Barcelona
Some places don’t accept reservations, but for the places that do take them, it’s a good idea to plan in advance and call to make sure they’ll have space for you.
Tapas & more
While there are many types of restaurants throughout Barcelona, over the last 5 to 10 years, the “tapas” restaurant concept has completely taken over. Tapas are small dishes meant to be shared, so the idea is to order a selection so that you can try different things.
There’s the more traditional type of tapas restaurant, serving classic dishes like “russian potato salad”, croquetas (small balls of bechamel flavored with anything from Spanish ham to braised chicken that are breaded and fried), patatas bravas (traditional tapa from the Catalonia region consisting of fried potatoes topped with garlic aioli and a “spicy” sauce), amongst many others. Then there’s the more modern take, serving a mixture of traditional dishes as well as some creative dishes that vary from place to place.
A kind of cousin to the tapas restaurant are pintxos bars. Hailing from the Basque region in Northern Spain, pintxos are little bites of really anything you can imagine served on a toothpick or on top of a thick slice of baguette-style bread. Keep your eye open for chistorra, a fresh sausage from Navarra flavored with lots of garlic and smoked Spanish paprika, or the Gilda, a small skewer with anchovy, olive, and pickled peppers.
Pintxos made with really nice canned foods. Really authentic. Standing only.
Creative tapas with international twists.
A bit more upscale tapas place.
Old-school tapas bar with fun sandwich options.
This place is run by one of Rosalie’s ex professors from culinary school. Delicious tapas with a rotating menu focused on seasonal cooking.
This tapas bar is one of many that opened in 2024 as part of a resurgence of the old-school nothing fancy type of space, offering excellent tapas at a very reasonable price.
Tapas with a Middle Eastern twist. On the more expensive side comparatively.
Maybe the longest-standing pintxos restaurant in Barcelona. You can get a great steak there, but it's not what they are most known for. There are also tables in the back, but we suggest eating at the bar)
A good mixture of traditional and creative tapas. Really good shrimp.
Really yummy tapas, that are a bit more traditional.
A really cool tapas bar with a nice wine selection.
They opened recently and are always packed with good reason.
A great mixture of traditional and creative tapas, with a lot of Italian influence.
Chinese and Spanish fusion tapas.
Seafood & paella
Barcelona is right on the Mediterranean coast, so it’s no surprise that the seafood is excellent. Be sure to try the famous shrimp from the Palamós region, but if that’s not your thing the shellfish and fish (especially cod, sea bass, monkfish, and tuna) are all delicious.
While paella originated in Valencia, this iconic rice dish is served throughout Spain, especially at lunchtime and most famously on Sundays. Paella is perfect for group dining, but keep in mind it’s quite filling—ordering one portion fewer than the number of people in your group usually works well. The Barceloneta neighborhood near the beach is a hotspot for paella, though not every restaurant is worth visiting. Regardless of the place you choose, make sure you make a reservation in advance.
Probably the most popular seafood restaurant in the city. It’s definitely on the expensive side, but all the products are super high quality.
Other
There was once a time during which Italian food was considered exotic in Barcelona. But throughout the years, globalization has extended into the food scene, bringing cuisine from all over the world.
There’s also a variety of styles of restaurants, spanning from the super formal 3 Michelin starred places to fast-casual with excellent food.
Japanese, more street food style.
Venetian food near Montjuic.
Spanish-style sandwiches and cava near the beach. There’s always a line, but it moves fast.
Japanese tapas, informal.
A tiny place serving really delicious hand-pulled noodles.
Authentic Neapolitan style pizza.
Bakeries
There are an abundance of really amazing bread and pastry places. A lot of them also serve speciality coffee.
Origo
Pa de Kilo
Baluard
Mayer
L'Atelier
Coush Armó
Cloudstreet Bakery
Ice cream
Barcelona doesn’t ever get that cold, even in winter, so it’s the perfect place to enjoy gelato all year round. There are plenty serving the most traditional flavors like pistachio and vanilla, but more and more there are unique options using seasonal flavors.
Cremeria Toscana
DelaCrem
Parallelo Gelato
Bilmonte
Morreig
Tourist attractions
Casa Batlló
Gaudí building
La Pedrera
Gaudí building
Park Güell
Gaudi Park
Sagrada Familia
Gaudi Church
MACBA
Modern Art Museum
MNAC
Bigger museum with multiple styles of art located in Montjuic
Museo Picasso
Picasso's Museum
Museo Miró
Miró's museum
Fundacío Antoni Tàpies
Antoni Tàpies Fundation
Shopping
Check out the Eixample, Gracia, or the Gothic/El Born neighborhoods. All three have lots of great shops.
Palau de la Musica
Theater
Montjuic
Big park with pretty fountain
Tibidabo
Big hill with sculpture and church and a vintage amusement park.
Montserrat - Beautiful mountains with a monastery located outside of the city. Many hotels can arrange a bus tour to get there.
Plaza Real
Gorgeous square in the gothic neighborhood.
La Boqueria
Big outdoor food market with candy stands, food stands, and quite a few restaurants.
Ciutadella
Big park next to El Born neighborhood
Museo Dalí
Dalí's museum - Located in Figueres outside of the city. You can get there by train.
BEACH
Check out the waterfront near the Selva de Mar or Poblenou stops on the yellow metro line. Outside of the city there are many nice beaches including Gavà and Castelldefels which can reached by train.
