Barcelona food guide: Eat like a local
Wondering where to eat in Barcelona? From lunches to late-night dinners, here's how to eat your way through the city.
EL CHIGRE 1769:
We went here on our first night and were not disappointed as a first taste of Barcelona’s cuisine. It’s first and foremost a Vermouth bar and we ended up having 3 each, they were only €2.5 so why not. Favourites were the Anchoas de la Escala en Salazón and the fresh fish (I believe we had Dorada), their catch of the day is always different.
Carrer dels Sombreres 7, 08003
CAÑETE:
It’s a classic spot that feels a little more up-scale than the rest of the places we went to. The freshness and quality of ingredients is truly unparalleled. Everything we ordered was extraordinary, but do yourself a favour and order the Filete de vaca vieja con foie y salsa de trufa, I rarely am so blown away by a dish that we opted to order it again. I recommend booking ahead and opt for a later dinner slot so you can be surrounded by locals.
Carrer de la Unió, 17, 08001
EL QUIM de la Boqueria:
Situated in La Boqueria, this place creates its own ambience through its vibrant surroundings. The beauty of this place is that it all its produce is sourced daily from within La Boqueria market, and you can definitely tell by the quality of its flavours. It’s all bar seating which adds to its charm. My favourite dishes were the Boquerones en Vinagre, Gambas al Ajillo, and the Rabo de Buey, (I recommend ordering a cañita with your meal)
Mercado de La Boqueria, La Rambla, 91, 08001
https://elquimdelaboqueria.com/
BAR DEL PLA:
This is was probably my favourite restaurant of the whole trip. Bar del Pla’s charm lies in the simplicity of its menu and its design, which is both delicious and at a low cost. It also has an extensive natural wine selection that perfectly accompanies the mouth-watering tapas. It’s a place you’d want to stay for a long evening. My favourite dishes were the Mejillones and Albondigas y Calamar. Oh! and the Pan con Tomate- so good we had to order it twice.
C/ de Montcada, 2 08003
EL XAMPANYET:
We didn’t make it to this last place but it was a top recommendation on my list. You’ll find El Xampanyet down the pedestrian streets of El Borne neighbourhood, right next to the Picasso Museum. At around 4:30pm, it was already bustling with people. It’s a no frills, traditional, no reservation kind of place which adds to its charm. Feels more like a place you’d go to for a snack or late lunch, or just to grab a drink with friends.
C/ de Montcada, 22, Ciutat Vella, 08003