Top end
Alkimia
Carrer industria 79. one of barcelona's most highly regarded restaurants, run by acclaimed restauranter jordi vilà. with a minimalist white interior that directs the attention to the inventive and indulgent foods on offer, alkimia spearheads a new wave of new catalan cooking that will delight and impress. was awarded a michelin star.
Gaig
Aragó 214 cram hotel (http://www.restaurantgaig.com). with a reputation for serving the freshest produce around, there are even chickens wandering around the patio, gaig focuses on classic catalan cuisine, but in a modern, lighter sense. the decor is in a contemporary red and black design, and the staff are friendly and weloming. was awarded a michelin star.
Cinc Sentits
Aribau 58 (http://www.cincsentits.com). named one of the '80 hottest new restaurants in the world' by condé nast traveller shortly after opening in 2004, cinc sentits surpasses expectations. one of the few restaurants in barcelona to offer a wine pairing, it features contemporary catalan cuisine in a modern, warm interior. restaurant for tourists, ask any local if they have heard of it and they will look at you like you are silly.
Drolma Restaurant
Within the hotel majestic on passeig gracia, noted for fine spanish and continental cuisine.
Barcelona's cuisine is inconsistent in quality, as with all highly touristic cities, but good food does exist at reasonable prices. The golden rule of thumb applies well in Barcelona; to save money and get better food, look for places off the beaten track by fellow travellers and seek out cafes and restaurants where the locals frequent. A good idea is to avoid restaurants with touts outside.
Where to eat during siesta
Majority of restaurants and cafes are closed between 4PM and 8PM for migdiada. If you failed to plan for that, here are some places you can eat during this period:
tapas in bars not too healthy nor cheap to substitute a full meal
international chains
selected restaurants who are flexible enough to cater for tourists all day long: Origen 99.9%, Udon, Vegetalia.
Set menus menú del dia Most restaurants and some bars offer a menú del dia menu of the day, which usually means a simple and unpretentious two course meal one salad, main dish and a drink; plus a dessert sometimes, 3 or 4 options each, with a drink and a dessert, for â¬8 to â¬15-20, depending on a restaurant. Keep in mind these are not going to be huge portions. Typically you will get all of the items listed, but they will be one or two mouthfuls at most i.e., all of the food will fit on one standard sized plate. During the week, some smart restaurants offer lunch specials from 2PM to 4PM. The savvy traveler will try the hip places for a fraction of the price during the day.
If you're looking for a place where everyone can choose their own meal, ask for restaurants that serve platos combinados, which is the closest thing to an American/Northern European meal.
Smoking: Is not permitted in restaurants anymore.
dishes
You can get food from any part of the world in Barcelona, but make sure you try some Catalan food.
See Catalan cuisine section in the Catalonia article.
The selection of seafood is consistently great, although not a lot of it is local this part of the Mediterranean is pretty well fished-out.
A treat to try that no travel guide mentions is waffles sold at street stands. They will tempt you with their mouth watering smell and taste.
Even though tapas restaurants are now all over the city, tapas itself originated in Andalusia in the south of Spain and is NOT native to Catalan cuisine. Catalans generally eat three course meals appetizer, main dish and dessert and would more likely go for a pre-dinner drink and pintxos Basque counterpart for tapas at a Basque taverna than for a meal consisting entirely of the new trend in tapas-only dining. As you travel to smaller towns in Catalonia outside of Barcelona, it is less likely that you will find tapas and more likely to see restaurants serving traditional Catalan food in three courses.
areas to eat
Depending on where you are in the city, there may be restaurants galore, or none at all. The following areas tend to be restaurant "hubs", with a large variety of restaurants to choose from:
Barceloneta: A popular quarter for locals, where you can try fish based dishes, such as Paella a name that may hide many different kinds of rice concoctions or Arròs negre Black Rice, that takes its colour because it is made using squid ink. It's a very good place to eat tapas as well.
Eixample Esquerra between Gran Via and Mallorca
Barri Gòtic especially for tapas
"El Born" next to Barri Gòtic
Around Plaça Catalunya there are dozens of restaurants serving excellent tapas.
For budget eating you may choose "menu del dia" in small bars on the Avinguda del Parallel for â¬9-â¬11 per person. Be aware that sometimes the menu and the staff are only in Spanish.
The large cafes that line the Passeig de Grà cia and the Rambla Catalunya, just north of the Plaça Catalunya, offer a variety of acceptable tapas. This part of the town is quite touristy and a bit expensive.
pricing
â¬10 is the lowest price for a standard menu del dia; for less it can be only canteen or budget-style eating--or fast food.
| This guide uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: | |
| Budget | Up to â¬10 |
| Mid-range | â¬10 - â¬25 |
| Splurge | â¬25 and up |