Eating out is the highlight of any trip to Barcelona and the city’s food scene is more exciting than ever. Beyond the obligatory gooey tortilla and mountains of croquetas, you can find creative Lebanese small plates, seafood paella at a beachfront xiringuito, moreish loaded fried chicken or award-winning Neapolitan pizza.
Barcelona is still very good value for such a popular major city with an abundance of fresh, Mediterranean produce, so you’re guaranteed to eat well. Here are a few top places to add to your list…
Albé Barcelona
Albé means ‘my heart’ in Lebanese and the name perfectly fits a place with such feeling and warmth. This stylish Eixample ‘gastrobar’ has an upscale, romantic feel with a dimly-lit, plant-filled atrium and a brighter, more relaxed bar area.
Chef Pachi Rodriguez expertly weaves Lebanese and Catalan flavours, creating an enticing menu that’s made for sharing.
We started with a luscious gin and basil cocktail and grazed on velvety smoked labneh with zaatar, eggplant dust and Lebanese bread. This was followed by some bite-size snacks – fresh and delicate red prawn from Palamós baklava, Albé’s signature falafel and the most indulgent wild boar brioche with royal sauce.
Iberian cheek over French toast, demi-glace, smoked sour cream and pickled turnip was an absolute delight, as was the fragrant, rich acorn-fed duck magret with freekeh, bimi and bigarade sauce. We also loved the beautifully-presented charred cauliflower with browned and smoked butter.
We finished with the most decadent chocolate cake with cardamom and orange blossom caramel. It was such a memorable meal with exemplary service and fabulous dishes – I’m still daydreaming about it right now.
La Pepita
La Pepita is the kind of neighbourhood tapas bar that you always hope to find on a trip. It’s so popular among locals (and the guests at Seventy Barcelona opposite) that there’s a queue almost every night, however Mini Pepita has recently opened a few doors down to squeeze everyone in.
It has a bustling, unpretentious vibe with industrial-style interiors and cute graffiti from guests on the walls. Traditional tapas dishes are reimagined with Asian and French influences and creative flavours run through every dish on the menu.
We loved the snack size steak tartare, piquant patatas bravas and the moreish red shrimp croquettes with romesco sauce.
Sautéed beef tenderloin with Café de Paris sauce, eggplant and baba ganoush was tender and aromatic, however the standout dish was the unbelievable Can Pepi fried chicken with sweet and sour green curry vinaigrette and tangy pickled cabbage.
It’s essential to leave room for a heavenly matcha green tea cheesecake with cherries in syrup and ginger ice cream. Cocktails are also reasonable and generously-sized – go for a classic Negroni or Aperol spritz.
Sartoria Panatieri
Sartoria Panatieri was named the Best Pizzeria in Europe 2023 by 50 Top Pizza Europa and the hype is thoroughly deserved (BAEST in Copenhagen came second).
This modern, industrial-chic pizzeria in Eixample fires up Neapolitan-style pizza with a difference. Instead of typically importing ingredients from Italy, it uses the finest seasonal, organic produce sourced from local Catalan farms.
Chefs Rafa Panatieri and Jorge Sastre worked in the kitchens of Michelin-starred restaurants including Portal de Echaurren and Nectari before meeting as part of the Roca brothers’ team in Barcelona. They later realised their dream of a unique, sustainable ‘farm to pizza’ concept with two restaurants in Gracia and Eixample.
The burrata stracciatella, tomato and basil pesto pizza was an absolute joy – juicy, aromatic and indulgently creamy with a chewy, blistered crust. Also, don’t miss out on some exceptional salumi made in-house – we loved the thinly-sliced roasted porchetta with sucking pig hollandaise sauce.
Xiringuito Escriba
Is there anything better than sharing a magnificent paella overlooking the beach? Our dreams came true at Xiringuito Escriba, a casual restaurant opened by Joan Escribà on Bogatell Beach in 1992 that specialises in rice, fideuà and fresh seafood.
In the mood to try a bit of everything, we went for the surf & turf paella. We munched on some croquetas and watched the hourglass with anticipation as our rice simmered away in the oven.
When it arrived it was enormous with a majestic whole scampi and bountiful, lightly scorched chicken, pork ribs, mussels, cuttlefish, vegetables and mushrooms. We were given a wooden spoon to pull away the gloriously caramelised socarrat at the bottom of the pan.
The paella was so hearty and satisfying, however if you find room for dessert, Escribà has long been known for fine pastries.
Doppietta
For a fun night of gorgeous fresh pasta, salumi and spritzes, look no further than Doppietta in the cool Sant Antoni neighbourhood. This lively modern trattoria from the team behind Benzina (just next door) focusses on specialities from Brescia, chef Nicola Valle’s home city in northern Italy.
Doppietta is above all known for its magnificent sharing plates of artisanal salumi with all of the fixings. Choose your own selection of three or five Italian cheeses and cured meats and it will be sliced to order at the in-house salumeria and presented at the table with little pots of olives, marmellata, pickled vegetables and freshly-baked bread.
The fresh pasta is also fantastic, served family style for sharing. Both the indulgent gnocchi with red shrimp, peas and lemon and cavatelli with white chicken ragu and pecorino really hit the spot. Be sure to leave room for the delicious chocolate salami and refreshing orange and ginger sorbet.
El Xampanyet
There may be a queue down the street for a seat at El Xampanyet, but it’s totally worth the wait! This traditional tapas bar in El Born, next to the Picasso Museum, has been around since 1929 and is much-loved among locals and visitors. It’s not exactly a hidden gem, but inside you can revel in the unchanged atmosphere of ‘old Barcelona’.
Colourful ceramic tiles and vintage signs adorn the walls, the tiny marble tables hold just a few plates and the bar is filled with tasty snacks. El Xampanyet is named after its own house Cava, which is a steal at just a few Euros a glass.
For a light lunch, we went for super fresh prawns cooked in lots of garlic and olive oil, gooey tortilla and slow-cooked chickpeas with pork rinds. The food is fantastic and the staff are so warm and friendly – it’s definitely one to add to your list.
Four Corners
The Hoxton Poblenou really knows how to please its hotel guests and locals, serving up epic Detroit-style pizza and tempting Italian-American sides.
Four Corners on the ground floor is many wonderful things – a slice shop with adjoining bodega, an outdoor pizza terrace for those balmy evenings and a breezy, relaxed dining room.
We started with a big bowl of Caesar salad with chicken and some chunky mozzarella sticks with spicy arrabbiata sauce. The vodka meatball pizza was unbelievable with plump meatballs, lots of juicy red sauce, fresh basil and a mix of cheddar cheese, Pecorino and Parmesan, giving it a mega cheese pull and crunchy edges.
The small pizza (four slices) is more than enough for two people, making it excellent value – what more could you want?
Xuba Tacos
Xuba Tacos in Eixample is known as the best taqueria in the city and it’s easy to see why. In 2021, two Michelin starred chef Antonio Sáez and hotel director Raul Salcido (both formerly of Hotel Arts Barcelona) teamed up to put their own modern spin on Mexican street food.
There’s a good selection of traditional tacos and quesadillas, plus creative chef’s specials with sirloin steak, fresh tuna, roast duck, foie gras and truffles. Handmade blue corn tortillas are piled high with tender spit-roasted meats, fresh veggies and herbs and authentic Oaxaca cheese (add as much spicy salsa macha as you can handle).
It’s hard to pick a favourite between the grilled beef steak tacos with red sauce and avocado, al pastor with marinated roast pork, pineapple, spring onion and cilantro and the grilled chicken quesadilla. Guacamole and blue corn chips are also a must!
Enlagloria Salad House
If you’re craving some greens after all of those croquetas, head to Enlagloria Salad House for a speedy, healthy lunch. This high end salad house chain by entrepreneur Gloria Rodés is Barcelona’s answer to sweetgreen, offering seasonal composed salads and a ‘create your own’ option.
Go for a vitamin-rich miso salmon bowl with artichokes and quinoa or the signature kale Caesar salad with tender rosemary chicken, crispy chickpeas, Parmesan and hemp seeds – so delicious. There’s also a free water station with chilled filtered still and sparkling water to keep you hydrated.
Vitrina Barcelona
Vitrina Barcelona is an indie coffee shop on the ground floor of Magatzem 128, a petite design hotel in Eixample. Hotel guests can roll downstairs for a light breakfast or afternoon caffeine fix, however it’s also a popular neighbourhood spot for locals with their laptops or a quick take-out coffee.
The strong matcha lattes are fantastic, as well as the home-made almond babka and vegan iced lemon and poppyseed cake.
At lunchtime, you can enjoy a hearty sourdough grilled cheese or loaded avocado toast.
L’Atelier Barcelona
L’Atelier Barcelona is a world-class bakery and pastry school run by renowned pastry chefs Ximena Pastor and Eric Ortuño. With sleek, futuristic interiors and a counter laden with exquisite treats, L’Atelier is the perfect spot for afternoon tea or an elevated coffee and croissant breakfast.
We tried the signature cornet croissants – one stuffed with lemon meringue and the other with raspberry, mascarpone and vanilla glaze – and they were so deliciously crisp and bursting with flavour.
Have you been to any of these Barcelona eateries? Where are your favourite places to eat out in the city?
All photos by Chérie City
