Barcelona restaurants - Catalan Cuisine

Our selection of restaurants

Looking for a good value "menu del día"? Or splashing out on an intimate dinner? Whatever you want, find out where, when and how: recommendations, reservations, translated menus, the Eating Survival Guide. It's all here on the Restaurants Page.

Catalan Cuisine

A selection of our Catalan colleague's favourites.

Eating survival guide

How to cope with lunch at 3:00pm and dinner after 10:00pm.

A-Z "of eating"

Fancy trying "pies de cerdo" (pig's trotters) or are your tastes less exotic? Our A-Z guide lists popular dishes in Spanish and Catalan with their English translation.

Our selection of Barcelona restaurants

EL CAFETÍ Great paellas, feels like you are in Paris, ornate décor and old furniture in the heart of the Raval area. Type of cuisine: Catalan. Paellas. Hours: 1:30pm - 3:30pm, and 8:30pm - 11:30pm. Closed Holidays evenings and all day Monday. City: Barcelona Area: Old City - El Raval. Telephone: 93 329 2419 Address: Carrer Hospital, 99 Directions: Off La Rambla near Liceu. Number 99 is a passage, El Cafetí is at the end. Metro: Liceu (L3)

ENVALIRA

Traditional, no-fuss restaurant in the heart of Gracia. Good hearty Catalan food and professional service. Arroz a la Milanese (risotto), to die for.

Type of cusine: Catalan
Hours: 1:30pm - 4:00pm & 9:00pm - 12:00pm. Sundays 1:30pm - 5:00pm.
Ciudad: Barcelona
Area: Gracia
Telephone: 93 218 5813
Address: Plaza del Sol, 13
Directions: In the Plaza del Sol, the heart of Gracia.
Metro: Diagonal (L3, L5)

LA SINGULAR

Small place with good food and helpful, friendly service. Good for lunch after a morning at Parc Güell - wander down through Gracia to Plaza Rius i Taullet (the one with the clock-tower in the middle). You'll find La Singular nearby.

Type of cuisine: Based on best daily market produce.
Hours: 1:00pm - 4:00pm &. y 8:00pm - 12:00pm. (Friday & Saturday until 1:00am). Closed Saturday lunchtime & Sunday.
City: Barcelona
Area: Gracia
Telephone: 93 237 5098
Address: Carrer Francisco Giner, 50
Directions: Near to Plaça Rius i Taulet.
Metro: Diagonal (L3, L5)

LOS CARACOLES

Another Barcelona institution, between Plaça Reial and the Port. Look out for the flaming grill in the street. The walls are covered with photographs of famous visitors. Food and service all very good and the sangría is excellent.

Type of cuisine: Catalan
Hours: 1:00pm - 12:00pm.
City: Barcelona
Area: Old City - Barri Gotic (Gothic quarter).
Telephone: 93 302 3185
Address: Carrer Escudellers, 14
Directions: Close to Plaza Reial.
Metro: Drassanes (L3)

MADRID-BARCELONA

Good value with good quality Catalan food. This 40's restaurant was part of the old Madrid-Barcelona railway station.

Type of cuisine: Catalan
Hours: 1:00pm - 3:45pm & 8:30pm - 11:45pm. Closed on Sundays.
City: Barcelona
Area: Eixample
Telephone: 93 215 7026
Address: Carrer Arago, 282
Directions: Arago/Passeig de Gracia. Near to La Pedrera & la Fundacio Tapies.
Metro: Passeig de Gracia (L2, L3, L4)

PLA DE LA GARSA

Good wine, pates, cheese and charcuterie served amid a bustling atmosphere. Set in a 16th century quarter of the city.

Type of cuisine: Mediterranean.
Hours: 1:30pm - 4:00pm & 8:00pm - 1:00am.
City: Barcelona
District: Old City - Zone: La Ribera
Telephone: 93 315 2413
Address: C/Assaonadors, 13
Directions: Near the Museo Picasso, across Carrer de la Princesa.
Metro: Jaume I (L4)

RESTAURANTE DEL HOTEL ESPANYA

Spectacular modernista dining room designed by Domenech i Montaner. Perfect for a quiet lunch or dinner.

Type of cuisine: Mediterranean.
Hours: 1:00pm - 4:00pm & 8:30pm - 12:00pm.
City: Barcelona
Area: Old City - El Raval
Telephone: 93 318 1758
Address: Carrer Sant Pau, 9-11
Directions: Off Las Ramblas near to the Liceu Theatre.
Metro: Liceu (L3)

SAGARDI

Basque style bar restaurant serving spectacular pinchos (tapas). You can drink beer, wine but better to try the txakoli (light sparkling wine poured from on high) or cider, which jets out from the wall! You will be given a plate for the cocktail sticks from the pinchos, count them to calculate your bill. Heavenly smoked salmon and anchovies, cost depends on you! Restaurant next door serving first class Basque food.

Type of cuisine: Basque
Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm & 7:00pm - 11:00pm.
City: Barcelona
Area: Old City - El Borne
Telephone: 93 319 9993
Address: Basea, 8
Directions: At the end of Carrer Argenteria near to Santa Maria del Mar.
Metro: Jaume I (L4)

SALSITAS (Restaurant & Club) Type of cuisine: Creative. Speciality: Stuffed Carpaccios. During dinner, live dj sessions City: Barcelona Area: El Raval Tel. : +34 902 888 115 Addresse: Nou de la Rambla 22 Bar: Tuesdays to Sundays from 16:30 to 21.00 Restaurant: Tuesdays to Sundays from 21.00 to 24:30 Club Nights: Tuesdays to Saturdays from 23:.00 to 2:30 Closed: Mondays Direction: Going down the Ramblas to the seaside on the right Metro: Liceu L3

TORRE DE ALTAMAR (Restaurant) Type of cuisine: Mediterranean City: Barcelona Area: Barceloneta Tel. : +34 932 21 00 07 Addresse: Paseo de Joan de Borbó, 88 Restaurant: from 13.00 to 16.00 and 20:30 to 22:30 Metro: Barceloneta Direction: Going down the Paseo de Borbó on the right, situated in the cable car tower 75 m above the sea with spectacular views over the sea and Barcelona For more information: http://www.torredealtamar.com/

Catalan Cuisine

The variety and originality of Catalan cuisine will be a pleasant surprise to most visitors. I am Catalan and although not a great exponent of the culinary arts, I do love to EAT! In the past I have been suprised by the reaction of foreign friends to dishes which I thought were universal, such as "pan con tomate", which is the way we serve bread here, rubbed with tomato, rather than spread with butter as elsewhere.

Here are some of the main items which characterise Catalan Cuisine: 

	Anchoas de L'Escala		I remember the suprise of a French friend seeing us eat a big sandwich of these anchovies in Cadaqués, in place of the coffee and croissant which she was expecting.
	Arros negre (arroz negro)		The most famous dish of the Costa Brava, which combines rice, squid, fish, onions, tomatoes, olive oil and the ink from the squid.
	El allioli		Garlic and oil paste to accompany grilled meat.
	La cava		A sparkling wine made in the same way as French champagne, produced in the Penedés region close to Barcelona. It is the traditional accompaniment to the special cocas (cakes) eaten on the night of San Juan. But you don't need to wait 'till then try try a glass of cava!
	El chocolate suizo		Super-thick chocolate with cream. It is served in a cup but you'll need a spoon! The specialty of the Carrer Peritxol and the "Granjas Catalanas", milk-bars of Barcelona.
	Fideua		A type of paella made with noodles, it originates from Gandia near Valencia.
	La butifarra		Grilled sausages served with white beans.
	La coca		A cake made with dried fruit or pine nuts, there are many varieties available all year. Perfect for lunch, afternoon tea and for special festivals.
	La crema catalana		Served in an earthenware dish with caramelised sugar on top, like a creme brulée. The British go mad for this Catalan custard.
	La ensaimada		A pastry for breakfast or afternoon tea. The specialty of Mallorca, don't leave the island without one.
	La escalibada		Made from roasted peppers, aubergines, onions and tomato. The best is my mother's which she makes in winter in the fireplace of the family house at Moià.
	La escudella		Thick soup with meat, ideal at Christmas.
	Las espinacas a la catalana		Spinach cooked with pine nuts and sultanas.
	Las habas a la catalana		Beans cooked with black-pudding (blood sausage), the specialty of my French friend Muriel.
	Los bunuelos		Profiteroles which seem to be full of air but beware...
	Los canelones		Home-made canneloni, the best are from guest-houses in villages.
	Los embutidos		Charcuterie, especially fuet, butifarra blanca, butifarra catalana and el bull (a type of sausage which my Scottish friend saw in the fridge and mistook for a haggis).
	Los rovellons		(Autumn), grilled mushrooms with chopped garlic and parsley. The best are those we gather near my friend Isabel's farm-house at Lluçà.
	Mel i mato		Young fresh cheese (the best is from Montserrat) with honey. One of my favourite desserts.
	Pa de pages		Round loaf of bread cooked in a wood-fired oven, ideal for making pan con tomate.
	Postre de músico		A selection of nuts (normally served with a glass of sweet muscatel). Why "music", well the musicians in the band never had enough time in their meal break to have dessert, so they would put a handful of nuts in their pocket to eat while they were playing.
	Sopa de galets		El caldo, consommé from la escudella (see above) with huge pasta shells.

If Barcelona is to be your first experience of Spain, there are some dishes which are part of the national culture. Don't forget to sample these:

	El jamon curado		Cured ham, called pernil in Catalan. A plate of finely sliced ham is an experience which can become addictive, as happened to my Scottish friend.
	Las tapas		A slice of bread topped by something delicious, a small portion on a plate to accompany a glass of wine or a beer, or simply a portion of olives. Something for every taste.
	La tortilla de patatas		Spanish potato omelette is the national dish par excellence. At dinner time the patios echo to the sound of eggs being beaten in the kitchens.
	La paella		Best made with rice from the delta of the Ebro. It can be made with fish, meat, or both. The degree of "bite" in the rice is the most important thing.

and always with olive oil, the pride of the nation. ¡Que aproveche! Bon profit! Bon appetit!

Eating survival guide

Be prepared!! In Barcelona your concept of time will change. Midday is at 2:00pm, and the afternoon starts at 5:00pm - after lunch! If you're coming from the UK for a long weekend, for once the time difference works to your advantage. A 6:00pm flight from London Heathrow arriving at 9:15pm will get you into the city at 10:00pm, just as the restaurants are filling up for the first sitting! Turn up any earlier and they'll tell you to come back later when they've opened.

It's 3:15am on a Friday or Saturday night and the streets around the Plaça Real are packed with people. The bars have just closed and the highthawks are moving on to a club or disco. For the more laid-back, just take a stroll along the Ramblas where the kiosks stay open all night!

The Spanish word for afternoon, tarde, also means late... everything is late. My theory? The time shift is essential to accommodate the unique culture of social eating and drinking. Here's how the Barcelonese do it:

	8:00am		Coffee and a croissant in a bar on the way to work. You'll see special offers of "cafe y croissant".
	11:00am		Second breakfast of a coffee or small beer, with a sandwich of jamon (dry cured ham), chorizo (spicy, sliced sausage) or a slice of tortilla española (omelette with potatoes), with pan con tomate (slice of bread rubbed with ripe tomato).
	2:00pm		Lunch is the bargain meal of the day. Even the most expensive restaurants offer excellent value "menus del dia" - menus of the day. A good and varied choice of starter (primer plato), main course (secundo plato) followed by coffee or a desert, and including a half bottle of wine.
			Siesta. An afternoon snooze back at the hotel is essential if you are to survive the night ahead. Many shops and businesses close from 2-5pm which makes the siesta possible.
	any time		A small beer or glass of wine with tapas (snacks served on bread or cocktail sticks), or spectacular pinchos (Basque style tapas) in one of the Basque bars.
	10:00pm		Dinner! With a few exceptions 10:00pm really is the time to eat. This is a substantial meal of hearty portions, meat and a wide variety of fish and shellfish cooked simply.
	12:00pm		The bars are starting to buzz. ... and tomorrow the cycle starts over again.