These are the traditional Barcelona restaurants and cafes that I go back to time and time again. They may not be listed as the best restaurants in Barcelona; there’s no Michelin stars here, but they all have delicious food, decent service and have a very good quality to price ratio.
La Cova Fumada – For an Early Lunch
La Cova Fumada, is a fantastic traditional tapas bar in Barceloneta. They open at 9am and close at 3pm, which is very early for a Catalan lunch, so come here instead for an esmorzar de forquilla – a hearty brunch which was enjoyed by Catalan farmworkers.
Classic dishes include cap i pota (head and feet stew), a bomba (meat and potato croquettes), black pudding and a range of amazing fish dishes for a more traditional Barcelona brunch that will fill you up until dinner!
Bar Joan – For Market Fresh Tapas or Lunch Menu
Santa Catarina market is much more of a local market than La Boqueria, and has a wide selection of fresh produce, seafood, meats, and artisanal products. It’s a popular spot for both locals and tourists looking for high-quality ingredients and in the far corner you’ll a great place to eat too.
Bar Joan is good for a quick breakfast, tapas or a fantastic menu del dia, with the menu changing daily depending on what is fresh at the market. They don’t take reservations and close at 3.30pm, so time your visit around 1pm to beat the local lunch rush.
Can Paixano – For Cheap Cava & No Frills Tapas
This cheap and no frills bar is affectionately known as La Xampanyeria thanks to the delicious cava they sell. It is always stuffed to the brim with locals and tourists who come here for the tasty and cheap food and drink.
They serve simple tapas like croqetas, morcilla (black pudding), chorizo and sandwiches filled with meat and cheese. You can just get a glass of cava (the rosé is my favourite) but if you order 2 glasses each or a bottle you also have to order some food to go with it.
You can also buy bottles of cava to take away. It gets busy with locals and tourists, and there’s not much seating so you will probably be standing shoulder to shoulder with everyone else.
All the tapas are served in generous portions, and a meal works out at around 15 euros for a bottle of cava and 2 tapas. https://goo.gl/maps/cGE1HYfoR6VoXuKVA
Nearby alternatives: El Xampanyet (also excellent but always a line for a table as it’s in every guidebook and close to the Picasso Museum).
Bar del Pi – For Tapas or a Snack
This traditional bar is a great place to eat if you want to grab some tapas, or a drink and a snack while you’re exploring the Gothic Quarter. It’s right next to the beautiful Santa Maria del Pi church. The highlights include their bomba (a kind of meat and potato croquette with spicy garlic sauce), its one of the best in the city.
El Glop – For Rice Dishes & Grilled Meats
This Catalan restaurant in Gracia has amazing rice dishes, and other Catalan classics. While the paella is very good, my personal favourite is “Aros Negre” Black Rice (coloured black with cuttlefish ink and has squid, cuttlefish & prawns) with a dollop of aioli on the side.
The paella is very good, but my personal favourite is “Aros Negre” which is Black Rice – a rice dish similar to paella but coloured black with cuttlefish ink, and has cuttlefish, squid & prawns mixed in. Order it with a dollop of garlicky aioli on the side, and you won’t regret it!
The rice soup with lobster is also incredible. Everything else on the menu is good too, ranging from grilled vegetables to meats, seafood and tapas. Paellas and other rice dishes are for a minimum of 2 people and need at least 30 minutes to cook, so if you’re in a hurry, this isn’t the place for you.
There are a couple of different ones in the city, including one close to Placa de Catalunya and one near La Sagrada Familia, but I usually go to the one in Gracia. https://goo.gl/maps/WrMcguyrm8agvwko7
La Vinateria del Call – For Tapas & Wine Pairings
One of my all-time favourite tapas restaurants in Barcelona, La Vinateria del Call is popular with tourists who go earlyish (I think it opens at 7.30pm) then later for locals. It is best to book a table.
They have lots of great tapas, can also order half portions if you want – I also recommend the cheese selections, and they can pair every course with a difference wine if you like! The chocolate coolant dessert is also very good! https://goo.gl/maps/Ww7Q9Moe3Rf4pQnt5
Bar Cañete – Upscale Tapas
This amazing tapas bar in El Raval is a Barcelona institution, with a history going back generations and a menu built on fresh produce sourced from local farmers. Standouts include the Arroz del Día (daily rice dish), fried artichokes in season, seafood croquettes, and anchovies with crispy pan con tomate.
The service is friendly and professional, and you’ll need to book to guarantee a table. There’s a long bar at the entrance where you can watch the kitchen action, which is where we sat.
Pare on the higher end, expect to pay around €50 per head. It’s also well-known to tourists at this point, so it’s not a hidden gem, but the quality and authenticity of the food is worth it.
Bar del Pla – Tapas with Natural Wine
Another excellent tapas bar in El Born, the here food is traditional Catalan tapas but with a touch of modern creativity. I adore the meatballs, and everything else I’ve tasted here is just as delicious, from croquettes to artichokes and some amazing desserts too.
The restaurant also has a strong focus on natural, biodynamic and organic wines, with around a hundred references in the cellar and a dozen or so by the glass.
Service can be inconsistent when it gets busy, and you will need a reservation to guarantee a table – stop by to request a booking or give them a call. Prices are moderate, roughly euros per person, which is reasonable for the quality and the location.
7 Portes – A Classic Restaurant
7 Portes is a Barcelona institution and has been serving up delicious paella, seafood and other Catalan dishes since 1836. It’s a beautiful restaurant, where you can sit outside on the terrace under archways decorated with fairy lights, or inside with exposed wood beams and black and white tiled floor.
I prefer to sit inside, where the tables have bronze plaques to mark where famous people have sat to eat. Last time I went we had Charlton Heston’s table, and our waiter Alberto said other names around the dining room included Picasso, Miró, Pelé, John Wayne and many more.
Service is excellent, with waiters smartly dressed in white overcoats. We ordered starters of cod croquettes (as recommended by Alberto) and one portion of monkfish soup, which turned out to be large enough for us both to have a full bowl.
The rice dishes can all be served individually, so we chose a classic seafood paella and a black rice. The paella was very good, but the star of the show was the black rice, which came with a serving of alioli which Alberto recommended we mix in with the rice. The extra garlic always elevates black rice to be even more delicious, and we were very happy with our meals!
Prices are a little higher than average, but it is worth it for the service and experience. We paid just under €50 each for a starter, rice dish, glass of wine and shared a bottle of water.
Reservations recommended, essential at weekends. Smart casual dress code. Book a table online or browse the menu here.
Cerveseria Catalana or Ciutat Comtal – For Tapas
I think these are both owned by the same company, the menus are very similar. Excellent tapas, popular with tourists but they are good. My favourite picks include the beef sirloin with foie pintxo (a small bite served on a slice of baguette), the crispy coated brie and canelons in winter. They also usually have a rish dish that you can order a portion of.
https://goo.gl/maps/dW7goUCAmQkYwbTNA or https://goo.gl/maps/j8JsYLPYbjhg5LrT8
La Pubilla – For a Lunch Menu
Best for a Catalan-style Lunch (menú del dia), this neighbourhood favourite in Gracia has fantastic lunch menus with modern takes on Catalan classics, like bacallà with romesco sauce, and canelons.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SjBFAehjm682PrUE7
Lluritu – For Seafood & Paella
A relatively recent discovery thanks to a recommendation from some friends, this is another seafood restaurant with amazing fresh fish and shellfish dishes. There are three different Lluritu restaurants in Barcelona; 2 in Gracia and one on Passeig de Sant Joan.
Lluritu 3 on Sant Joan has become my favourite, thanks to the outdoor terrace and their rice dishes, which aren’t available at the other locations.
Choose from dishes like grilled scallops, shrimp tortilla, tuna tartare and fresh oysters. The menu changes depending on the season, with plenty of gluten free options.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/d5ZPFG9vdHpHs6pY8
Puertecillo/La Paradeta – For No Frills Seafood
Previously there were several restaurants around Barcelona all called La Paradeta, but some have now rebranded to Puertecillo. I’m not sure why but they are all still just as good before. Among my friends it is known as the “Pointy Fish Place” as you queue up and choose what you want to eat from the display counter of fresh fish and seafood.
You take a seat and your number is called each time one of your dishes is ready. The food is simple and delicious. Think huge bowls of mussels with a tomato sauce, grilled tuna steaks drizzled with salsa verde and steamed clams.
You won’t find better value seafood in the city. It is all seafood though so it’s no good for vegetarians or if you don’t eat fish/shellfish.
There are several Puertecillo and La Paradeta restaurants around the city. The one in El Born is the most popular, but the one by Sagrada Familia is often quieter as it’s tucked down a side street. Expect to queue outside for a table, they don’t take reservations so arrive before it opens if you can. https://goo.gl/maps/ekttve4seGiBK65Z6
