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Barcelona Restaurants
Catalonia has a long tradition of good food, and many people consider the best food in Spain to be found in this area. I've listed some of my favourite restaurants and tapas bars in Barcelona.
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The best chef in Spain – some say in the world – is Barcelona chef Ferran Adrià, who comes from Barcelona.
Eating good food in Barcelona though, does not necessarily equate
with spending lots of money. Many restaurants serve excellent food
at reasonable prices. Chefs, inspired by Ferran Adrià's inventive
style, are creating a whole new way of enjoying food. |
I've dined in every one of the restaurants and bars listed here – I'm still working my way through the Barcelona restaurants, so this list of my favourites keeps growing. (Listed in no particular order.)
* = Absolute favourites
Recommended Barcelona Restaurants
Piscolabis
Piscolabis is an excellent value tapas restaurant with small delicious local dishes. Service is efficient and there is always a daily specials menu. You have the choice of sitting at the bar or at a table, and a comprehensive selection of dishes are served.
There are two restaurants in Barcelona, one on Avinguda Diagonal (Pedralbes) and the other on Rambla de Catalunya, my favourite is the one on Diagonal. Both have great terraces.
Avinguda Diagonal 593, Barcelona.
Tel: 934 105 495
Rambla de Catalunya 27, Barcelona.
Tel: 933 069 669
www.angrup.com/piscolabis/
Embat
Don't let the sparse and classical interior mislead you about this restaurant – the food is quite wonderful. They have a lunchtime and dinner menu, and a menú degustación (one price for a selection of small dishes). Prices are in the middle range – which is not expensive at all for the quality of their dishes.
Calle Mallorca 304, 08037 Barcelona
Tel: 93 458 08 55
www.restaurantembat.es
 La Royale *
Wonderful little restaurant in Sant Gervasi that specialises in top quality inventive burgers (and gin and tonics). You can choose meat from Europe, Asia, America... and the accompanying fillings are creative and delicious. Most definitely worth a visit.
Plaça del Camp 5, 08022 Barcelona
Tel: 93 254 7 93
laroyale.es
Sadly now closed - or closing soon.
One of the best places in Barcelona to eat. A tapas bar/restaurant serving wonderful contemporary food and very good value for money.
Calle Comerç, Barcelona 08003.
Tel: 93 315 12 27
Restaurant owned and run by the same chef as Santa Maria, Paco Guzman. Same high quality, a restaurant rather than tapas bar.
Av. Meridiana, 2, Barcelona 08018.
Tel: 93 309 7078
The first time I dined at this restaurant about two years ago it was a great experience, great service and delicious food. Last week we decided on a repeat visit, but were quite disappointed. I'm leaving my review of this restaurant here for now as it's an interesting concept - Saigon, New Orleans and Barcelona mix of food - but I can't recommend much any more.
The restaurant is now overpriced for what's on offer. The service was pretty poor and extremely slow (we were there for almost four hours). This isn't helped by the chef sitting down at every table to explain the menu and take your order – sounds like a nice personal touch, but all it does is slow the whole ordering process to a crawl. I finished my meal with a dessert of jasmine truffles which were inedible. (English spoken.)
Review date: 9 October 2012
Calle Paris (with Calle Muntaner) 162, 08036 Barcelona
Tel: 93 419 4933
Website: www.catarsiscuisine.com
 Agut
An excellent Catalan restaurant in the old town, one for a special night out. Established in 1924, Agut serves traditional Catalonian cooking and seasonal cuisine.
Calle Gignàs 16, Barcelona 08002.
Tel: 93 315 17 09
Website: www.restaurantagut.com
Cosy jazz club on Rambla de Catalunya with surprisingly good food and excellent live jazz and blues.
Rambla Catalunya 5, Barcelona 08007.
Tel: 93 302 22 21
Website: www.bel-luna.com
Serves small dishes of a modern design. Excellent food, expensive. Chef Carles Abellan is a former student of Ferran Adrià, and this restaurant has 1 Michelin star.
Calle Comerç 24, Barcelona.
Tel: 93 319 21 02
Website: www.projectes24.com
photo © Comerç 24
A small restaurant in La Boqueria food market (on Las Ramblas), not to be missed.
Mercat Sant Josep, Parada 606, 08002 Barcelona
Calle Les Flors 12, Barcelona 08001
Enjoy Catalan cuisine in style.
Tel: 93 441 1139
Website: www.calisidre.com
Wonderful Catalan restaurant in the heart of the gothic quarter, a little pricey but definitely worth a visit even if it's just to sit at the bar and drink a few beers, chat to the very friendly waiters and watch the desserts being prepared.
Calle Escudellers 14, 08002 Barcelona.
Tel: 93 301 2041
Website: www.loscaracoles.es
Calle Lérida 7, Barcelona 08004
Galician cuisine with emphasis on quality seafood.
Tel: 93 424 8152
Website: www.riasdegalicia.com
A very nice bar/restaurant that has a varied menu including
very good noodles. Look out for the large wooden hippopotamus
in the window!
Calle Verdi 50, Gràcia, Barcelona
Tel: 93 237 1052.
l'Economic
This Argentinean restaurant is in a square in El Born and has a lovely terrace at the front. Reasonably priced and excellent beef imported by the owner from Argentina.
Plaça de Sant Agusti Vell 13, Barcelona 08003
Tel: 93 319 6494
Recommended Tapas Bars in Barcelona
This lovely little bar is in Calle Verdi, Gracia (a little higher than the Verdi cinema, on the right side) has a great selection of wines and Portuguese food and drink. Their desserts are especially good - their little custard tarts (Pasteis de Belém) being one of my favourites. You can eat in or take away.
Calle Verdi 58, Barcelona 08012
Tel: 93 368 3528
www.acasaportuguesa.com
Large and busy tapas bar in Eixample serving top quality tapas. Best to book or arrive early (they open at 8pm) to get a seat at the bar. This is one of the best places to eat in Barcelona in my opinion. Always full of people, with fast and friendly service, top quality ingredients and good wine.
Review date: 9 October 2012
Calle Muntaner 171, 08036 Barcelona
Tel: 93 430 9027
Website: www.pacomeralgo.com
Not a restaurant but a bar; the menu is created using seasonal and the freshest of ingredients.
Plaça de les Olles 8, Barcelona.
Tel: 93 310 79 61
 Tapas 24 is from the same group as Comerç 24. Traditional tapas with a contemporary twist, cooked breakfasts and small dishes of quality.
Diputacio 269, 08007 Barcelona
Tel: 93 488 0977
Website: www.carlesabellan.com/tapac24/
A bar in La Boqueria food market (on Las Ramblas), not to be missed.
Mercat Sant Josep, Parada 606, 08002 Barcelona
Japanese Restaurants in Barcelona
As Japanese food is my favourite cuisine, I have to give you a list of some of my favourite Japanese restaurants, sushi bars and Japanese takeaways in Barcelona.
Wagokoro is a recent addition to the top of the list of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Barcelona, and was recommended to me by Japanese person. At around €35 a head this is not the cheapest restaurant, but it's special. The set menu (the only option) changes every 15 days to reflect changes in the season and includes several small courses followed by a dessert. You can add one or two extra courses if you want to.
The food was fresh and inventive, and the service excellent. As the restaurant is very small booking is recommended - ask for a seat at the bar so you can watch the dishes being carefully prepared.
Calle Regas 35, 08006 Barcelona
Tel: 93 501 9340
www.wagokoro.es
In Eixample. A very nice, busy restaurant, quick service, good food and very reasonable prices.
Pasaje de la Concepción 5, 08008 Barcelona
Tel: 93 487 25 92
Website: www.grupotragaluz.com/rest-eljapones.php
Hana Bishi
Probably the best sushi in Barcelona! From the outside this restaurant doesn't look so impressive, but the sushi is fantastic – very fresh and tastes delicious. Not expensive either with a good priced menu del dia.
Calle Balmes 55, 08007 Barcelona
Tel: 93 451 2065
Great fresh Japanese food prepared before you. Not cheap but not too expensive either.
Sagristans, 5, Bajos, Barcelona 08002
Tel: 93 412 4991
Owned by the same people as Japanese Shunka, and a short walk away, it's also a very good restaurant and sometimes it's easier to get a table here.
Calle Copons 7, 08002 Barcelona.
Tel: 934 127 939
Website: www.koyshunka.com
Wonderful traditional Japanese restaurant. Private dining rooms available. Expensive but worth it.
Avinguda Josep Tarradellas, 145, 08029 Barcelona
Tel: 934 190 697
Website: www.yamashitagroup.com
Japanese sushi bar. Very reasonably priced for a Japanese restaurant
and the food is delicious.
Calle Verdi 64, Gràcia. Tel: 93 415 9217.
Calle Goya 9, Gràcia. Tel: 93 237
8994.
www.kibuka.com
Indian Restaurants in Barcelona
Up market Indian restaurant in Eixample.
Calle Corsega 211, 08036 Barcelona
Tel: 93 410 5819
Website: www.sindur-restaurant.com
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Comerç 24
Los Caracoles 
A Casa Portuguesa
Paco Meralgo 
El Japones
Koy Shunka 
