no alt text

Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 13 January, 2023
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

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.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
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.

cocktail on the counter
Experience

Boadas

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Founded in 1933, Barcelona’s oldest cocktail bar hasn’t changed since; come for superb cocktails in an evocative, Art Deco atmosphere.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Website >
Overview >
hot chocolate with churros in background
Experience

Granja Viader

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Stop for breakfast at this historic milk bar, with its classic Catalan ensaimada pastries, crema catalana, horchata (tiger nut milk), hot chocolate and more.

Best for ages: 4+ | Free

Website >
Overview >

Penedes Wine Region

Penedes, Catalonia, Spain

The home of sparkling cava, this beautiful wine region is made up of historic vineyards set in rolling Catalan countryside.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Website >
Overview >

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Wine Tasting Experience in Barcelona

Wine Tasting Experience in Barcelona

Barcelona

This experience is for you if you are going to Barcelona and want to learn more about the types of wines here – maybe just for the sake of b...

€30 | Rating 4.61 / 5 [76 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Wine and Cheese Tasting in Barcelona

Wine and Cheese Tasting in Barcelona

Barcelona

You will explore classic flavor combinations and the trained sommelier will guide you through the principals of wine and food pairing. On yo...

€40 | Rating 4.56 / 5 [74 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Paella & Sangria Cooking Class with Locals

Paella & Sangria Cooking Class with Locals

Barcelona

Learn from scratch how to make classic Spanish dishes like paella and tapas as well as the refreshing sangria. This hands-on experience invo...

€45 | Rating 4.82 / 5 [17 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Cocktail Masterclass with Tapas in Barcelona, Spain

Cocktail Masterclass with Tapas in Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona

Our fabulous cocktail masterclass will teach you four delicious cocktails, with recipes from our master mixologist that you can take home to...

€46 | Rating 4.79 / 5 [126 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Grand Hotel Central

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

A stylish, central hotel in the hip El Born district, with 1920s features and one of the best rooftop pools in town.

Official star rating:

Hotel Neri

Barcelona, Catalunia, Spain

Historic charm, contemporary chic and great food combine in this beguiling bolthole, on a picturesque square in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.

Official star rating:

Mandarin Oriental Barcelona

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

The MO boasts spectacular interiors, a world-class spa, double-Michelin starred restaurant and an unparalleled location on the beautiful Passeig de Gracia.

Official star rating:

W Barcelona

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

This sceney, architectural waterfront hotel comes with edgy design, a party-feel pool terrace and sweeping Mediterranean views.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Barcelona

Catalonia, Spain

Spain’s cultural heart has unforgettable architecture, a pioneering arts scene, creative cuisine and nightlife that buzzes till dawn.

Website >
Overview >