When it comes to choosing where to eat in Barcelona it can be overwhelming. How do you choose between the hundreds of tapas bars, restaurants, bodegas and street food options? A Barcelona food tour can be a great way to help you navigate the city and show you where to eat, and, perhaps more importantly, what to eat in Barcelona!
However, you still need to choose the right food tour in Barcelona! I joined Devour’s Ultimate Barcelona Food Tour to taste Barcelona’s most iconic bites in the Born and Barceloneta neighbourhoods, and I want to share my experience with you. Read on for my full Devour Tours review of this delicious food tour in Barcelona!
I received a complimentary Devour tour in Barcelona in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Why Choose This Food Tour in Barcelona?
When I was talking to the team at Devour about joining one of their food tours in Barcelona, I decided to choose this Ultimate Barcelona Food Tour.
It wasn’t easy choosing between their food tours, but I chose this one because it has a fantastic variety of different foods to try in Barcelona, and ends with a paella lunch in a traditional restaurant in Barceloneta. Not many food tours in Barcelona include paella, so it’s a great way to try lots of different foods.
Without being boring or predictable, if you want an excellent introduction to what to eat in Barcelona, including a visit to one of the best markets in the city and a traditional paella, this tour is the one for you!
Bear in mind that the tour stops can vary depending on the day of the week, time of year and other operational factors, but this is a good representation of what you can expect on your Devour tour in Barcelona and includes the stops that we went to on my tour.
The Ultimate Barcelona Food Tour is a great way to explore two of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city and taste some incredible food along the way, so read on to see how I enjoyed the experience and get details of what to expect in this detailed Devour Tours review.
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My Devour Barcelona Tour in El Born & Barceloneta
This is a morning tour, with on departures most days at 10am or 11am. We met our guide Hector outside the Sant Catarina Market at 9.45am. There were 7 other people on the tour, most from the US, and I was the only solo traveller, with a mix of couples and friends making up the rest of the group.
We all introduced ourselves, and Hector gave us an overview of what was to come, as well as a brief history of Barcelona and some of the food history that has impacted the city and Catalonia as a whole.
He checked if we had any allergies or dietary requirements before we started – the tour can be adapted for a range of different diets, including vegetarian, pescatarian, dairy-free and gluten-free (not celiac).
There was one person who didn’t eat lobster so Hector said he would check if the seafood paella might have lobster shells in the stock, and suggested a vegetarian option just in case.
Our Devour Food Tour Stops
We got to taste a variety of foods in several different locations in the Old Town, starting in El Born and moving down to Barceloneta.
Santa Catarina Market
I have been to Santa Catarina Market before, and I love it. It’s now my local market and is much more for local people than the famous Boqueria Market on La Rambla, which is now firmly targeting tourists, with stalls selling takeaway snacks, juices and lots of photo opportunities.
Santa Catarina has a completely different feel to it – and it is a LOT quieter! Tourists don’t seem to come here, although there were a few wandering around, and most of the patrons were looking for produce to buy or stopping off for breakfast at the tapas bar inside the market instead of just taking photos as they do in La Boqueria.
We had a walk around some of the stalls, and Hector explained the origin of pre-cooked meals like chickpeas and spinach, meatballs and other ready-to-go dishes. Apparently, this became popular in Barcelona when the textile industry began to boom in the city, and women became part of the workforce.
The women could no longer spend hours preparing meals, as the cheaper, high-protein foods like chickpeas and other legumes needed to be soaked in water before cooking. Women looked for ways to speed things up, and these early ready meals were essential to keep the workers’ families fed quickly and easily.
We talked about popular spices in Spain and how to choose a good smoked paprika to flavour your home-cooked dishes, the origins of bacalao salted cod, and lots of other interesting tidbits.
Our first stop for food was an olive stall with a huge choice of olives – did you know there are more than 160 types of olives in Spain? – and Hector ordered three different options for us to try.
I was surprised how different each type was, and Hector shared which was his favourite, and the favourites of his parents. Whether it was actually true, I don’t know, but I liked that personal touch, and it would be repeated again at more of our food stops.
Next, we visited a xarcuteria stall to talk about the different kinds of ham, cured meats and sausages that are typical in Catalonia and Spain as a whole. Hector bought some for us to taste later, and some cheese from another stall nearby, and then brought us to a tapas bar at the far end of the market.
I had actually been here before and was pleased to be back; it’s a smashing place which has great tapas dishes and a cheap menu del dia, but we weren’t here for that. We gathered around one end of the bar, a few of us on stools and the others standing, as there wasn’t enough room for all of us to sit.
What is the best way to start the day? With cava of course! The Catalan sparkling wine (made in the same way as Champagne) is a delightful accompaniment to any meal, and perfect with breakfast.
Here we tasted some spinach and egg tortilla (omelette) provided by the bar, then three types of cheese Hector had bought, including an award-winning goat’s cheese, which was named as the best goat’s cheese in the world! It was all delicious, and I wrote down the names so I could look for them again when I was shopping later.
Then we tried some sobrasada, which is from the Balearic Islands, and can best be described as a kind of chorizo spicy meat paste. More deliciousness!
Then, the moment I’d been waiting for – the ham tasting. Hector produced a platter of cured meats he had bought, which included two different types of Iberian ham, fuet, and longaniza.
Hector shared the secret to spotting good quality ham and how to know if you’re paying for the real deal, and you could definitely taste the difference between the two types we tried. Both were tasty, but you could see why one of them was worth more!
We finished our cava and left the market through the rear entrance, passing an archaeological site which houses the remains of the 13th-century Santa Catarina Monastery, which gave the market its name. It’s now part of the MUHBA Barcelona History Museum, see here for more information.
Stroll Through El Born
I adore the Born neighbourhood, and wandering through this part of the city is always enjoyable. We stopped outside a tiny chapel, marvelled at how the streets were designed to confuse any potential attackers, and at pretty plant-filled balconies and street art.
Later, before heading to Barceloneta, we also walked through the Passeig del Born, an ancient jousting arena, and passed Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral, often just known as El Catedral del Mar, the Cathedral of the Sea. All the while, Hector shared fascinating facts about the neighbourhood – some of which I’d heard before, and some that were totally new to me. I loved it!
A Bakery on Carrer de la Princesa
Here we went inside another gem, a wonderful bakery with a large window inside where you can watch the bakers tending the oven. The oven is always on, and they create a range of delicious pastries like the one we tried – a croissant filled with pistachio cream.
I decided not to eat mine yet though, popping it into my bag for later, along with a chunk of coca sweet bread. I didn’t want to fill up too fast! As we left, we stopped briefly to watch one of the pastry chefs rolling croissants with impressive speed and flair!
A Sweet Shop Founded in 1890
We walked a little further along the street and stopped outside a treasure trove of a sweet shop! A plaque on the pavement outside showed that the City of Barcelona had recognised the services of this establishment as a historic place of interest – and I later went down a rabbit hole to uncover more of these special shops, which are known as emblematic businesses.
The plaques are given to businesses which have been running for at least 50 years in the same location, usually for longer and often over 100 years, and which have some special historical significance like the decor or architecture, which deserves to be preserved.
Sadly, many of these places have since closed, so if you do spot a plaque outside a business that matches the name above the door, do go in and support them!
Here we tried one of the most traditional Spanish desserts, a sweet nougat called turrón. Turrón was first made in Alicante, from the influence of the Moors, who introduced sweets to Spain. We tried three different types – each one the favourite of Hector, his mother and his father respectively.
We then tried a drink called Orxata, a creamy, dairy-free beverage made from tiger nuts. It wasn’t my favourite drink, but I’m glad to have tried it as it has been on my must-try list for ages, but I am very fussy with drinks and didn’t want to buy a whole glass on my own!
A Tapas Bar in Barceloneta
We had one more stop before our paella, and as Hector said, you can’t come to Barceloneta and not try the tapas dish that originated here – the Bomba! This is definitely one of the foods you have to try in Barcelona and a personal favourite of mine.
I’ve been to this particular tapas bar before, and know it’s a good one. As well as a tasty bomba, we also had a glass of vermut – vermouth served with ice and a slice of orange and an olive.
Starting to feel full, we continued to our final stop.
Paella in Barceloneta
This is what I was waiting for. I know how hard it is to find paella for one person in Barcelona, so I was so happy to try this – and I wasn’t disappointed! The traditional restaurant we entered is housed in a former 18th-century winery and has been serving up delicious seafood for more than 65 years.
Traditional paella takes a while to prepare, so Hector had called ahead to order ours so we didn’t have to wait too long for it to be ready. In the meantime, we were served a glass of wine (or beer), and Hector explained the history of paella.
He also explained the different kinds of paella, with the traditional Valencian version of chicken and rabbit, and the typical seafood paella popular in Barcelona. The paella he had ordered for us was Paella del Senyoret, a seafood paella without the shells, which is a favourite for children, and apparently, people on food tours in Barcelona!
I personally love attacking whole prawns, but if you’ve never tried paella before or can’t face the idea of peeling a prawn, then this is the perfect choice for you.
The waiter brought out the magnificent dish and let us take photos before serving it up onto individual plates for us, so a great way to try paella for one.
It was delicious. I have to admit I could have eaten another portion it was so good, but I really had plenty of food, and still had a dessert of half a pistachio croissant in my bag! It was the perfect end to a fantastic food tour.
Once we had all finished, we headed outside and Hector shared some more of his favourite places to eat in Barcelona which I marked down in my Google Maps for later! We also got a link to download the names of all the places we had been and what we had tried.
What I Loved about this Devour Barcelona Food Tour
Where to start?? I loved this tour! Even though I know the city so well, I always enjoy learning more and hearing the extra stories that the guides on these kinds of tours share. I didn’t know that the Santa Caterina Market was built on the site of a convent, so enjoyed all the details we discovered. At the time I also didn’t know how to spot the best quality ham, and now I do, so there I had a lot to learn.
It was a really nice mix of delicious food and a wealth of information about the city and the food we tried, and Hector was a great guide and clearly very passionate about food and Barcelona.
The different places we visited were also excellent, and ending with paella, we really did cover the most traditional and delicious food in Barcelona.
Is There Anything I Didn’t Like?
It would have been nice to chat with some of the other stall owners in the market – our guide spent some time talking about their produce but then moved on without saying anything to them, it would have been nice to know something about them like how long they’ve had the stall or something like that – just pleasantries really.
I suppose the only other thing is I would have loved to see the shells on the seafood in the paella, but I understand that this is catering to people who may not know where to start with that, so I was happy to just eat without messing around with shells!
I am really nit-picking here as I thought it was a wonderful tour, and if you’re looking for an introduction to the best food in Barcelona that includes excellent ham, cheese, cava and paella to name a few of the must-eats, then this is an excellent option for you.
How to Book Your Barcelona Foodie Tour with Devour
Devour’s Ultimate Barcelona Food Tour is available most days of the week (except Sundays), and you can check the prices and availability on the Devour website to find a suitable date for your trip to Barcelona.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my Devour Tours review and my foodie adventures in the Old Town of Barcelona, and that it has inspired you to book a tour to learn more about Barcelona’s incredible food and the fantastic places to eat in this area.
If you’ve booked a Barcelona food tour with Devour then let me know how you got on! I’d love to hear what you thought!
Other Devour Food Tours in Barcelona
Devour have some fantastic food tours to choose from, each one focusing on a different style of food and drink in Barcelona, and with a different neighbourhood to explore. This Ultimate Food Tour is my personal favourite as it has a wide variety of food options to try, but the Tapas, Taverns & History Tour is next on my list to try! You can browse all of their food tours here.
Barcelona Tapas, Taverns & History Tour
This delicious tapas tour in Barcelona takes you deep into the Gothic Quarter for either a lunchtime or evening tour. Your guide will share how the history of Barcelona has impacted the food culture here and you’ll have a historical walking tour through the Gothic Quarter as well as eating at some of the most authentic tapas bars in the neighbourhood. ➡️ Check prices and availability here.
Montserrat & Cava Winery Tour: Day Trip from Barcelona with Lunch
If you want to take a day trip from Barcelona to explore more of Catalonia, this Montserrat and Cava Winery tour is a great choice. It’s an early start, leaving the city in a private minibus so you can get to Montserrat before crowds arrive, and take a guided tour to see the Black Madonna (La Moreneta) of Montserrat.
Once you’ve explored, you’ll leave Montserrat and visit a family-owned vineyard in the Penedes wine region to discover the secrets of cava and enjoy a farm-to-table lunch with the bodega’s best wines. You can read about my experience on the Montserrat tour here. ➡️Check prices and availability here.
Barcelona Tapas & Wine Tour of El Born: Bites, Bars & Backstreets
This evening Barcelona tapas tour will dive into the Gothic Quarter and Born neighbourhoods to explore the best local wine and tapas bars that visitors usually walk right past. You’ll get to learn the secrets of the oldest parts of the city as you sip on Catalan wines and taste contemporary tapas in three family-run eateries. ➡️Check prices and availability here.