Boadas
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Experience
Founded in 1933, Barcelona’s oldest cocktail bar hasn’t changed since; come for superb cocktails in an evocative, Art Deco atmosphere.
Min age 18
Good for age: 18+
Travel bucket list idea:
Barcelona’s best food & drink
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Last updated: 06 February, 2024
Catalan cuisine has traditionally been creative, combining sea and land ingredients, sweet and savoury, and French influences with Mediterranean and Iberian. Seafood, vegetables, wild mushrooms, nuts and fruit, pork and poultry are the main local ingredients.
What to try
Classic Catalonian dishes include rich stews, rice dishes, the surf and turf mar i muntanya (sea and mountain) dishes; escalivada (mixed grilled vegetables) the unusual salads combining seafood and hazelnut or almond sauces; and the national dish, botifarra sausage with white beans. Nearly every bar or restaurant offers pa amb tomaquet – lightly toasted bread smeared with fresh tomatoes and olive oil and the favourite dessert: crema catalana. Also see our round-up of 15 traditional Spanish foods to try in Spain.
The nearby Penedes wine region yields the perfect white and red wines to match, along with cava, the city’s iconic bubbly. Chilled vermouth with tapas is the aperitif in Barcelona’s lively bodegas (small local bars).
Also see our round-up of traditional Spanish foods you must try in Spain.
The dining scene
Ever since Ferran Adria’s wowed the world’s gourmets at El Bulli, Catalan cuisine has never looked back. Now one of the world’s most innovative food spots, Barcelona is at the top of its game, with some 24 Michelin-starred restaurants.
The countless tapas bars and bodegas offer the chance to sample dozens of fabulous specialities in small, mix-and-match portions.
The city’s food markets are the perfect appetiser, overflowing with fresh seafood, wild mushrooms and truffles, cured hams and sausages, sweet seasonal fruit, sun-ripened vegetables and olive oils.
Recommendations
Eixampeling Brunch Cafe
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Experience
If Michelin stars could be award for donuts, this riotously colourful café in the Eixample would win hands down. Imaginative toppings are crammed on top pf the good old fashioned donut, from sweet to savoury, create a new culinary art form that will have foodie salivating.
Good for age: 18+
Granja Viader
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Experience
Stop for breakfast at this historic milk bar, with its classic Catalan ensaimada pastries, crema catalana, horchata (tiger nut milk), hot chocolate and more.
Good for age: 18+
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
This effervescent food market manages to pack almost a thousand stalls into its walls.
It’s famed for its fresh produce: the seafood is just off the city’s fishing boats that morning and the fruit and vegetables are locally grown and seasonal, plus there’s the usual selection of Iberian hams, olives and other Mediterranean treats.
Though busy with tourists, it’s a real local institution – the buzz is especially vibrant early in the morning and at lunchtime, when locals gather at the counters to eat tapas and street food, available to take away or eat at the counter, perched on (limited) stools.
The stalls in front take advantage of the passing tourist trade from Las Rambla: head into the interior to take in the truly mind-boggling array of goods (and lower prices).
Good for age: 18+
Penedes, Catalonia, Spain
South of Barcelona lies the interesting wine region of Penedes, set in pretty hills that cascade down towards the Mediterranean.
Although especially known for its sparkling wine (it contains 95% of the world’s cava producers), Penedes also produces light, fruity whites and full-bodied reds.
There are two main wine towns to aim for: Sant Sadurni d’Anoia and Vilafranca del Penedes, both of which have Modernista grace notes. Vilafranca also has a famous Sunday market.
Good for age: 18+
Sant Antoni Market
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Experience
Recently restored, this enormous X-shaped market from 1882 overflows with delicacies daily – except Sunday, when it becomes a flea market.
Good for age: 18+
Santa Caterina Market
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Experience
The city’s oldest covered market was rebuilt in 2005, and crowned with an undulating roof of multicoloured tiles – peruse hanging jamon and stacks of veg, or lunch at no-frills restaurant counters.
Good for age: 18+
Logistics
Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Duration: Any
Getting there & doing it
Many of Barcelona’s top Michelin starred restaurants are in luxury hotels in the Eixample neighbourhood. There are excellent seafood spots along the beaches and in the old fishermen’s quarter of Barceloneta. Restaurants in the most touristed areas, especially around the Ramblas and Sagrada Familia, tend to be mediocre rip offs.
Check out Barcelona Food Experience for the latest on the city’s food and wine scene.
When to do it
Although restaurants open earlier for tourists, locals in Barcelona eat lunch (often the main meal of the day) from 2pm to 4pm, and dinner, a traditionally lighter meal between 9pm and 10pm, or even later on weekends. Sundays are very quiet. If you run out of fuel, there’s always tapas to keep you going into between meals.
Who to go with: organised tours
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Barcelona
On this 3-hour walking tour of Barcelona's El Born and Gothic Quarter neighborhoods, you may eat as much as you walk. Follow your local foodie guide as you visit four of the city's best tapas bars to sample food and drinks typical of the Catalonian region. As you sip wine and nibble on small bites, hear more about Spanish culinary traditions and get plenty of inside tips from your guide on where to eat and what to do during your time in Barcelona.
A maximum of 12 people per group to ensure a more intimate experience with your foodie tour guide.
A vegetarian option is available.
Midday tour: 11.00am
Evening tour: 6.00pm
Price €95
Min age 0
Rating 4.85 / 5 [2449 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Barcelona
Enjoy a 2.5- to 3-hour interactive cooking experience with a local chef. Visit the La Boqueria market before preparing tapas, paella, and sangria. You will then be able to sit down and enjoy the freshly made meal.
Price €65
Min age 5
Rating 4.46 / 5 [1451 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Barcelona
Delicious food, local wines and an incredible experience.
If you are a foodie, wine lover, food critic, vacationer or just somebody who loves trying new and interesting things, we want you! Our tour is for everyone to come and enjoy and learn about our delicious Spanish cuisine and drink. You will be lead around four local hot spots and sample a variety of delicious tapas and wines with our knowledgeable and passionate guide.
Price €59
Min age 0
Rating 4.69 / 5 [773 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Barcelona
On our Secret Food Tour: Barcelona, you'll enjoy a variety of the best authentic Spanish dishes on the secret streets of the areas of Born and Barceloneta. You'll try tapas, mouth-watering Paëlla, refreshing Sangria and wines, the best jamón, and much more. Don't forget our secret dish as well!
At the end of your tour, you'll have sampled some of Barcelona's most delicious dishes and gained a better understanding of our culture and history.
Price €96
Min age 0
Rating 4.95 / 5 [689 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Barcelona
Combine Barcelona sightseeing by electric bike with tapas and drinks on a 3.5-hour city tour, led by a local guide! Fun and safe, the bike has an electric motor that kicks in as soon as you pedal, so your energy is saved for sightseeing. See landmarks such as El Born Cultural Centre and Frank Gehry’s ‘Golden Fish’ sculpture; explore Parc de la Ciutadella, Las Ramblas and the fishing port of La Barceloneta.
After your amazing bike ride, finish up the experience by having some wine and cava paired with some spanish tapas at a local restaurant with the guide and the rest of the group.
Price €65
Min age 1
Rating 4.84 / 5 [529 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
