Beginner’s Guide to Eating in Barcelona

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Ok, I don’t consider myself an expert on Catalonian food, but having visited Barcelona twice now I’ve been exposed to what is good. In a nutshell, everything is amazing! And I’m not kidding.

It’s difficult to go wrong when it comes to food in Barcelona. They know how to spice things up + how to cool it down again. But I know what I like so here are my recommendations for your first time in Barcelona:

Step #1: Mercat de Sant Josep La Boqueria

La Boqueria on La Rambla is one of the main reasons I began hunting down local markets around the world. Professed by many to be the best market in the world La Boqueria offers a wide assortment of the finest food products available. You really should not miss visiting this place. It will put you in the mood to explore Barcelona even further.

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Over 200 local gastronomical traders make their home here + the counter-height restaurant bars are the popular way to eat. Filled with amazing local foods, the sounds of clanking pots, pans + utensils, the smells of fresh produce + herbs + sizzling ovens are exhilarating to my senses.

Some of the most delicious local foods can be found at La Boqueria which would make a great picnic to be taken to one of the many parks or even the beach in Barcelona. Consider the following: Jamon Iberico – the best ham in Spain, fuet – dry pork sausage, Garrotxa – semi-aged goat cheese, roasted red peppers, grilled artichokes, canned razor clams or white anchovies in vinegar + fresh baked bread. OMG. I can almost smell it as I’m writing it! This is definitely on my to-do list when I return.

From produce to desserts you can find it all at La Boqueria. 

Step #2: Tapas

Spain is known for its tapas (small plates) + served everywhere in Barcelona (including La Boqueria). As I mentioned before eating tapas-style is how I now enjoy eating my meals + Barcelona is the reason. What’s great is that you don’t weigh yourself down with heavy foods like steak or potatoes. Small plates allow you to savor many different textures + flavors without stuffing yourself. I’m so glad I discovered it + trust you will love it too!

I got lucky at a couple of places near to where I was staying off La Rambla but I honestly don’t remember the names of the places I literally “ducked” into. Try El Quim or Bar Pinto in La Boqueria. Both have great ratings. Or you can try Rossini at Plaza Real 13.

Click here to make a reservation.

Tip: Be sure to research where to partake in tapas in Barcelona at the risk of wasting your money on unauthentic versions. Finding restaurants that serve great tapas is worth the time + effort you put into it, I promise.

But let’s get down to it – these are some of my favorites:

La Bombas 

In the 1920s + during a murky + rather violent political  time in Barcelona, a bar owner created what is now the signature tapas dish of Barcelona, la bomba, the bomb. Her genius was to shape the croquette + plate it to resemble the weapon of the day. It’s basically a tennis ball-sized potato croquette served with two different sauces: a white garlic allioli that represents the string fuse that the anarchists would light before launching their grenades + a rich, spicy red sauce that represents the bombs’ explosive qualities.

This is seriously yummy + you should not leave Barcelona before having one.

Patatas bravas

Patatas bravas is a dish consisting of fried potatoes topped with a spicy ‘bravas’ sauce made of olive oil, red pepper, paprika, chili + vinegar (among other variants), they also often come with allioli (Catalan variant of aioli: olive oil + garlic mayonnaise) to cut the heat.

No, these are not just steak fries. Trust me, they’re ridiculously delicious!

Empanadas  

The picture above shows a different kind of empanada – usually they are a closed pastry (savory meat turnovers – baked or fried) but I like how in these you can actually see what they’ve filled the empanadas with.

Although this tasty turnover is not necessarily born in Spain it is popular in Latin countries around the world. In Barcelona they serve several different versions. I am a fan nonetheless.

Pa amb Tomaquet

Crushed cold tomato, olive oil + usually garlic + salt on fresh bread. This is Barcelona’s famous “bread with tomato” (literal translation). Simplicity at its finest.

This tomato + olive oil-rubbed bread is an essential dish that can be enjoyed as an accompaniment with every meal from breakfast to lunch + dinner. Some places even serve the ingredients separately so you can make it yourself. I would recommend you try it. It may not sound like much but it will surely be a surprise to your palate.

Bunuelos de Bacalao 

In Spain, there are hundreds of cod recipes dating from the Middle Ages with a multitude of regional variations, the most notable + sophisticated ones coming from Basque country + Catalonia.

Bacalao (fried salt-cod fritters) is a product that you will see everywhere in Barcelona. Coating the fish in salt was a way of preserving it in years passed. And although this method of conservation is no longer necessary it has become a staple in Catalonian cuisine because it adds so much flavor in the process!

Since this is such a traditional food in Barcelona I recommend you try it at least once. The taste may surprise you. It isn’t salty like you might think because they soak it before they prepare it for frying.

Pintxos

Pintxos (skewered tapas) or Basque-style tapas are very popular in Barcelona with dozens of pintxo bars around different neighborhoods. The word pintxo refers to the skewer that holds the tapa together. There are many different types of pintxos but most come atop a small slice of bread. Pintxo bars are a fun way of enjoying tapas in Barcelona.

Jamon

So I mentioned the Jamon Iberico (specially cured Spanish ham) as being the best ham in Spain as their signature culinary triumph. Apparently it is the finest in the world! Let me tell you that it is truly delicious + worth trying when in Barcelona. They take their ham very seriously here!

Jamón ibérico de bellota is specially cured ham from black pigs which roam free among the holm oak trees in western Spain in search of the acorns that give marbled magenta Ibérico ham its distinctive nutty flavour.

Jamon is not your average ham + you will not think of it the same ever again. Is it worth the price you’ll have to pay? $70-80 per pound for this delicacy. But when you consider it’s been aged to perfection over a two-year time frame + always free-range + organic, perhaps you’ll have to try it + see for yourself.

Botifarra

‘Botifarra’ is a tasty Catalan sausage made of raw pork + spices, often served grilled + with white beans (mongetes) + considered one of the most important dishes of the Catalan cuisine. ’Botifarra negre’ (black sausage) is a common type which includes boiled pork blood in the recipe.

Click here to see a video of how this special botifarra is made (in Spanish)

On our last night in Barcelona we decided to stay in a hotel near BCN as we were flying out early the next morning + researched some recommendations for a tapas restaurant nearby. 

Piripipao

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Piripipao did not disappoint + definitely think it’s worth trying if you’re going to be near the airport. Also surprised that it was so reasonably priced! Here is the Yelp recommendation that brought us here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/piripipao-barcelona-2

Variety is always my preference + IMHO Barcelona offers some of the best in the world. After enjoying tapas in Spain you may decide that this is the way you’d rather eat your meals from now on… like I have.

Step #3: Paella

Today in every corner of Spain paella is reserved for important celebrations + family occasions.

Although the best paella in the world can be found in Valencia where it originated there are still pretty excellent versions to be found in Barcelona.

We didn’t really do our research but decided on a whim to try one of the restaurants on La Rambla. They were advertising Paella for Two + it looked pretty good on someone else’s table so we decided to try it. Definitely not what we’d read about regarding the food on La Rambla. Most say not to even bother because it’s tasteless + overpriced. Well, it was delicious (we’ve eaten it in Valencia so we know) + it wasn’t overpriced. We found it way on the south end of La Rambla + I think we really got lucky…

Having said that, don’t take your chances. I recommend you try one of these two places that have a great reputation for authentic paella in Barcelona near La Rambla:

Cheriff – Carrer de Ginebra, 15, Barceloneta
7 Portes – Pg. Isabel II, 14, Barceloneta

And I have a bonus recommendation for you!

Wok to Walk:

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So this restaurant originated in The Netherlands + is not at all exclusive to Barcelona. But we majorly enjoyed it nonetheless. It’s that Chinese in Roydio that keeps attracting us to the Asian restaurants. This one is definitely one that we would recommend whether in Barcelona or elsewhere. They have restaurants all over the world but I just had to sneak it in here because this is the place we first found in Barcelona, tried it + were pleasantly surprised.

Wok to Walk really does it right. Made to order + as delish as any Chinese food that wasn’t made in China. I think we found a gem + one I didn’t want to be remiss in sharing with you. The majority of their stores are found in Europe but they do have a couple on the East Coast, South America + Australia.

Your meal will be made to order in 4 easy steps: 
Choose your:
1. Base (noodles, rice, etc)
2. Meat and/or vegetable/s
3. Sauce
4. Topping/s

They have a wonderful variety of ingredients to choose from + your choices are cooked to perfection in a wok before your eyes. It’s a great concept + exceptional food.

Check it out if you’d like more info on Wok to Walk

Their tag line is “Flaming Good!” + I can certainly confirm that it is! In Barcelona you can find them in the center of La Rambla.

La Boqueria, Tapas + Paella are the three recommendations I have for you on your first trip to Barcelona. If you don’t try anything else, make sure at least these three are on your list. This gives you plenty to choose from. And if you’re into Asian food, definitely try Wok to Walk. It’s bomb!

Click here for more information + to make reservations in Barcelona.

Barcelona has what I consider to have one of the best choices of traditional + modern food choices in Europe. Nothing you order ever has any lack of flavor + most every dish has a history about as interesting as the taste.

I hope when you visit Barcelona you’ll take my suggestions. And if you do, please make sure to tell me what you thought of my recommendations. Or if you have been to Barcelona, did I leave anything out that might be your favorite? I’d love to hear what you have to add, suggest… we are all in this together + I’d really love your feedback!