Top 10 Restaurants in Barcelona


This is the one area where I really  want to make recommendations to visitors coming to this town so they can experience beautiful food in beautiful locations.

Food with a sea view
1) Paella and wine with a sea view.  That´s what you want when you come to Barcelona. Pez Vela (left) offers just that, as well as delicious fish and steak dishes.  The good thing about this place is that you can head upstairs to the W Hotel beachfront bar or to the cool little chiringuito directly on the beach for a post-dinner drink.

Address: Paseo de Mare Nostrum, 19/21
Nearest tube: Barceloneta

2) Looking for something different, try Sagardi. Sagardi is an informal, busy bar that offers pintxos (bite-sized food) and txakoli (a slightly sparkling, dry white wine) whilst standing and chatting with company. You take a plate and help yourself to whatever pintxos you like. But remember to keep your cocktail sticks as this is the way you pay for your meal (Honesty is the policy here). Try the stuffed red peppers on mini toast - they´re delicious! This restaurant is located in the Born and so you can continue your night in one of the gorgeous local bars.

Address: Carrer de l´Argenteria, 62
Nearest tube: Jaume 1

Cool market atmosphere in Les Cuines
3) Don´t know what you fancy? Then head to Les Cuines de Santa Caterina. A busy, atmosphere-filled restaurant which offers fresh produce direct from the Santa Catarina market right next door. If you don´t know what you fancy for dinner, this restaurant will solve the problem as the menu covers all ranges from Mediterranean and Asian to Japanese and tapas.Fortunately this wide range doesn´t take away from the quality of each dish. They don´t take bookings but once you´ve put your name on the list, you can sit up at the bar and have a drink and tapas to keep you going until your name is called. A great centre of town option.

Nearest tube: Jaume 1

4) Tapas on a terrace: La taberna del Cobra in el Born offers a great variety of reasonably priced tapas. Sit outside on the terrace and experience the buzz of el Born. For a fun night out, stay in El Born area for mojitos and salsa music.

Address: Calle Argenteria, 53
Nearest tube: Jaume 1

5) Intimate, romantic dinner for two: One of my favourite restaurants in the old town is Café de l´Academia. With its wooden beamed ceiling and open-brick walls, it provides a cosy and charming setting for a delicious meal and good wine. On a summer´s night, reserve a table outside and experience dining in the centre of the Gothic area. The tables are quite close together but not so close that you feel uncomfortable.

Address: Carrer Lledó, 1
Nearest tube: Jaume 1

6) Delicious and healthy vegetarian food: If you´re a vegetarian or simply feel like a light dish, Teresa Carles is an ideal restaurant in the centre of town. I love the cosy tartan interior design and for some reason the wine here always hits the spot! You can create your own salads and pasta dishes from their fresh produce and also try some of the more typical Catalan dishes. The owners also produce their own olive oil to buy and it tastes amazing. The price is seriously good and so is the home made parpadelle pasta.

Address: Jovellanos, 2
Nearest tube: Plaça Catalunya

7) Japanese and Brazilian fusion?!: Believe me, it´s brilliant! By no means Catalan, nor Spanish, but if you´re in Barcelona and love sushi, then go to Ikibana. All I have to say is lobster uramaki.... just go!

Address: Avinguda del Paral·lel 148
Nearest tube: Poble Sec

8) Great quality, but well-priced shellfish: La Paradeta is a market-style restaurant that offers the best quality shellfish at reasonable prices. The concept is simple; you order your shellfish and how you want it cooked, then wait for your number to be called and tuck into delicious crab, lobster and mussels. The atmosphere is crazy and fun and great for groups. The restaurants opens at 8pm but make sure you get there a little early as there´s usually a queue. Don´t worry it moves fast as service is quick in this place.

Address: C/ Comercial 7
Nearest tube: Jaume 1

9) Delicious paella or fish dishes by the port: Set against the background of the beautiful Museum of Catalonian History building, and directly overlooking the yachts in the port, you´ll find the Emperador restaurant. The Emperador is one of many fish restaurants along this stretch of Port Vell, but for me it´s the best (and not the most expensive!). Try the dorada al horno (baked bream) or arroz caldoso con bogavante (lobster and rice). A beautiful setting on a sunny day at the port.

Address: Plaça de Pau Vila, 1, 08039
Nearest tube: Barceloneta

10) Award-winning Catalan tapas at Tickets: This exciting circus-style tapas bar was founded by Albert Adrià, brother of Ferran Adrià of the famous El Bulli restaurant. The food surprises you in a Heston Blumenthal way and the bar has so much to look at, you´re guaranteed to have a truly fun and different kind of eating experience.  Try the olives, which look like olives but explode in your mouth and order ice-cream to see what surprise you get! Make sure you book well in advance (possibly months!) or to jump the queues the trick is to head down on a Barça-Madrid match night! Expensive but totally worth it.

Address: Avinguda Parallel, 164
Nearest tube: Poble Sec

For more restaurants and new places to go, visit my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LascallesdeBarcelona

Comments

  1. Do you know many more good Tapas restaurants?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup - you could try the Cervercería Catalana for some modern, tasty tapas in Carrer Mallorca, 236. Or Ciudad Condal for the best selection and a nice terrace on Rambla de Catalunya, 18. For supposedly the best patatas bravas (spicy potatoes) in Barcelona, head to Bar Tomás which is a little further from the centre of town in C\Major de Sarrià, 49. Hope you enjoy!

      Delete
  2. I'm coming to Barcelona for the first time in April with my friend Cat, really looking forward to trying out some of these restaurants.

    Great blog!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts