| Dining Overview | Top  |
Catalan cuisine resembles that of other Mediterranean countries and makes use of nuts, garlic, olive oil, tomatoes and herbs. One of the simplest and yet most delicious dishes (the one Catalans particularly yearn for when abroad) is
pa amb tomaquet: a large slice of fresh country bread (toasted or not) rubbed with tomato and drizzled with virgin olive oil. It may be topped with Iberian ham, cheese and anchovies or served along with meat, chicken or fish
a la brasa (cooked over a charcoal fire). Other local specialties include
esqueixada (a salad of raw salt cod with onions and peppers),
espinacs a la catalana (spinach sauteed with raisins and pine nuts) and
bacalla a la llauna (salt cod with tomato, garlic and parsley). If you have a sweet tooth,
crema catalana (a cinnamon-and lemon-flavored custard) is a must for dessert.
Many restaurants advertise as serving cuina de mercat or cocina de mercado, meaning they use whatever is in season at the local market: Freshness is of the essence. There are restaurants serving dishes from other regions of Spain, too. Galician cuisine, in particular, is popular and available at the superb (and pricey) Botafumeiro as well as neighborhood bars. Restaurants specializing in the cuisine of other countries are also common.
You can eat well anywhere in the city, although many of the most emblematic restaurants are clustered in the Barri Gotic and the Raval, with Barceloneta and the Olympic port being a must for seafood and the sheer pleasure of eating outdoors. Gracia, too, is full of eating places, many of them very inexpensive because they're more off the beaten tourist track.
Like most Europeans, the Catalans begin their day with a light breakfast that may include bollos (rolls), churros (fried fritters) and pastries. Lunch is served about 1:30 pm at the very earliest, with peak time being 2-4 pm. Berenar or merienda is an afternoon snack taken at around 4 or 5 pm to get you through to a late dinner, which isn't served until 9 pm or later. The best bargains are available at lunch, when most restaurants offer the menu del dia or set lunch. Even the most basic (for little more than 10 euros) offer a choice of starter course, main course of meat or fish and dessert, plus a drink.
Expect to pay within these general guidelines for a dinner for one, not including drinks, tax or tip: $ = less than 15 euros; $$ = 15-30 euros; $$$ = 31-50 euros; $$$$ = more than 50 euros.
| Local & Regional | Top |
Aqua
Refined Spanish-Mediterranean cuisine served in a great location right on the beach. Beautiful people congregate on the terrace, but you can also enjoy the view through a large windowfront from the cosy, tastefully designed interior. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$. Most major credit cards. Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta 30, Barcelona. Phone 93-225-1272. http://www.aguadeltragaluz.com.
Cafe de L'Academia
Charming restaurant located on the Placa Sant Just, one of the most beautiful squares in Barcelona, in a Gothic building dating from the 15th century. The Catalan food, using only the freshest ingredients, is excellent and surprisingly affordable: It's one of the best bets in Barcelona for lunch, which can be had for 13 euros. Try the eggplant terrine with goat cheese followed by codfish au gratin with artichoke mousse. Also serves great breakfasts. Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner. Reservations highly recommended. $$. Most major credit cards. Carrer Lledo 1, Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Phone 93-315-0026.
Casa Calvet
Dine on excellent Catalan food with Asian touches, served in a former office building designed by Antoni Gaudi. Try the duck liver with oranges, and rosemary ice cream for dessert. Wonderful game dishes in the fall. Open daily except Sunday for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. $$$$. Most major credit cards. Carrer de Casp 48, Eixample, Barcelona. Phone 93-412-4012. http://www.casacalvet.es.
CheeseMe
Offers very creative dishes, mostly with cheese, served in a small and popular restaurant. Try the delicious lasagna prepared with Manchego cheese, anchovies and arugula—or go for the hot goat cheese served on fried apples with pistachio nuts. The not-so-cheesy inclined can opt for the selection of meaty "antequesos." You can also have cheese with that quick glass of wine on the terrace. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$-$$$. Most major credit cards. Placa Jacint Reventos (in front of Carrer Argenteria 53), Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Phone 93-268-1127. http://www.cheeseme.org.
Comerc 24
Excellent Catalan cuisine refined with Asian, Italian, Andalusian and even American touches served in a puristic, predominantly gray setting. The tapas are to die for, and the dishes dreamed up by chef Carles Abellan are as creative as can be. Try the hamburger with foie gras and truffles. Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. $$$-$$$$. Most major credit cards. Carrer del Comerc 24, Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Phone 93-319-2102. http://www.comerc24.com.
Taktika Berri
This is one of the best tapas bars in Barcelona. Since the food is Basque, tapas there are called pintxos and are just delicious. Full meals are excellent, too, with an emphasis on fresh seafood. Do not expect a menu—the waiter will tell you what's available. The light, fruity Basque wines go very well with the food. Open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for lunch only. Reservations recommended. $-$$$. Most major credit cards. Carrer de Valencia 169, Eixample, Barcelona. Phone 93-453-4759.
A contemporary classic, Abac occupies a spacious dining room in the heart of the Born. Chef Xavier Pellicer effortlessly fuses Catalan and French cuisines. Monday and Friday for dinner only, Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$$. Most major credit cards. Avinguda Tibidabo 1, La Ribera, Barcelona. Phone 93-319-6600. http://abacbarcelona.com.
Don't be put off by the run-down look of the tiny alleyway that holds Agut d'Avignon: The restaurant is one of Barcelona's best. This is a good place to sample Catalan specialties and a noteworthy wine list. A highly convivial atmosphere adds to the enjoyment. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. $$$. Most major credit cards. Trinitat 3 (at Avinyo 8), Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Phone 93-302-6034.
You couldn't find a better place to eat the authentic "Mediterranean diet." This well-loved local favorite on one of Gracia's narrowest streets serves whatever's in season, fresh and simply cooked in the traditional style: artichokes sauteed with ham, wild mushrooms with garlic and parsley, meat or fish
a la plantxa. Homemade desserts and a good wine list. Though not inexpensive, the quality makes it an unbeatable value. The
menu del dia is an especially good bargain. Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$. Perill 33, Gracia, Barcelona. Phone 93-458-9624.
One of the best culinary shows in town. Seafood tapas and fresh seasonal fish dishes are prepared in an open kitchen in full view of diners. The cavelike interior enhances the theatrical atmosphere. Monday for dinner only, Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. $$-$$$. Most major credit cards. Carrer Placa De las Ollas 8, La Ribera, Barcelona. Phone 93-310-7961. http://www.calpep.com.
This family-run restaurant has been serving Catalan fare since 1929. The grilled fish and seafood are all good, but everyone's favorite seems to be the scrambled eggs with shrimp. Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only. $$$$. Most major credit cards. Carrer Sant Rafael 24, Raval, Barcelona. Phone 93-441-3014. http://www.casaleopoldo.com.
Founded in 1897, The Four Cats is one of Barcelona's most famous historic restaurants. It maintains the traditional look designed by Modernist architect Puig i Cadafalch that attracted such famous personalities as Pablo Picasso and Antoni Gaudi in their day. Indeed, Picasso hung many of his earliest paintings on the restaurant's walls and designed the first menu. We recommend the 12-euro menu for lunch, which includes a choice of two courses and dessert. Despite the tourist crowd, the atmosphere is still interesting although the food is rather average. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$. Most major credit cards. Montsio 3, Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Phone 93-302-4140. http://www.4gats.com.
A lovely little place with extra tables in a small courtyard, it's very popular with locals. Serves traditional food such as scrambled eggs with mushrooms, as well as more inventive creations. Choosing a dessert is difficult with such delights as chocolate pyramid with coffee sauce, grapefruit sorbet, or hot fruit with calvados and cinnamon ice cream. The set menus are reasonably priced: 14 euros or less for lunch, 24 euros or 35 euros for dinner. Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner only. Reservations recommended. $-$$$. Most major credit cards. Torrent de l'Olla 3, Gracia, Barcelona. Phone 93-217-4395.
Chef Jaume Bargues enjoys well-earned prestige for the wonderfully original variations on the traditional Catalan cuisine he has dreamed up. Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only. Reservations required. $$$-$$$$. Most major credit cards. Provenca 88, Eixample, Barcelona. Phone 93-430-0029. http://www.jaumeprovenza.com.
This restaurant features imaginative and delicious Mediterranean cooking based particularly on fresh vegetables and fish. Try the eggplant grilled with herbs—very good sorbets, too. Six private rooms can be booked for parties of four to 40. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. $$$. MasterCard or Visa preferred. Provenca 242, Eixample, Barcelona. Phone 93-323-2367. http://www.laprovenza.com.
If you're looking for a light meal or just prefer to nibble the night away in a languorous setting, look no farther than this cozy tapas bar, with a handful of tables and soft jazz music. Traditional tapas are treated with loving care by the resident foodies who source top-quality Spanish ingredients such as air-cured tuna, fresh anchovies and a variety of cheeses. But the daily specials are inspired. Monday, Wednesday-Friday and Sunday 1 pm-midnight, Saturday 8:30 pm-midnight. $$. Lluna 4, El Raval, Barcelona. Phone 93-441-3335.
Tucked away on a side street, this inexpensive restaurant could be just what you're looking for when you want only a simple meal with a bit of atmosphere. The peasant-style decor is reminiscent of rural Spain, with oak barrels, wagon wheels, checked tablecloths and the like. Local dishes, such as fish stew, are wonderfully cooked and accompanied by good wines. Service is friendly and efficient. It's excellent value all 'round. Monday-Friday 1-4 pm and 8-11 pm. $$. Cecs de la Boqueria 4, Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Phone 93-317-4698.
It has a one-star Michelin rating and is the only Relais & Chateaux restaurant in Barcelona. Owner Jean-Louis Neichel personally ensures a high standard of Mediterranean cuisine. Two of our favorites are the roast lamb with a black-olive and anchovy crust and the Mediterranean prawn-and-lobster salad. Afterward, choose from among 30 homemade desserts. Such culinary delights come at a price: This is one of the most expensive restaurants in Barcelona. Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Closed the entire month of August. Reservations required. $$$$. Most major credit cards. Beltran i Rozpide 1-5, Pedralbes, Barcelona. Phone 93-203-8408. http://www.neichel.es.
Very popular, crowded and atmospheric restaurant, serving well-prepared Catalan dishes. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $-$$. Most major credit cards. Several locations, including Rossello 154, Eixample, Barcelona. Phone 93-323-4547. http://www.origen99.com.
With all the seafood places in town, you may get a craving for some good meat, and this is the place to go. Both the cooking and the decor suggest the simplicity of the mountain regions near the Aragonese town of Turuel, known throughout Spain for its delicious rustic cuisine. Simple dishes, such as the roast lamb, are cooked perfectly. Do not expect to be wowed with the creativity of the chef or by a chic dining room, but do expect the best beef, pork and lamb in Barcelona. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $-$$. Most major credit cards. Near the Boqueria market. Carme 28, Raval, Barcelona. Phone 93-302-6789. http://www.rincon-de-aragon.com.
Located in a former printing office, this restaurant affords a welcome break from style and design with its non-matching furniture, ceramic plates and other flea-market finds. But the food is some of the most inventive and delicious you will find in the city for such reasonable prices. Favorites include codfish moussaka, partridges with cinnamon sauce and
civet of hare with jam. The star of the dessert menu is the
delirium tremens, an understandably small slice of pure chocolate bliss. Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. $$. MasterCard and Visa only. Rossello 148, Eixample, Barcelona. Phone 93-453-1820.
Fresh ingredients are served in endlessly imaginative combinations such as pork with figs or steamed hake with applesauce. This restaurant has won design awards, as well, and is one of Barcelona's most fashionable eating places (don't miss the restrooms by Olympic-design darling Mariscal). Daily for lunch and dinner (cocktail bar open daily 6 pm-2 am). Reservations recommended. $$$$. Most major credit cards. Passatge de la Concepcio 5, Eixample, Barcelona. Phone 93-487-0621. http://www.grupotragaluz.com/tragaluz.
A classic French restaurant with chic ambience, it enjoys a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its meat: The Cafe de Paris entrecote is a house specialty. Appetizing home-style stews, too. Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. $$. MasterCard and Visa only. Mestre Nicolau 16, Barcelona. Phone 93-200-1914.
Cool and green, soothing and romantic, Giardinetto offers a wide choice of imaginative dishes. Specialties include roast beef encased in an aromatic herb crust, homemade pasta and risottos. Lots of good desserts, too. Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner only. Reservations required. $$$. Most major credit cards. La Granada del Penedes 22, Gracia, Barcelona. Phone 93-218-7536. http://www.ilgiardinetto.es.
The best Italian restaurant in town, in an uptown villa with a garden—a perfect place to dine in spring and summer. A different menu is presented for each season: wild mushrooms and game in autumn, hearty ragouts in winter, fresh vegetables in spring, and cold soups, salads and carpaccios in summer. Real Italian cheeses and even a special grappa list. Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only. Reservations required. $$$-$$$$. Most major credit cards. Dr. Roux 37, Sant Gervasi, Barcelona. Phone 93-205-2279. http://www.4stagioni.com.
Exquisite Neapolitan cuisine is served at Murivecchi. The individual pizzas are big enough to share, and the homemade desserts are fabulous. The lunch menu is particularly good and worth considering if you are visiting the Museo Picasso (about a five-minute walk) around midday. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended for dinner. $$$-$$$$. Most major credit cards. Princesa 59, Born, Barcelona. Phone 93-315-2297.
| Latin American | Top  |
Caleuche specializes in Patagonian cuisine with a Mediterranean influence. An earthen oven produces large pizzas (the house specialty). Other dishes include Argentinean-style empanadas (savory pastries filled with meat, cheese and more), salads and pastas. Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$. Most major credit cards. Sant Pau 116, Raval, Barcelona. Phone 93-441-9796. http://www.caleuche.es.
Appetizing vegetarian fare at very reasonable prices. Wine, beer, coffee and homemade cakes are available. The restaurant has an intimate atmosphere despite its Spartan decor. Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. $. Most major credit cards. Sant Domenec 19, Gracia, Barcelona. Phone 93-238-0229. http://www.illadegracia.com.
Run as a cooperative, this cafe does not impress at first glance. However, hidden in the back is a wonderful, intimate dining area, sporting mismatched furniture and regularly filled by a young and vibrant clientele. The service is friendly, and the quality of the food is very good. Highly recommended for light lunches or afternoon teas. Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations not accepted. $. No credit cards. Flassaders 30, Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Phone 93-319-9866.
One of Barcelona's oldest vegetarian restaurants is still an unbeatable value. Mediterranean-inspired specialties include moussaka with quinoa, cannelloni stuffed with wild mushrooms and asparagus
vol-au-vents. There's also a selection of organic, grilled meat dishes. Tuesday-Saturday for lunch (mid-March through September only) and dinner. Reservations recommended. $. Most major credit cards. Encarnacio 56, Gracia, Barcelona. Phone 93-219-8213.
A Barcelona dining institution that's synonymous with superb seafood. Very expensive, classy and worth every euro. It has a huge menu, and succulent oysters are served at the bar. The only drawback is that it's not by the sea but on the main street of Gracia. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. $$$$. Most major credit cards. Gran de Gracia 81, Gracia, Barcelona. Phone 93-218-4230. http://www.botafumeiro.es.
This is one of the best places in town to eat fresh fish. The old-style tavern decor, relaxed atmosphere and high-quality wine list enhance the experience. During summer months, be sure you sit on the terrace, an oasis of calm in the bustling city. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$$. Most major credit cards. Pla Prim 1, Poble Nou, Barcelona. Phone 93-225-2018. http://www.elspescadors.com.
This restaurant looks right out over the beach, and staff will drag tables into the sun for you. There's lots of room inside, but the outdoor tables are what's prized: Locals mill on the seafront, aperitif in hand, while waiting for one to open up. It has delicious fish dishes. For an appetizer, don't miss the
pica-pica, a selection of tapas including crispy fried-vegetable tidbits, sardines and croquettes. Be sure to have dessert; the place belongs to a famous family of chocolatiers who also operate an excellent pastry shop on Les Rambles (if you go there, have the hot chocolate). Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only. Reservations recommended. $$$. Visa and MasterCard only. Ronda Litoral 42, Vila Olimpica, Barcelona. Phone 93-221-0729. http://www.escriba.es.
One of the most interesting seafood restaurants in town, it beautifully blends tradition and innovation. Enjoy perfectly prepared paella and a host of other rice and fish dishes or try a selection of half portions of the chef's suggestions. The restaurant has a sunny terrace and enjoys the tangy sea air of Barceloneta. Extensive wine cellar. Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$$. MasterCard and Visa only. Passeig Joan de Borbo 65, Port Vell, Barcelona. Phone 93-221-6233.
| Other Options | Top |
This big restaurant right on Les Rambles serves food from the Basque region of Spain. Lots of seafood on the menu, including unusual items such as eels. Tables are set up outside April-October. It can get very crowded, especially on Sunday. Daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. $$$. Most major credit cards. Les Rambles 24, Barcelona. Phone 93-302-1037. http://www.restauranteamaya.com.
Still going strong after 30 years, this very 1960s-looking place specializes in tortillas (omelettes) with every conceivable filling, as well as good hamburgers and a menu with seasonal market cooking. Daily for lunch and dinner. $$. Most major credit cards. Granada del Penedes 25, Gracia, Barcelona. Phone 93-237-0990. http://www.flashflashtortilleria.com.
Serves very inexpensive, no-frills lunches and dinners. Its set lunch is one of the best values in town. Not posh, but a solid choice when you're looking to save a few euros. Though there are several branches of this chain restaurant in Barcelona, the one on Consell de Cent is the most central. Daily for lunch and dinner. $. Most major credit cards. Consell de Cent 236, Eixample, Barcelona. Phone 93-453-1072.
