If you’re searching for the best restaurants in Barcelona, then you’ve come to the right place at KAYAK. We have the scoop on the top eateries in the city, keeping in mind the importance of location, price, style, and atmosphere.
The best restaurants in Barcelona
Dos Palillos
Spain has an array of high-quality Japanese restaurants that are scattered amongst its major cities, and Barcelona is no different. The cuisine is highly thought of in these parts. At Dos Palillos, you have the best of both worlds, with a sublime and rare fusion of Spanish and Japanese styles that will leave your mouth watering.
The restaurant is based in a small tapas-style Spanish bar, with 24 stools around a central kitchen awaiting a diverse clientele ready to try out chef Albert Raurich’s unique style of cooking. This setting is intimate and vibrant at the same time. Don’t miss out on trying the adventurous taster menu, which includes creations such as Szechuan-style jellyfish and Iberian-Cantonese pork jowl.
- Address: Carrer d’Elisabets, 9, 08001 Barcelona, Spain.
Mr Porter
Mr Porter is one of the most fashionable restaurants in the city and a great spot for a glamorous night out. Situated in the Sir Victor Hotel, it’s known for an upbeat atmosphere with fantastic dishes and cocktails, a favourite for celebrating a special occasion.
When it comes to the food, it is billed as a steakhouse; however, you can also expect to find some delightful fish and vegetarian dishes on the menu. The spicy jumbo shrimp salad is a favourite, along with the roasted whole leek and the smooth beef carpaccio.
- Address: Carrer del Rossello, 265, 08008 Barcelona, Spain.
Bar Canete
When it comes to eating tapas in Barcelona, Bar Canete is never far from the lips of any would-be restaurant expert. It is quintessential tapas at its finest and one of the best spots to begin your Barcelona gastronomy tour, and despite being one of the headliners on Barcelona food guides for years, the establishment has still managed to maintain its reputation as a ‘local’ place.
If you wait until around 10 PM to eat, you’ll be surrounded by locals, and so that authentic dinner will be complete with the famously loud and vibrant Catalan atmosphere. Menu highlights include oysters, razor clams, tuna tartare, as well as delectable Iberian pork loin.
- Address: Carrer de la Unio, 17, 08001 Barcelona, Spain.
Barcelona’s best value for money restaurants
Besta
When it comes to fusion and perfect blends of food that complement each other with every bite, look no further than Besta. The combination of Catalonian and Galician cuisine comes to the fore to delight and amaze, with a gastronomic style not seen before and brought to you by Carles Ramon and Manu Nunez. Both chefs love to take risks with their cuisine, mixing the finest in-season produce to make unconventional but impressively fused dishes, such as chicken and shrimp, or squid with meatballs.
Besta can be credited with taking ‘surf and turf’ style cuisine to another level, with creations such as Galician oysters with thinly sliced dry-aged beef, or suckling-pig ear with fresh octopus. For the diner, it’s a culinary adventure worth taking.
- Address: Carrer d’Aribau, 106, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
The Green Spot
If you’re looking for a vegetarian restaurant, The Green Spot is well known for those looking for a change of scene for the odd evening; let’s say it can please both the carnivores and vegetarians amongst us. The menu has some great options for those looking for a break from the monster seafood platters and substantial tapas menus that have been devoured on previous nights.
Tuck into some great hearty favourites, such as the four-cheese pizza with courgette flowers as well as fried cauliflower, or lighter choices like grilled vegetable salads. One of the city’s trendy spots to eat out, you’ll get on immediately with the energetic atmosphere.
- Address: Carrer de la Reina Cristina, 12, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
Lluritu
In the neighbourhood of Gracia, in Barcelona, you can find an affordable but delicious seafood place by the name of Lluritu. An informal setting, to say the least, it looks more like a bar than a restaurant but offers up some of the finest seafood in the city. It is quickly becoming one of the most popular spots in the local area and is miles above anything you’ll experience around the Las Ramblas.
They specialise in shared plates, especially with tasty grilled sardines, grilled squid and other greats, like steamed clams. If you’re not sure what to order, the seafood platter is always a good choice and very reasonable in price.
- Address: Carrer del Torrent de les Flors, 71, 08024 Barcelona, Spain.
Benzina
Benzina is a really interesting concept, especially considering its origins as a former mechanic’s garage, where you can now enjoy tasty cocktails. But this place is also well known for its comforting and filling Italian food, which includes juicy starters such as eggplant parmigiana and delicious tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella.
For mains, you can enjoy classic pasta dishes that taste like you’re in Italy rather than Spain. Another great reason to enjoy Benzina is the music and atmosphere, with party-goers fuelling up for a night out; so relax, eat and enjoy some beats.
- Address: Passatge de Pere Calders, 6, 08015 Barcelona, Spain.
Hidden gems: Barcelona’s best kept secrets
Alkimia
Despite having Michelin-star status, Alkimia has somewhat slipped under the radar in Barcelona, compared to other similarly stylish and modern restaurants. One of the reasons for this might possibly be due to its location; in fact, finding the restaurant in the first place is part of the experience, but once found you’ll be pleased you persevered. It’s located on a street that houses numerous electronic shops and what appears to be a residential building that used to be the Moritz beer brewery.
The restaurant is located up a flight of stairs in a slick modern apartment. The wonderfully balanced, Catalan-influenced taster menu is the peak of modern contemporary cuisine.
La Cova Fumada
Another local gem, La Cova Fumada, serves up some of the best in affordable home-cooked dishes, so you can see how a traditional Barcelona family lunch or dinner would taste. A very popular choice amongst locals, especially for lunch, you’ll find you may need to wait a little to be seated, due to the tightly packed space and popularity – but the wait is definitely worth it.
You can try out an array of local cured meats and fresh fish and seafood as well as enjoy the vibrant atmosphere that comes with happy and satisfied customers. Located in the Barceloneta neighbourhood of the city, there is no sign at the door nor a street number, but usually a queue of hungry locals to show you that you’re in the right place.
- Address: Carrer del Baluard, 56, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
Passadis d’en Pep
If you’re craving a good fish restaurant, then Barcelona’s best is Passadis d’en Pep. In fact, it is one of the most popular places to eat in the city and not so much a secret, but it is extremely difficult to find, so still a hidden gem. There is no sign at the door, only a street number that leads through a dark corridor into a building. At the end of the corridor, you’ll find a door; once you open this door, you’ll find a huge restaurant hidden away.
Welcome to Passadis d’en Pep, which translates to ‘Joe’s corridor’, so the entrance makes a little more sense. There’s no menu, but you’ll be served an array of delicious seafood tapas prior to the main course, if you have any room left that is.
- Address: Pla de Palau, 2, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
Taverna Can Margarit
Situated in the El Poble-sec area of the city, you’ll find that many come to the area for the trendy and hipster tapas bars; however, in Can Margarit you’ll have the ultimate in Catalan-style cuisine. This hidden gem has been popular with locals for years, serving up homemade traditional dishes that include grilled rabbit with botifarra (a local style of sausage) and beans, as well as snails cooked in sauce.
You’ll be taken aback by the interior decor, surrounded by grand old wine barrels, tall stone walls and the traditional finish of an old wine cellar. For authenticity, you can’t get much better.
- Address: Carrer de la Concordia, 21, 08004 Barcelona, Spain.
