The fastest way to truly immerse yourself in a new culture is through its food and where better to do that than Barcelona? The restaurants and markets here are famous throughout the gastronomical world and encompass many different styles. From casual tapas with a glass or two perched at a bar to some of the highest regarded fine dining experiences in the world, there are countless options. We’ve broken down our list of the best restaurants in Barcelona into five sections – Markets, Brunch, Tapas, Menu’s del Dia & Fine Dining so we’re certain there’s something here for you.
Markets in Barcelona
There are 40 municipal markets in Barcelona! Here are the ones that we recommend:
La Boqueria Market
In the heart of Barcelona on Las Ramblas, you will find this gem. Although it gets a bad rap because of the number of tourists that visit, it is still the best market in Barcelona. Here, you get the a fantastic selection of produce and ingredients, for example, mushrooms, herbs, spices, fish, sweets, and chocolates. And like every Barcelona market, there are tapas bars within to perch for a drink and a nibble.
Santa Caterina Market
Slightly less inundated with tourists, on Av. Francesc Cambó 16, you will find this market with its multi-coloured undulating roof. It represents the colourful and delicious produce that you will find inside for sale. Alongside the market stalls and tapas bars, there is also Restaurant Cuines de Santa Caterina (+34 932 689 918) an excellent mid range eatery featuring contemporary Catalan cuisine with only the freshest ingredients straight from the market.
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Brunch
Gringa All Day (+34 934 60 81 75)
Is this the coolest diner in town? Gringa started out as a food truck and now has 2 permanent locations both oozing that Californian vibe. Here you will saitisfy all your brunch demands with pancakes, chicken and waffles and even (rarely seen in Barcelona) breakfast burritos! Also serving tasty lunch items, these cozy spaces up the U.S. ante with authentic vinyl booths. Of the 2 outlets (the other is in el Raval) the recommendation here is to go for the Eixample branch which has a terrace so you can enjoy the sunshine with your milkshake.
Morgentau (+34 931 98 37 65)
Morgentau is vegan, ethical and fair trade with artisinal and locally sourced produce but most importantly – delicious! The interior of this Poblenou eatery is filled with plants and light and there’s even a corner for the kids to play in. The brunch standards have a little extra helping of elaboration so your blueberry pancakes will have extra blueberries in the batter and a topping of yoghurt with poppy seeds. Morgentau balances their gourmet offerings with a calm and relaxed atmosphere so the overall effect is never less than inviting.
The Egg Lab (+34 934 236 123)
Laid-back, family friendly and ethical, this brunch place has two locations and both are informal and very lovely! The menu boasts an unexpected international twist on some brunchtime favourites, and they are keen to let you know that everything they serve is sourced locally – the bread is baked round the corner, they make their own smoked pastrami and personally know the cows that provide the milk
Firebug (+34 932 44 02 09)
If you want something a bit more upmarket than the Egg Lab then Firebug may be for you. Located by the Arc de Triomphe, the large windows flood the space with light and undoubtedly ‘bring back the elegance’ as their website proclaims. The comprehensive menu brings together breakfast items from around the world with a long list of surprisingly well priced brunchtime cocktails adding that essential element of sophistication. Elegance indeed.
Menu Del Dia
The menu del dia was originated by General Franco in 1964 as a standard for tourist menu’s and morphed into a showcase for regional speciality – the menu del dia as we know it today – in 1970. The menu del dia has survived into the modern day as the everyday option for Spanish workers who can’t make it home for lunch. If you make it your option too, you will find where the locals eat and a world of extraordinary value.
Prices start at roughly 10 euro’s and can go all the way up to the dizzying heights of 25 euro’s! For this, one can expect 3 courses, bread and a drink. A curiosity of the menu del dia is that the cheaper the menu, the more likely you are to receive a whole bottle of wine rather than just a glass. A good tip is for you and your fellow diner to order the same colour…
Expect to find tuna or goat cheese salad as a starter (or lentil stew in winter) followed by butifarra (local sausage) galta (pork cheek) or maybe if they’re cheap that day, Dorada! (sea bream) Accompaniments will be simple but delicious. Desserts will invariably be either Crema Catalan (creme brulee) or Flan (creme caramel) Coffee is usually extra, so make sure you budget an extra four euro’s for a couple of cafe’s con leche.
Recommending specific places for a menu del dia is not really the point. Generally speaking, anywhere with decent reviews will provide a good menu. A few places to try include…
L’Artesana (+34 930 02 20 39)
Modest and traditional in Poblenou, L’Artesana extends the traditional menu del dia into gourmet territory with a close eye on seasonal changes – happy diners report outstanding results from the carrot and turmeric soup and the morel mushrooms stuffed with sausage and parsley. An excellent option in summer thanks to its large terrace, this restaurant is garlanded with glowing reviews from locals and visitors alike. Close attention to detail, imagination and quality set L’Artesana apart from the pack
Bullanga (+34 931 46 18 89
Named for boiling pots and local revolts, Bullanga are proud of their Barcelona heritage and serve traditional Catalan favourites with a little extra from the Balearics and the Pyrenees. Expect hearty cuisine designed to warm sheep herders and factory workers alike – stews of meat and pulses in unctious broth to give you all the fuel you need for an uprising!
Mabel La Granja (+34 934 85 20 28)
All our menu del dia recommendations have one thing in common – wherever possible, alongside the high quality of the cooking, all the produce is local and seasonal and Mabel La Granja is no different. Their incredible value menu is likely to feature such gourmet treats as pea soup and foie coulis. Artichoke fagottini with carrot and saffron sauce, chicken pallarda with lamb’s lettuce and parmesan… the list of deliciousness goes on and on. If you decide to push the boat out beyond your 15 euro menu, the steak is a highlight here and frequently mentioned in the glowing reviews.
Gravin (+34 932 68 46 28)
For something a little different, this traditional Italian trattoria will give you homemade pasta right in the heart of the El Born district. Your host, Gianni, hails from Puglia in southern Italy and Gravin has been serving up traditional grandmothers food with a contemporary twist at this location since 2005. Gravin pride themselves on their artisinal approach and everything is made on site. Gushing reviews online feature diners from around the world singing the praises of ‘the best pasta they’ve ever had” There’s only one way to find out if they’re right..
L’Actiu (+34 933 09 97 57)
Sleek and modern, in glass and concrete at the heart of the 22@ business district, the menu at L’Actiu reflects the forward looking setting. Catalan lunchtime favourites are given a global tweak and the place is buzzing. Office workers will often be queuing for a table such is the popularity of this restaurant. You can join that queue with confidence because L’Actiu is big and the turnaround is fast. The excellent value menu always features an imaginative vegetarian option too so everyone will be happy.
Tapas
When one thinks of dining in Spain (after paella) one thinks of tapas, those little plates of delicious morsels that soak up the wine and give you the energy to keep you partying into the early hours.
Gigi Von Tapas (+34 932 469 028)
A comparatively recent idea in Barcelona, brunch is fast catching on and Gigi Von Tapas are perhaps the most successful at capitalising on the trend. Free range eggs in myriad forms combined with exotica like crab benedict stand alongside a comprehensive list of vegetarian options – still something of a rarity in Spain. International dishes abound on all of the menu’s so don’t feel like you have to stick to chorizo. Gigi are open for dinner too so you can come back later and try something else!
Quimet y Quimet (+34 93 442 31 42)
This tiny Barcelona institution opened in 1914 to sell the owner’s homemade wine. Four generations later, his great-grandson Joaquim Pérez runs it. It has garnered a reputation as one of the best tapas bars in the city. At 6 pm there is a queue outside waiting for the doors to open. There is standing-room-only inside for 20 customers who prop themselves at the stainless steel counters or high-level tables. The room is lined with wine and conservas (tinned foods) that are the basis of many of its most famous creations. Try their montadito (bread with a topping) with anchovy, baked red pepper, tomato relish, and olive. Yum!
Bar del Pla (+34 932683003)
In the heart of El Born, this place has a traditional tapas bar vibe with encaustic tiles and wooden bar stools. It’s always busy and has a really fun vibe. The website says their staff are ‘mischievous’ and ‘somewhat rogue’. Bar del Pla serves some of the tapas classics but is more known for its creative concoctions with an Asian twist such as shaved mushrooms with strawberry and wasabi. It takes its wine seriously too; a great selection of local, organic, and natural wines.
La Cova Fumada (+34 932 21 40 61)
Opened in 1944 and very discreet (there’s no sign on the door) La Cova is a classic Catalan seafood tapas bar. Situated in the Barceloneta fishing district, the bar is currently run by the third generation of the same family. With seafood a speciality, locals and tourists alike queue up for a slot at the bar to wolf down some octopus or sardines. There’s no booking at a place like this so if it’s full (it will be full) and you want one of their lovely old marble topped tables put your name down and as soon as one comes free, they will slot you in. But you will be sharing. This is the real thing so don’t be scared!
Fine Dining
There’s no need to push the boat out when everything is such high quality, but if you really must…
Benzina (+34 93 659 55 83)
By night, Catalonia meets Italy with a side order of rock n roll. Housed in a double height room with bold artwork, stripped back surfaces and retro furnishings, you will be serenaded (gently) by the Rolling Stones as you feast on contemporary pasta dishes with the zingiest of fresh flavours. A comprehensive italian wine list and cavalcade of exotic musical themed cocktails complete a unique picture. By day, the adjoining room puts on a lunchtime buffet spread to make even Nero pale. A mountain of antipasti is yours to fill up on but don’t go too crazy, you still have four sharing plates of risotto and pasta to get through. And a dessert. All delicious and all for 25 euro’s. You won’t need to eat again for days…
Enigma (+34 616 69 63 22)
Superstar chef Albert Adrià, one half of the famous Adrià brothers who brought the world El Bulli – formerly the best restaurant in the world – may have done it again with Enigma. Inspired by the changing seasons and the different food each season brings, Enigma has a selection of dazzling tasting menu’s with many courses and wine parings, all the better to show off the enormous variety of specialised techniques that bring about their fabulous creations. You will need to book well in advance….
Cocina Hermanos Torres (+34 934 10 00 20)
A converted tyre factory is the startling home of this huge kitchen with tables from twin brothers Javier and Sergio. The menu experiments with juxtaposition. Expect contrasting textures and temperatures, daring new takes on Catalan “grandma” dishes, and unexpected flavour combinations. All this in an all-black room, reminiscent of a theatre. But it is the chefs and their creations are the stars of the show.
Disfrutar (+34 933 48 68 96)
In 2022 Disfrutar was voted the third best restaurant in the World. A beautiful light and airy restaurant where the food isn’t always what it seems! I don’t want to spoil any surprises; suffice to say that your senses will be delighted. Do allow a few hours for this. It is an experience that can’t be rushed. With 17 courses on the tasting menu, what do you expect? The wine pairing is worth it if you can hold your alcohol! It is rather a lot! But delicious and well-thought-out.
Direkte Boqueria (+34 931 14 69 39)
Direkte Boqueria started as a food stall and is now a tiny restaurant on the side of the Boqueria Market. The 12 diners perch on stools around the open kitchen counter and witness the food creation in action. In 2018, Arnau Muñío was named Chef of the Year at the prestigious Gastronomic Forum of Girona. The exquisite balance of umami in this oyster gyoza dumpling with its “capipota” sauce, is astonishing. And the matcha cheesecake rounds everything off perfectly. There is lunch and dinner seating, and the menu is only €60 for 9 dishes.
If you’d like to delve deeper in to Barcelona’s food scene, there are countless resoures online and a favourite of ours is Foodie in Barcelona where gastronomic blogger Suzy Taher dishes the lowdown on Catalan cuisine and the wonderful world of Barcelona dining.
For more local dining, please read our Top 5 picks of Restaurants and Bars in Sitges
