innovative Catalan restaurant and bar, sister spot to the celebrated restaurant Pla, is the perfect place to enjoy delicious, high-quality traditional dishes in a relaxed atmosphere. Well located in the Born, near the Museu Picasso, it’s a convenient stop for draft beers and tasty tapas.

Tempura-like artichokes and squid-ink croquettes brighten up the tasting menu. More elaborate plates like charcoal grilled fish of the day, or succulent meat dishes with seasonal vegetables complete the experience. Many regional wines on offer complement the deliciously generous dishes – served hot and prompt and guaranteed to please.

Steps away from the stunning façade of Palau de Musica yet far from the flow of mass tourism, Casa Lolea offers a charming, quality alternative to the overpriced pitchers of sangría that dot the plastic tablecloths of Las Ramblas. Casa Lolea ups the ante on the traditional vermouth bar, serving up a refreshing new brand of artisan sangría ideal for those looking to add modern flair to the Sunday tradition – or for anyone craving an after-work drink with a bit of fizz and plenty of sophistication.

Casa Lolea serves handcrafted and all-natural red and white varieties of sangría, as well as a tangy, herb-infused “gastronomic” sangría that is the perfect combination of spices, fruit and fizz. For spring, they are introducing a fourth variety of sangría made with white wine, elderberry and wild apple. For something a little stiffer but no less spectacular, sample one of their signature sangría cocktails, like a Lolita’s, made with vodka, orange juice, strawberries and sangría.

If a liquid lunch is not part of your diet, don’t worry, head chef Ramón (of Elsa & Fred fame) has got you covered. The non-stop kitchen offers breakfast, tapas and montaditos, and a weekly lunch special – soup and risotto, say. Try the foie micuit with onion marmalade & volcanic sea salt, cecina (cured beef) with semi-dried tomatoes & ricotta, or the salt-cured tuna with orange, scallions & almonds – all pair perfectly with a glass of sangría, wine or a house vermouth.

Thanks to its retro air and bright décor, Casa Lolea has brought a much-needed burst of style to Sant Pere Més Alt. It has also quickly become an elegant meeting spot for both urban foodies as well as young Catalans looking to revamp their grandfather’s Sunday afternoon tradition.

The man behind this hotel is an Egyptologist. That is not a line most rooftop bars can offer.

Jordi Clos founded the Derby Hotels Collection and also founded Barcelona’s Egyptian Museum, and he has furnished his hotels the way a collector would rather than the way a procurement department would. The Claris holds over 400 antiquities – more than seventy Egyptian pieces among them, plus Roman mosaics and sculpture, Turkish kilims, English furniture and work by the Catalan painter Josep Guinovart – with a small museum of its own on the first floor. The building is neoclassical, dating to 1883, and became a hotel in 1992. La Terraza del Claris has been up top ever since, back when nobody thought of a roof as somewhere to send guests.

What that buys you now is restraint. The terrace is small, low-lit and deliberately discreet, looking out over the Eixample rather than performing for it, and the pool stays reserved for guests – which means it never converts into a day club at two in the afternoon. The kitchen leans Mediterranean and seasonal, with dishes like a white asparagus vichyssoise with crab tartare, or rice with red prawns and beach squid, and the cocktail list is longer and better than a hotel terrace strictly needs.

Go when you want the view without the scene. Those are rarer than they should be.

The Escribà family has been baking cakes in Barcelona since 1906. In 1992, Joan Escribà opened a restaurant on Bogatell beach to sell savory food alongside the sweet – the rice and seafood turned out as good as the torrija – and Xiringuito Escribà has been there ever since, on the boardwalk between Poblenou and Vila Olímpica, a few steps from the water.

The house paella is paella de l’Escribà, a seafood pan built on a short-grain rice base and cooked over wood fires in an open kitchen – a detail worth noting in a city where most kitchens have gone to gas. The lineup also runs to arròs negre (black rice), a Catalan classic done straight; an Asian paella, the house fusion variant; fideuà with seafood; a Valencian paella with rabbit, chicken and flat green beans; a mixed meat-and-fish pan; and a fish-only one. These are not small plates. Plan on sharing.

On the non-rice side, the starters lean toward the sea: tuna tataki, grilled sardines, gambas al ajillo and patatas bravas in a hazelnut-tomato sauce with aioli. Desserts come from the family bakery, where the crema catalana alone is worth saving room for. The room is semi-open to the beach, with earth-toned walls, an open kitchen in full view, tables spaced to breathe and fairy lights strung up at night. Panoramic windows put most seats in direct view of the water.

Open every day of the year, including holidays. Reservations are essential; walk-ins are regularly turned away, especially on warm weekends. “Rice with attitude and the sea in our faces” is the house motto. They mean both parts.

Paella made with seawater is an old Valencian trick – the salt and minerals set the rice differently, or so the story goes. Arrosseria Xàtiva does 25 versions of it. The Gràcia flagship on Carrer del Torrent d’en Vidalet runs as a pure rice house: Riuet bomba rice from Pego Oliva (D.O. Valencia), cooked in seawater in individual pans, on a kitchen line that runs 365 days a year.

The menu is a working catalog of 25+ rice dishes. Paella Valenciana comes the way it’s meant to be, with rabbit, chicken and green beans. There’s a duck confit rice, an onion paella for vegetarians and arròs a banda – rice cooked in fish broth, served alongside the fish. At the center of the lineup sits the arròs negre, squid-ink black rice one regular called the best in Barcelona. Fideuà versions – the same treatments built on short pasta noodles instead of rice, a Catalan staple – fill the other half of the menu. And, rarely in this city, you can order a paella for one – no two-person minimum, no forcing a table to share.

The room is small and rustic, on a residential street in Vila de Gràcia, full of locals and off the tourist circuit. The kitchen cooks to order, so plan on a leisurely meal – each pan takes a good 25 to 40 minutes. The set lunch is considerably gentler on the wallet. Reservations are easy online and worth making on weekends.

Three other Grup Xàtiva outposts exist in town – Les Corts (the original), Sant Antoni and the sister Trenta3 next door to Les Corts.

In 1968, Barceloneta fisherman Enrique Majó and his wife Maria opened a small seafood restaurant on what was then still a working village’s waterfront. Their children Rosa and Enrique run it still. Can Majó sits on Carrer d’Emília Llorca Martín, on the beach-facing side of Barceloneta, with a terrace open to the Mediterranean – one of the few restaurants in the neighborhood with the water directly in front of it and nothing blocking the view. The village around it has changed beyond recognition; the restaurant mostly hasn’t.

The kitchen does Catalan seafood straight and the rice is the point. The paella marinera – prawns, mussels, clams, squid, a langostino – draws the most consistent praise. The arròs negre, squid-ink black rice served with allioli on the side, has its own following: “the best paella I’ve ever tasted,” one diner wrote. Order either for the socarrat – the crisp layer at the bottom of the pan the house gets right. The octopus, grilled and simple, is worth adding to the table.

The room itself is linen tablecloths, wooden beams and seafaring paintings. The terrace is the real draw – close enough to the water to hear the waves, busy by day, sweeping at night. It’s not the cheapest paella on the front – but worth it for a seat by the water. Tables fill quickly; lunch-only service on Sundays and Tuesdays narrows the dinner window to Wednesday through Saturday, and the restaurant is closed Mondays.

Go at sunset if you can. Toes in the sand, a cold bottle of white and a pan of rice from a family that used to fish these waters.

Most restaurants in Barceloneta list a paella or two, alongside the tapas, the pasta and the usual greatest hits. Maná 75 lists over a dozen. The open kitchen – which the house calls the longest paella line in Europe – runs to 19 stations, all firing rice in full view of the dining room.

The specialist menu runs from the obvious to the seasonal: seafood paella in señoret style (shelled), lobster, squid-ink black rice with mussels, a meat paella stacked with botifarra negra and pork ribs, arroz de carabinero in a deep scarlet broth. Winter brings a calçots rice; late spring, a paella of foie gras and Iberian pork. Broths are simmered for eight hours on a family recipe.

The room is big, around 800 square meters, with round tables built for sharing (which is the point of paella), an open kitchen as theater and a leafy outdoor terrace of red umbrellas and wooden benches. The place was laid out to feng shui principles, for what that’s worth. From the sidewalk it’s a minute to the beach.

The arroz de carabinero, the black rice and the señoret draw the most praise. Portions are generous; expect slower service during busy seasons. Set menus offer the gentler way in; à la carte runs higher. It’s a walk down Passeig de Joan de Borbó, the seaside strip of Barceloneta, past the fishing port and the boardwalk – the restaurant sits near the tip, where the pavement meets the marina.

Paella with the shells off was invented here in the 19th century for a regular who couldn’t be bothered to peel shrimp. They named it Arròs Parellada, for dandy Juli Maria Parellada, and still serve it – along with five other paellas – at 7 Portes, so named because the ground floor has seven doors open to Passeig Isabel II. It opened as a coffeehouse in 1836, turned restaurant in 1929, and has traded on its cuisine and its address in equal measure ever since.

The building is part of Porxos d’en Xifré, a Parisian-style arcade commissioned by shipping magnate Josep Xifré in a nod to Rue de Rivoli. Inside: checkered tile floors, timber ceilings, white-clothed tables, bow-tied waiters and brass plaques on the banquettes marking where Lorca, Orson Welles, Pelé, Che Guevara, Gorbachev and Picasso once sat. Works by Picasso, Miró and Tàpies hang on the walls. A pianist plays many nights.

Beyond the paellas, the menu reads like a greatest-hits of mid-century Catalan cooking: house canelons, bacallà fritters, pan con tomate, roasted vegetables, jamón ibérico sliced to order, anchovies in vinegar – an honest, polished version of what’s on a hundred other menus around town, served in a much better room. Many call it a high point – traditional, professional, worth the price – but some complain of slipping service and dishes that don’t always live up to the postcard. Prices sit on the higher end of €€€.

Go knowing what you’re there for. The plaques, the Parellada and a room that has hosted six generations of Barcelona – that’s worth the ticket. The space is big, with several dining rooms over two floors, so walk-ins often work on weekdays; a reservation through the website is easy when you want one.

In Barcelona, paella usually comes by the pan and for two. Casa Amàlia, opened in 1950 next to the Mercat de la Concepció, is one of the few central spots where you can order one for yourself – and not just a basic seafood version, but creative variants like mountain rice with rabbit and butifarra, wagyu beef, cocochas, or the Onyar-Merlès with duck magret, foie and figs.

The restaurant relaunched in 2020 under new ownership as Casa Amàlia 1950. Most ingredients now come from stalls inside the market next door, with the dishes traced back to their producers; a digital menu surfaces who grew what. The short-grain cristal rice – the hollow-centered kind that absorbs broth – ships in from Molí de Pals in the Empordà region.

Before the rice, warm up with croquetas (the spinach “Popeye” is as good as the meat version), a plate of torreznos, or whatever starter the server recommends. Finish with the torrija, caramelized and dense. Service is Catalan old-school: staff who remember the regulars and aim to turn first-timers into regulars. Inside, traditional hydraulic tiles and refurbished wood abound; two private rooms, Sala 1950 and Sala Rovira-Beleta, are good for small groups. Outside, tables spill onto the pedestrianized Passatge del Mercat when the weather cooperates. The feel is more neighborhood trattoria than tourist destination.

A second Casa Amàlia sits inside the Time Out Market at Port Vell offering sea views and a different experience. But the original is this one. Come alone, come as six – the pans arrive one to a person.

Pedro Ruipérez had a thing for Wild West attire. Cheriff, the nickname that stuck, has been over the door of this Barceloneta seafood house since 1959. Sixty-five years later the place sits on a quiet block of Carrer de Ginebra – inland from Port Vell, no sea view, no chiringuito lineup outside – which is exactly how the regulars want it.

A recent refresh by Mesura studio gave the small dining room terrazzo floors, warm wood and naval-blue tones; the studio’s own brief called the effect “intellectual elegance.” Fresh fish and seafood still come up the block from the boats at Moll de la Planxeta, minutes away. The menu reads more like a rice-lover’s dossier than a tourist hit parade. The paella del Cheriff stars Galician clams and espardeñas (sea cucumbers – a local delicacy). The paella de marisco pelada, the house specialty, arrives with the shells already removed so you can get on with the eating. Lobster rice varies by whatever came off the boats that morning. The arròs caldós and arròs negre both have a following.

Loyalists call it the best paella in Barcelona; detractors flag the bill. They’re both right. This isn’t cheap – lobster is market priced – and it’s not the flashiest paella on the beach. It’s where Barceloneta families bring their kids when they want them to know what good rice tastes like. It’s a small room, so book before you go.

Vegan-Mexican restaurant Gallo Santo originally launched in October 2018 in Gràcia, priding itself as Spain’s first fully plant-based Mexican eatery. Founded by three partners (a couple and a friend), they are Magdalena Bielak, chef Benjamín Padilla, and Rodrigo Alcaraz. After weathering the Covid storm, in 2022, they opened their second location in Marina, and are going from strength to strength.

So what’s on the menu? They fuse bold Mexican flavors and creative vegan ingredients: expect dishes like Coconut Ceviche, Sweet Potato Flautas, Tortilla Soup, and the signature tacos (e.g., Al Pastor, Tofish) as well as burritos, bowls and tamales. On weekends, the Marina branch serves a Mexican vegan brunch bringing dishes like Chilaquiles Verdes with a plant-based “egg.” Wash it all down with a cocktail, mezcal, tequila, or one of their standout micheladas.

Gallo Santo aims to bring “all types of eaters to the table,” blending plant-based cuisine with the spirit of Mexican street food.

Contraban is the signature restaurant of the Wittmore Hotel, a boutique adults-only hotel tucked into a narrow alley in the Barri Gòtic. While the hotel itself emphasizes art, design and culture, its culinary offering has garnered notable acclaim – the restaurant is recognized by the Michelin Guide.

For Contraban, chef Alain Guiard drives the kitchen, presenting an “emotion-based” menu that draws inspiration from the creative process itself. The menu changes with the seasons, but some examples include: the scarlet prawn carpaccio with sour cream, lime and chives; wild duck magret, spec and polenta risotto with gordal olives; or the marinated salmon, soy and yuzu.

And the setting? A cozy interior with book-lined walls, soft lighting, and a courtyard with a vertical garden, alongside a rooftop terrace (Sobreatico) offering a more informal version of the dining experience. It’s modern, elegant and très chic.

Mog is a modern Goan restaurant run by siblings Raul and Rachel, offering homey Indian recipes with Barcelona’s sharing-plate style, paired with natural wines.

The interior features wine-colored accents and exposed red brick, reflecting the owners’ love of natural wine. The menu is concise, with eleven mains and starters, two sides, and a dessert. Expect coconut, tamarind, and ginger flavors mixed with local seasonal ingredients. Highlights include the crunchy beef curry “croquetas,” vibrant Goan fish curry, and the Mog Ka Prao with spicy mince, mushrooms, and raw egg yolk. Dessert is a showstopper: coco crème brûlée with pandan leaf and a smooth cardamom ice cream. Delicious.

A destination for both casual lunches and special evenings with friends or that someone special, Mog is a must-experience right in the heart of the Eixample.

Hidden within Barcelona’s Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district, Mina is an intimate Italian-inspired restaurant that has quickly gained quite the loyal following. With its warm, minimalist aesthetic (very Instagrammable @minabarcelona_), this place is the answer to those dimly-lit romantic nights out with that someone special. With a focus on “natural wines and great vibes,” it prides itself on a small, but meticulously crafted menu that changes with the seasons, ensuring that each dish is fresh and full of flavor.

So what’s on the menu? Focusing on simplicity and authenticity, the menu offers a contemporary take on traditional Italian favorites, but in small plate form. You can expect freshly made pasta, seafood dishes and plant-based creations. We’d recommend the marinated Mussels with zucchini and mint, the tonnato tongue and roasted pepper, or the mushroom ravioli with coffee.

This hidden gem offers a taste of modern Italian cuisine with a distinctive, personal touch – perfect for those seeking a stylish and sophisticated dining experience.

Gràcia’s Fonda Pepa gastrobar is known for its fusion of traditional Catalan cuisine with modern techniques. Chefs Paco Benítez and Pedro Baño (who’ve worked in renowned establishments like Caelis and Noma), lead the kitchen with a focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

A humble spot, the restaurant’s interior retains classic elements of bygone years, with a green and orange tiled bar and exposed wooden beams, creating a cozy, tavern-like atmosphere.

So what can you expect to eat here? The menu is dynamic, changing regularly to reflect the freshest produce available. Signature dishes include cap i pota prepared with a unique method that incorporates sauce from previous batches to maintain consistent flavor, as well as creamy cod buñuelos and pâté de campagne. Of course, there’s a mix of tradition and innovation, so prepare your tastebuds for an exciting experience.

A modern seafood bistro that reimagines the traditional marisquería concept, Batea is situated on the ground floor of the Avenida Palace Hotel. While traditional seafood restaurants tend to be quite formal and classic in style, this place (the brainchild of chefs Marta Morales, Carles Ramon and Manuel Núñez) proposes something new and fresh: a seafood restaurant that is cool, vibrant and effortlessly sophisticated.

This cosmopolitan eatery offers a fusion of Catalan and Galician cuisines, focusing on high-quality, market-fresh seafood dishes that highlight both Atlantic and Mediterranean flavors. The menu features small plates ideal for sharing, such as oysters, red shrimp, Betanzos omelette, Galcian clams and fried monkfish tails.

Complementing the cuisine is a selection of seasonal cocktails that are based on freshness, “sour” flavors, herbs, flowers, lots of bubbles and citrus. The idea? For you to live a real marine experience between two coasts.

“Feel good. Be good.” is the tagline of Barcelona’s newest brunch spot. The Egg Lab, the first completely egg-based restaurant in Barcelona, now has three locations in the city: Sepúlveda, Bruc and Lluís el Piadós.

Its mission is simple: to offer a sustainable, healthy and unique brunch. To this end, they collaborate with local producers and artisans (their free-range eggs come from the Sant Lluís farm in Dosrius and the bread is made at the Forn de Sant Josep). And, of course, a good brunch always starts with a good coffee. Their supplier is the Tornado Coffee Roasters, a micro-roaster in Granollers, that roasts coffee exclusively for them.

Starting with two main ingredients – eggs and bread – this bruncherie shows that even with the simplest of ingredients, we can enjoy an exceptionally varied and delectable menu. If one of the eight different egg sandwiches doesn’t do it for you, we recommend trying the sweet apple pancakes or the french toast.

“A restaurant with the spirit of a bistrot.” That’s what Hotel Villa Emilia’s ground floor restaurant brings to the space. Founded by a couple named Katja and Antoine, the Bistrot Villa Emilia offers a charming space to dine within the premises of this chic hotel.

The intimate, dimly-lit space provides the perfect spot for a lunch with friends or date night dinner with that special someone. They offer a lunchtime menu called La Fórmula which comes in half and full versions. There’s an extensive evening menu for larger meals or, if you prefer sharing options, they provide small dishes, cheeses and cold cuts all day.

The best thing about this place is its terrace which opens on warmer days of the year. From here, you can enjoy the food, sample the cocktails, watch the sunset and listen to the live music that plays on Saturday nights. What’s not to love?

It’s true that Barcelona has a selection of some of the finest Mexican restaurants in Europe. But just when you think it couldn’t get any better, you discover Xuba Tacos.

In 2021, Chef Antonio Saéz – he’s directed the kitchens of Lasartes and the Hotels Arts together with well-known chef Raúl Salcido – decided to take the leap and set up his very own taqueria. Yes, it’s a “fast food” restaurant, but it’s just so much more than that. Xuba serves a variety of tacos, quesadillas, sides and desserts.

The tacos come in blue corn tortillas and you can choose from a variety of fillings: from lobster to chicken, sea bass to mushroom. The best thing about this place is that it serves up extremely good quality food at affordable prices. So if you’re passing by, we definitely recommend stopping off and sampling some tasty tacos for yourself.

Looking for somewhere totally unique to eat in Barcelona? Try Mikan. Offering a blend of cuisines from northeastern China, Japan and Korea, this restaurant and wine bar should be at the top of your list of new places to try.

During the day, this cozy restaurant nestled away in the Eixample serves a cheap and healthy set menu with both vegetarian and vegan options. By night, they’re an intimate wine bar with small plates to share and a selection of natural cuvées from small European producers – perfect for date night.

We recommend trying the bok choy with sautéed wood ear mushrooms, the carrot sesame and bean sprout salad, the miso soup, the wasabi mayonnaise prawns, or the fried potatoes with red shiso furikake. What’s more, they are hot on natural wines, so make sure to check out their selection while you’re there.

Anyone with an interest in food will be aware of the world’s obsession with ramen. This Japanese noodle soup is fast-becoming one of the city’s most loved dishes, with ramen spots popping up all over the place. And now there’s a new one. The unassuming Noru Bar, located on Carrer de Pere IV in Poblenou, is turning into one of the most sought after ramen restaurants in the city.

With a simplistic menu, Noru Bar currently only has four types of ramen available: laksa curry, kimchee, tan tan men and miso. On the side, you can choose from the likes of a Chinese-style cabbage dish that is seasoned with a sour-spicy vinaigrette and peanuts, or the edamame with smoked salt and sesame sauce.

While there isn’t a huge amount to choose from, we can promise you that the dishes on offer are superb. Sometimes keeping it simple is the key to staying authentic!

If you haven’t yet been to Desoriente in Poblenou, you’re in for a very unique experience. This vegan restaurant is nothing short of…d isorientating. It is a place where the Taj Mahal, Mount Fuji, Borobudur, Thailand Beaches, Angkor, La Costa Brava, Halong Bay, Tokyo Streets and Rambla del Poblenou meet through flavors.

The menu here has been especially designed to excite and surprise diners. With everything plant-based, you can choose from a range of foods from ramen to sushi, hamburgers to tapas. Without basing their menu on a single world cuisine, they’ve managed to bring together a diverse, fun and disorientating selection of foods to leave you wanting more.

You can wash it all down with a selection of world beers, wines, or choose one of their unique cocktails: we recommend either the Michelada Went to Korea (beer, Korean mix and soy) or the Aperol Spritz went to Asia (Aperol, cava and orange foam).

One for the football fanatics, founded in 1928, Monopol Sports Club has dedicated its existence to football. After a closure during the Civil War, it was refounded in 1943. Years laters it opened a football school in 1983 and later created spaces for table tennis and table football. During football matches, this cozy bar still draws in plenty of local supporters.

Sitting proudly on Rambla del Poblenou, the venue serves as a bar and neighborhood social club where various leisure activities are held for young and old. These include football tournaments, vermouth parties, craft markets, concerts and even book clubs.

With a traditionally Catalan feel to the place, you can try some of the authentic Catalan tapas, such as a range of tinned seafood, pan con tomate, botifarra, and patatas bravas. Or, try one of their signature hamburgers and wash it all down with a beer or vermouth.

Sister to Fat Barbies, vegan restaurant Fat Veggies specializes in barbeque and smoked vegetables.

Taking their love of veggies to a new level, they have put together an extensive menu. We recommend trying the wood-grilled cauliflower accompanied with a cauliflower and white chocolate purée, as well as the smoked carrots and carrot gremolata as a romesco sauce. You’ll also love the lentil falafel with sweet and sour smoked apricots and cucumber kimchi. Wash it all down with one of their signature kombuchas and you’re in for a real treat.

And rest assured, Fat Veggies only uses the best local, organic and eco-friendly suppliers and ingredients, from the vegetables, to the olive oil, to the wood used to smoke it all. With something to satisfy everyone, this is one place you should put on your list to try.

Looking for something a bit more upmarket in Sant Antoni? We have the answer – Alkimia. Located on Ronda de Sant Antoni, this restaurant (whose name translates to “Alchemy”) is the brainchild of Catalan chef Jordi Vilà.

Jordi has been cooking since the young age of 15. After graduating from the Joviat Hospitality School in Manresa, he went on to cook at many of the city’s top eateries. Then, in 2002 he opened Alkimia with Sònia Profitós. An immediate success, in 2004 it obtained a Michelin star and in 2006 the restaurant was also awarded the guide “The best of gastronomy” in the pastry category.

Jordi has devised a menu devoted to the past, present and future of Catalan cuisine. While he roots much of the food in tradition, he also aims to push the boundaries of gastronomy with some of the most radical recipes in the city. We recommend the roasted macaroni, grilled roger paella, or the stuffed pork feet.

If you’re a lover of Italian cuisine, you’re in for a treat at Isabella’s. Serving up some of Italy’s most well-loved dishes, this restaurant is one to try! Yet, it’s not simply just another Italian restaurant, but rather offers a complete experience.

Isabella, the woman behind the restaurant, was born and raised among tagliatas, parpadelles and tiramisus. Now she is in charge of recapturing the food of her childhood and bringing it to the plate. Alongside her chefs, she has a network of local suppliers, family and friends who provide the restaurant with the best raw materials so that all dishes are of the highest quality. The result is a Mediterranean gastronomic menu based on seasonal products, simple and unpretentious for lovers of authentic Italian food.

We recommend the truffled fetuccini with parmesan cream, penne all’arrabbiata, “Blue Finn” spicy tuna tartare with avocado, or the grilled chicken pallarda with arugula.

If you’re looking for a restaurant with good food and a local feel, then Santamasa is for you. Located on Carrer Major de Sarrià, this bustling neighborhood eatery is the perfect place to take friends and family and enjoy a shared meal.

With restaurants already in Sant Cugat and Sabadell, this is Santamasa’s first in the city of Barcelona. And what a perfect location – sitting next to Sarrià’s pretty 18th-century church, it is an enticing spot for a light meal at any time of day, with red-brick arches and a rustic-chic style.

The menu is wide-ranging, with a mix of creatively topped pizzetes (small pizzas), salads, open-faced sandwiches, fondue, burgers, and good sharing appetizers such as hummus, cheeses and guacamole. Looking for a mid week snack? There’s a lunch menú on weekdays! What’s more, if you’re in the mood for a Santamasa meal but don’t want to head out, you can order anything off the menu to your home.

The fifth generation now leads this seafood restaurant, which first opened in 1908. A favorite of locals, it was first opened by the Cid family who lived in Barceloneta. As the years passed, it gained something of a reputation for its high quality, traditional food and soon became a classic tavern in the local neighborhood.

So why is it called Can Ros rather than being named after the CId family? The name Can Ros comes from the fact that some Cid are redheads! A tongue in cheek joke from the humorous Catalan family who loved to live, laugh and cook!

The restaurant’s decor is a reminder of simpler times, and the food really hits the spot. We highly recommend the rich seafood rice dishes and fideuà (a paella-like fish and seafood noodle dish) with cuttlefish or the muscles with rice and beer. Finish it all off with the “torrija” with black chocolate ice cream – delicious!

Looking for a fish restaurant with a twist? Try Fishølogy!

A new project created to publicize its philosophy regarding the sea and the products it offers us, this restaurant is based on examining and updating ancestral techniques used for the preparation and conservation of fish.To prepare, everyone behind Fishølogy has studied the history of preparing fish – from ancient times to present day! They’ve got to grips with all the necessary techniques for creating the perfect fish dish including preserving, salting, maturing, pickling and smoking. And of course, they use the highest-quality, fresh and sustainably-produced fish they can get their hands on.

Each fish dish on the menu is made with their very own approaches that have been experimented with in the restaurant’s laboratory. So whether you fancy something traditional or new, they’ve got you covered. What’s more, they produce their very own artisanal Vermouth made from a special mix of botanicals, flowers and spices. Don’t forget to try it!

If you love poke, you’ll love Hula Poke! Not sure what poke is? It’s a diced raw fish served either as an appetizer or a main course and is one of the main dishes of Native Hawaiian cuisine. In fact, the name “poke” literally means “to cut crosswise into pieces” in Hawaiian language.

Hula Poke restaurant was established to fulfill the city of Barcelona’s poke needs. They begin with the base (such as quinoa), the protein (usually fish), the toppings (choose from a range including avocado, ginger, onion, and wakame), the sauce, and you’re good to go.

With a handful of restaurants in Barcelona, a food truck that turns up to all your favorite festivals and events, and the option to takeaway, we’re sure that you’ll be able to get your poke fix whenever you need it!

Taberna Noroeste (“North West” in English) is a new edition to El Poble Sec neighborhood.

This restaurant’s menu starts from the base of typical ingredients from the north and west of the country. With over 25 years of experience, Chef Javier contributes the “north” side of the menu due to his origins in La Coruña, while Chef David, who comes from Salamanca, makes up the “west.” The aim of both chefs is to transport the diner to different corners of Spain without leaving the city.

We recommend the marinated tuna with organic leeks, the mussels with a secret marinade, octopus, suckling lamb with Galician potato amongst many other superb dishes. Wash these dishes down with a selection of wines from across Spain. Taberna Noroeste is even more special as it promises 100% fresh products, whether directly from the sea, the mountains or farms.

Have you experienced the latest offering from Grupo Varela? On the corner of Plaça Molina you’ll find the restaurant, La Xarxa! If you’re a fan of the group’s other restaurants, such as Casa Varela and L’estupendu, then you’re sure to love this one too.

The small restaurant has an indoor dining area and kitchen, with a large outdoor terrace where you can sit and soak up the rays while watching the people go by. But the best part about the restaurant is the food and wine. If you love traditional Catalan and Spanish dishes, made with high quality, local ingredients and good service, then book your table now!

The menu is filled with seasonal dishes including chicken and parmesan croquettes, fresh artichokes, peas from Maresme, salmon tartar, and much more! If you don’t want a full meal, you could even stop by for a selection of fresh oysters and a glass of crisp white wine.

On the corner of Carrer del Rosselló and Enric Granados you’ll find the latest edition to L’Eixample: La Balabusta. Sitting just opposite its sister restaurant, Auto Rossellon, it serves up some of the best Israeli cuisine in the city.

Founders and owners Ronit Stern and Rafael Campos have created a space that pays homage to the food of the Middle East, using fresh, locally sourced Mediterranean vegetables. The restaurant’s name – Bala Busta – references a Yiddish term for a well run and welcoming household.

We recommend starting with the fried anchovies, hake kebab or chicken schnitzel. Then try the bone-in brisket or their special Shakshuka and add a side of challah bread and tahini. A more relaxed dining experience, the food is served on aluminum trays with a layer of baking parchment and you are able to help yourself to cutlery from the middle of the table.

Opened in February 2021 in Barcelona’s Esquerra de l’Eixample district, Besta has become a fixture on the city’s gastronomic scene.

Two chefs – Manu Nuñez from Galicia and Carles Ramon from Catalunya – have combined their cooking skills and the very best of the unique tastes from their respective home regions in this sophisticated restaurant, where ingredients and dishes change constantly, depending on the season. They’re mantra: To work with the pantry of their two origins – the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Set in a rustic, yet minimalistic setting, the restaurant offers a cozy oasis to sit in and enjoy the delights served to you. Some of the past menus’ specialties have included Galician oysters, Niguiri croquettes with sea bass, lobster rice, as well as roasted bream, carrot and sauerkraut. If you get the chance try their gorrión gin-based drink. Specifically created for them (GinBesta) it is made with algae and oysters. Delicious!

If you’re looking for a place to try some top-quality seafood, then check out Camping Mar. Created by Tomás Tarruella, who has also developed some of the city’s best restaurants including The Green Spot, Gats and Gallito, the restaurant sits alongside the marina with gorgeous sea views.

Tomás chooses new concepts for each of his restaurants. The starting point, inspiration and cultural influences vary in each case. However they always share the same essence: places with personality, careful attention to design and gastronomy, and quality of the products presented in avant-garde environments at a fair price.

Camping Mar’s offering is that it provides a way to leave Barcelona, without actually having to leave it. While many of the seafront restaurants are teeming with tourists, this one caters mainly to locals. We recommend the black squid-ink paella with scallops, Nordic-style grilled salmon, and steamed mussels with ginger and lime.

Hidden within El Raval, you’ll find the exquisite Dos Palillos Japanese restaurant and sake bar.

A treat for the tastebuds, it’s name – “two chopsticks” in English – refers to the chopsticks of Japan mixed with the toothpicks used to eat tapas with. This is a nod to the two cultures, through basic wooden utensils, minimal in design, primitive and modern at the same time. Dos Palillos gastronomy offers a creative cuisine, based on Asian gastronomy mainly from Japan, China and Southeast Asia. Choose from the tasting menu of go à la carte, and sit at one of their tables inside or their small terrace.

Next there’s the Sake Bar! Offering more than 40 quality sake, you’ll be able to make your choice by looking at a sake map and selecting directly from the region and flavor (aromatic, balanced, structured, ripe, sweet…). Here you can choose from a small selection of Dos Palillos classics such as the japo burger, neo-sushi and sashimi.

If you love Indian food, you’re in for a treat! The Little Andaman bar and restaurant on Carrer Muntaner in Barcelona’s Eixample is a pioneering proposal for lovers of Indian food and modern palates.

Named after an island off India’s mainland, Little Andaman offers its guests a light and healthy Indian approach to cooking. Far from the typical Indian cuisine that you can typically find here in Barcelona, their menu features seafood and Indian style tapas with an interesting selection of contrasting fresh flavors.

Not as focused on spices as one might imagine, this restaurant is truly unique in every way. As well as more traditional Indian dishes such as a selection of curries, naans and rice, they offer a wide range of vegetarian and vegan options. Accompany this with one of their exotic cocktails, local wines or beers for a truly delectable experience!

Poblenou gastrobar Cacho is a space where city-dwellers can find homemade food, amazing music, local beers and “the best terrace of the @22 district” according to them.

They have an everyday, afterworks and brunch menu to make sure all your needs are covered. We recommend trying the picanha roast beef sandwich or their mouth-wateringly amazing huevos rancheros for brunch. Yet, the show-stopper is the specialty cacho plato: a one-plate dish that you can fill with meat, fish or a veggie option.

Accompany your food with one of their craft beers or Catalan wines. And don’t forget to finish it all off with a sweet treat such as the Pistachio Tiramisu or one of their homemade cakes.

Head on over and say hi! They’re open for breakfast, lunch, after work, and brunch on the weekends.

Looking for tapas with a twist? Look no further – Albé has arrived! Often defined as the epitome of love in the Arabic language, Albé means “my heart.” At Albé, the team believes that everything they do should come from the heart. Every single ingredient, cooking technique and interaction has been wholeheartedly selected by one of their team members to create a memorable experience.

This gastrobar offering Catalan dishes with a genuine Lebanese touch, declares that they are not a fusion restaurant, but rather, make their own interpretations and pair them with handpicked wines. Their extensive menu is a treat for the tastebuds. We recommend trying the duck magret, freekeh, bimi and bigarade sauce, or the mackerel cured in Lebanese spices, avocado laban and codium. What’s more they offer their own Lebanese take on the classic Catalan bravas.

Their ultimate goal is to delight you with the best dishes that Catalunya has to offer – yet with a Lebanese touch.

Eat My Trip is a brunch spot opened in 2018 that ties together the inspiration of travel and food through the fusion of flavors from around the world. Founder Genia, trained as an economist, has always loved baking and after her home brunch sessions for friends took off she decided to swap a life crunching numbers for cracking eggs. The concept has been so successful she opened a second location in Madrid earlier this years.

The daring cafés give eggs Benedict a new look and taste, swapping the core identity of the brunch classic – Hollandaise sauce – for a special Thai curry topping. Don’t panic people, this swap is so delicious your faith in traditional eggs Benny will be left shaken. Sweet tooth? How about the Magic Waffle with with salted caramel, sour cream and tropical fruits, hidden under a display of pink cotton candy? There are plenty of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and healthy options too, such as a Tahini-dressed Quinoa Buddha Bowl with veggies, hummus and roasted peanuts, or the Açai Energy Bomb packed with fruit, coconut milk, granola and nuts.

Latte lover? How about swapping your caffeine for a blue Matcha, rose Barbie or golden Turmeric hot drink? If you can’t let go of your routine for caffeine, Eat My Trip still have you covered with their perfectly brewed coffee, sourced from arabica beans grown on a microlot in Colombia and roasted on a weekly basis in Catalunya. For special occasions they’ll prepare made-to-order cakes and sell their own homemade cookies, granola and nut butters. The interior continues with the handmade inspiration – everything was made by Genia and her friends with objects they found or fashioned themselves.

Now there’s even more reason to stop by: on weekends, Bottomless Brunch is available. Mimosa anyone? Calling all brunch and café enthusiasts – you need to visit Eat My Trip.

Outdoor seating is available

The highly rated Raó, located close to Place Catalunya, has established itself as a must-visit for its gourmet tapas and platillos (medium-size dishes perfect for sharing). “Raó” in Catalan translates to “reason” and three of those underpin what this dining hotspot offers.

Locally sourced and seasonal products are favored to create modern delights based on a selection of Mediterranean and traditional local dishes; the restaurant is a stylish, cozy space located in one of the most emblematic streets of the city; and experienced, energetic staff are on hand to give you the kind of fulfilling service that ensures that you’ll be back to devour more.

An open kitchen reveals chefs dishing up and serving local favorites like grilled octopus, Spanish tortilla with truffle sauce, pan-seared scallops with cauliflower purée, free-range duck breast, red mullet with foie gras and many more, including several plant-based options.

Rice in this city tends to arrive one of two ways: the seafront pan cooked for whoever walks past, or the old-guard arrosseria where the recipe hasn’t moved in forty years. CruiX found a third. Since November 2017 chef Miquel Pardo has run this small, brick-walled room on Carrer d’Entença, a short walk up from Plaça Espanya, and it holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Pardo grew up in Onda, in Castellón, and came up through serious kitchens: Jordi Cruz at Abac, Rafa Peña at Gresca, Albert Adrià out in Ibiza. Then he took over a former Galician bar and made it his own. What he runs is a tasting menu rather than an à la carte paella house – a procession of small, inventive plates that ends with a rice pan set in the middle of the table to share. The tapas are where he plays: Peking duck croquettes with a touch of mint, fuet nigiri, fish tacos under a black garlic mole.

Then the pan lands and the meal reorients around it. Pardo spreads the rice thin across a wide pan so more of it meets the fire, which is how every serving arrives with socarrat, the caramelized crust at the bottom that Valencians will argue about all afternoon. The lineup rotates: a classic Valencian paella, a baby squid black rice under aioli mousse, a rice with lágrima ibérica and eggplant. There’s reliably a vegan one too. Tasting menus start from around €45.

It’s a small room and it fills up, so plan ahead – and pace yourself through the tapas, because the pan is the part you came for.

Fabio is an Italian chef while Roser is from Barcelona. The two met on the Camino de Santiago. He was cooking in a Michelin-starred restaurant and she was a naturopath. Their meeting changed the path of their lives and led to their opening this restaurant.

Fabio runs the kitchen and Roser handles the front of house. Based in a former bus terminal that dates to 1925, the restaurant has a distinctive interior with two well-lit dining rooms. The steep hills of the El Coll neighborhood are reminiscent of Lisbon. The food is a combination of local and Italian, all with a good dose of flair. The canelones come bathed in béchamel, decorated with a crisscross of colors that would be equally at home on a gallery wall.

Desserts are unusual: kataïfi pastry with mild cheese and ripe persimmon, for example. While the menú del día is excellent value, Agreste de Fabio & Roser is creative and beautiful enough to make it a special occasion or lunch with friends’ destination.

Update (July 2026): temporarily closed — reopening expected autumn 2026.

Capet is “little head” in Catalan. It’s also the name of a small fish that lives in the Mediterranean, as well as a restaurant on a perpetually shaded street in the Barri Gòtic.

An open kitchen sends out mostly Catalan dishes, which display a sound background in classic French techniques. The jus has a sheen so perfect you can catch your reflection in it. Each dish has an unexpected twist, something that makes the familiar memorable. The cep (mushroom) broth, for example, comes with a 63°C egg and baby pickled chard stems. The dishes can be deceptively simple, like the curly endive leaves with ripe figs, their red insides jewel-like with homemade Mató cheese. The lemon pie comes on a shard of pastry, interspersed with burnished meringue and mouth-puckering lemon curd.

It’s a sure bet that chef Armando is behind these dishes, supported by a great front-of-house led by Núria. Speaking to either will be the perfect accompaniment to the meal.

Nestled away on Passeig Sant Gervasi, Koh-ndal delivers authentic Thai food with a Mediterranean twist (thanks to its French-Catalan owners). The dishes are generous are dazzlingly colorful, as if designed to set your Instagram account ablaze.

Pop in for brunch, lunch or dinner and start with homemade Coconut Dream mussels served with lime and fresh Thai herbs, or maybe the homemade edamame hummus with wantung chips and minty sour cream. Satiate your street food cravings with a traditional Pad Thai or soulful Thai Soba with chicken and sautéed vegetables. And definitely don’t miss the mango and curry-infused shrimp skewers. Naturally, you’ll also find a selection of red and green curries with tender strips of chicken or duck, as well as soups that will transport you straight to the heart of Bangkok.

Wash it all down with an ice-cold Singha or Mai Tai cocktail, and finish your feast with a pleasingly squidgy Nutella Bao Bun sprinkled with coconut shavings.

Bicos means “little kisses” in Gallego, and it’s a befitting name for this Galician corner restaurant. The interior is styled to look like a beach house: there are starfish painted on the plates, which sit on jute placemats, and pillows are layered thick in the corners.

It’s a small restaurant, but the cozy space fills up quickly with Galicians. The service is friendly and warm, with plenty of dimpled smiles thrown in. Some dishes are familiar, while others will need an explanation – such as the lacón, a Galician cooked ham. Order the ensaladilla rusa: it comes with seaweed, cockles and fish roe, transforming a typical menu staple into something exciting.

End your meal with the leche frita, or fried milk, which will have your eyes rolling into your head with delight – it’s like the best parts of a crema catalana with the added benefit of being fried and having a crispy outside and a quenelle of ice cream on top. It’s advisable not to order this dessert to share.

While Boa-Bao may take diners on a culinary journey through flavors of Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and beyond, this pan-Asian restaurant in fact began life closer to home: in Portugal. Having enjoyed success in Lisbon and Porto, the international team have now brought their concept to Barcelona, with a third locale on Plaça Dr. Letamendi.

Inspired by authentic street food, the menu at this industrial-chic restaurant combines a host of Asian favorites, plus lesser-known dishes. Bite into light, fluffy bao buns filled with Peking duck or sweet-and-sour shrimp; try salmon bulgogi or japchae, Korean sweet potato noodles with beef; or fill up on creamy, delicious curries from Malaysia, Thailand or Indonesia.

Fans of Asian cuisine will find themselves spoilt for choice, so opt for a range of dishes to share to get the full experience. Be sure to try the cocktails, too – also inspired by Asian flavors, they’ll make a perfect accompaniment to the delights on your plate.