10 Great Restaurants in Barcelona

Can Pineda is a Catalonian restaurant that’s transformed from a small wine shop and canteen that opened in 1904 into a culinary institution in Barcelona. It has become a favourite for locals and a must-visit place for tourists.

This cosy haven of just 30 seats serves interesting dishes made from seasonal and local ingredients. There are traces of French, Italian, and Spanish influences, but the style of cooking is still traditional Catalan. A sommelier helps you choose the best wine to pair with your food. After enjoying your scrumptious dinner, try their bombetas for dessert. These chocolate-filled crispy bites are an excellent way to end your meal.

7 Portes is an iconic restaurant that has been around for almost 2 centuries and is undoubtedly a great place to discover authentic Catalan cuisine in Barcelona. It’s well-known for its mouthwatering seafood and classic paella dishes. While the flavours are kept traditional, some of the dishes they serve are given a modern twist. Do try their take on the Catalan coq au vin with the chicken roasted with mushrooms and Moscatel wine.

Located in the regal Isabel II, 7 Portes has bucolic decor that takes you back to old Barcelona. The black-and-white checkered floors and thick wood beams make you feel like you’re dining in an Old World restaurant.

La Cova Fumada is best known as the place where the first bomba was made. If you love those croquettes made with mashed potatoes and aioli, make sure to get some here. Every homemade bomba they serve is freshly cooked and served with spicy salsa.

Aside from the famous bombas, La Cova Fumada also serves a wide variety of tapas and seafood dishes. Make sure to order their grilled squid, cod bueñuelos, gambes, and recortes pulpo. Dishes are served in small portions, so you can try more of what’s on their menu.

Martinez is a restaurant nestled in the mountains of Montjuic that gives diners a panoramic view of Barcelona and the Mediterranean. The wooden terrace creates a cosy atmosphere for alfresco lunches on warm days and gives off a romantic vibe for cocktails after dinner.

Martinez serves traditional dishes, including paella, tapas, grilled meat, and seafood. Have some boquerones (unsalted anchovies), cod fritters, or Iberian ham with the finest local wine. Enjoy a filling lunch of monkfish, veal, and Socarrat rice. Or treat yourself to a steak and lobster dinner.

While EspaiESSENCE doesn’t serve traditional Catalan cuisine, this restaurant is still worth visiting in Barcelona. It pioneered dessert restaurants in the city and promises a memorable dining experience.

As each dish is served, an audiovisual guide narrates the story behind the dessert. You’ll be amazed at the intricate details and the science behind the evolution of each dish. Even those without a sweet tooth will enjoy the different menus. The tasting menu includes 3 salty tapas, 3 sweet tapas, and 5 desserts. There’s also a cheese menu and a heavenly chocolate menu.

Restaurant Mirabe is worth checking out if you’re looking for a luxurious place in Barcelona to celebrate a special occasion. You’ll be served classic Mediterranean dishes in a chic dining room or an airy terrace with a stunning view of the Catalonian capital.

Try their tuna tartare, seafood paella, seabass, and grilled meats. Pair your meal or tapas with sangria, wine, champagne, or cordial. Cap off your dinner with a sweet dessert of ginger ice cream, apple pie, chocolate coulet or tiramisu.

La Paradeta is a seafood restaurant in Barcelona where you’ll find a long display stand with fresh fish and seafood from the market as you enter. Choose from the vast selection of the freshest catches, and have them prepared just the way you like them.

Warm your tummy with a bowl of monkfish soup or cream of lobster. Have some grilled squid, tuna steak, batter-fried cuttlefish, steamed prawns, or sauteed clams. Order a bottle of beer or a glass of wine to pair with your meal.

At Bodega Vasconia, you’ll find that there’s much more to Catalan cuisine than paella, tapas, and seafood. Discover more local dishes in this cosy restaurant that’s hidden in a tiny alley in Barcelona’s Gothic quarter. It features colourful mosaics and marble tables that add to its warm and friendly atmosphere.

Their oxtail stew with utterly tender fall-off-the-bone meat will have you craving for more. Also worth trying are the pork cheeks and the octopus a la Gallega. Enjoy your food with a glass of sangria or their homemade Vermouth.

La Xampanyeria offers local tapas at local prices in a place bustling with locals. Your Barcelona dining experience can’t get any more authentic than this. Formally named Can Paixano, this quaint bar has been serving cava and sparkling wines for over half a century.

The place is often packed with locals and visitors, but the service is fairly fast. The selection of tapas, cheese, and wine is excellent, so it’s worth the trip. Make sure to get a bottle of their rosé cava.

Disfrutar is a 2 Michelin-starred restaurant just outside central Barcelona. It specialises in avant-garde cuisine that highlights Barcelona’s Mediterranean influences. The ever-changing tasting menu has included standouts like crispy egg yolk with mushroom gelatine and Panchino bao bun.

Complement your meal with the Disfrutar wine pairing menu, which showcases vintage labels from award-winning vineyards. Aside from its airy and light-filled main dining room, you can enjoy meals on the outdoor terrace or in the creativity kitchen’s private lounge. Disfrutar is around 3 km northeast of Plaça de Catalunya.