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Uncover what to eat and drink with our information to must-try conventional meals in Barcelona and Catalan delicacies. Plus the very best locations to search out it!
Spain is a implausible vacation spot for meals lovers. It’s the place I first tried Andalusian gazpacho and seafood tapas that includes juicy shrimp plucked recent from the ocean.
Since then, I’ve returned many occasions to discover its delicacies within the pintxos bars of San Sebastián, festivals in Valencia and cooking courses in Barcelona.
From a budget eats in tapas bars to haute delicacies within the metropolis’s 26 Michelin-starred eating places, Barcelona is one among my absolute favorite meals locations in Spain.
Learn on to find why!
What Makes Barcelona Conventional Meals and Drink So Particular?
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan), an autonomous group in northeastern Spain. It’s recognized for its distinct historical past, language and tradition, together with delicacies.
Closely influenced by its location on the Mediterranean coast, Catalan meals is a fusion of slow-cooked meats, heartily spiced one-pot stews, ultra-fresh seafood and seasonal substances.
Not solely is it influenced by neighbouring France in addition to historic commerce routes with Venice, the Ottoman Empire, Asia and the Americas however Catalonia is fiercely protecting of each aspect of its tradition.
“There are hyperlinks…between the inventive anarchy of Antoni Gaudi, the icon-tumbling surrealism of Salvador Dali and the motion led by the world’s most praised culinary alchemist Ferran Adrià,” says Elizabeth Luard in her e book the Meals of Spain and Portugal.
So, together with visiting town’s iconic sights, museums and seashores, a prime factor to do in Barcelona is to attempt some conventional Catalan meals and drink.
That can assist you plan your Barcelona culinary journey, we’ve created a listing of the very best Catalan delicacies to attempt, together with appetizers, important dishes, desserts and drinks.
You’ll additionally see our unique pictures of most dishes so you already know what to anticipate.
We additionally advocate the very best eating places, markets, meals excursions and cooking courses to search out these specialties.
1. Pa amb Tomàquet (Bread with Tomato)
For those who’ve eaten tapas in Barcelona you’ll virtually actually pattern pa amb tomàquet or pan con tomate. It’s probably the very first thing you’ll eat in Barcelona as a result of it’s usually served at breakfast!
At my favorite Barcelona resorts there are even make-your-own pa amb tomàquet stations on the breakfast buffet.
One of many best Spanish recipes to recreate at house, pa amb tomàquet brings collectively 4 substances: toasted slices of rustic nation bread, ripe recent tomatoes, good high quality extra-virgin olive oil and salt.
Some Barcelona eating places serve it with recent candy garlic, both rubbed, slivered or chopped. Consider it because the Catalan model of Italian bruschetta.
The important thing to the success of this staple of Catalan delicacies is the tomatoes. Tomaquets de ramellat are vine tomatoes with a fleshy pulp that’s candy, juicy and aromatic. Good for rubbing on large slices of bread!
You’ll discover pa amb tomàquet served as a snack, appetizer or facet dish.
🌟 Attempt It: It’s onerous to go unsuitable with this Catalan dish. However La Taberna del Bierzo (Google Map) and Restaurant Santagustina in el Born (Google Map) serve up pa amb tomàquet particularly nicely.
2. Botifarra (Catalan Sausage)
Botifarra is a grilled or fried sausage created from floor pork that’s seasoned with spices like pepper and nutmeg.
Botifarra may be discovered all through Barcelona at many Catalan eating places, conventional and fashionable. It’s considerably akin to the boudin you’ll discover in Quebec Metropolis, the Acadian cities of Nova Scotia and New Orleans, Louisiana.
A number of must-try variations of botifarres embody:
- botifarra blanca (white sausage) the preferred sausage,
- botifarra negra (black sausage) made with pig’s blood,
- botifarra perol, a twice-cooked sausage containing stewed pork.
Botifarra negra additionally performs a starring position in botifarra d’ou (a dish made with egg) that originates from Girona, simply outdoors of Barcelona.
🌟 Attempt It: Pattern botifarra at a Catalonian restaurant that makes a speciality of pork, similar to PORK … boig per tu within the El Born neighbourhood (Google Map).
The menu at this hip Barcelona eatery options wood-fired meats and veggies, stews and salads. Pair the meals with a calming glass of Txapeldun Pale Ale, their wonderful craft beer.
3. Calçots (Grilled Onions)
Calçots are such a staple Catalan dish that there are a number of festivals (often known as calçotadas) that remember their arrival in late winter.
The Catalan spring onion is lengthy, candy and much more subtle-tasting than conventional inexperienced onions. It’s grilled slowly till the outsides are charred and the insides are virtually sticky candy.
Whereas some Catalan dishes come served in a wide range of methods, calçots often comply with the identical technique of preparation and presentation.
As soon as grilled, they’re wrapped in newspaper to maintain them heat and are served up on a terracotta roof tile.
Dip them in wealthy romesco sauce (a zingy tomato and almond salsa) after peeling again the charred outer layers.
The calçot season runs from November to April, so time your tasting for this era to pattern the very best ones.
🌟 Attempt It: A prime spot to attempt calçots is on the ever-trendy Can Martí Restaurant.
4. Escalivada
One other grilled meals, escalivada is an easy but scrumptious conventional Catalan dish that’s particularly in style through the summer time months.
Constructed from roasted greens (often pink bell peppers, eggplant and onions however generally additionally tomatoes, artichokes and courgette), escalivada is made by peeling greens into skinny strips.
Then charring them over an open flame earlier than seasoning with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Its identify comes from the Catalan verb “escalivar,” which implies “to roast over embers” a nod to its cooking technique.
This mild dish is often served as an appetizer. It’s served both chilly or at room temperature.
The custom is to eat escalivada as a part of a pica-pica, a handful of small plates just like Cypriot or Turkish mezes loved earlier than a important meal.
🌟 Attempt It: Searching for an genuine meals expertise? Head to Can Cortada. This historic manor home is famed for its environment.
The upscale model of escalivada at La Comité comes with a deliciously addictive romesco sauce.
5. Tortilla Catalana
This egg and potato-based Spanish frittata is in style on tapas menus.
It’s served scorching or at room temperature as an appetizer in addition to a lightweight lunch or dinner all through Spain.
The model in Cataluña is exclusive in that this conventional Barcelona meals options egg together with butter beans (lima beans), Catalan onion and sometimes botifarra sausage.
🌟 Attempt It: Head to Cerveceria Catalana (Google Map) within the Eixample neighbourhood.
6. Esqueixada de Bacalao (Marinated Cod Salad)
Salted cod is in style all through the Iberian peninsula from the Basque stew bacalao a la vizcaína to the buñuelos de bacalao (cod fritters) of Barcelona.
On this conventional Catalan salad salt cod joins an assortment of summertime-friendly greens like tomatoes, onions, peppers and black olives.
The identify esqueixada comes from the Catalan phrase “esqueixar”, which implies “to shred” which supplies you a clue as to the way it’s historically made.
Discovered within the chilly tapas part on menus in Barcelona eating places, this mild, refreshing salad is made by finely chopping the substances after which dressing them with olive oil, vinegar, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
The salted cod is desalinated by a number of soaking however isn’t cooked by warmth. So it retains its fresh-from-the-sea flavour.
For those who like ceviche de pescado from Mexico, you’ll love esqueixada de bacalao.
It’s often served as an appetizer with coca de recapte, a Catalan flatbread topped with greens and anchovies.
🌟 Attempt It: The most effective locations to pattern esqueixada de bacalao?
Previous-school Taberna del Bierzo in Cortes (Google Map) and the small however welcoming Taverna El Glop within the Gracia neighbourhood (Google Map).
7. Arroz Negro con Sepia
Through the paella cooking class at Gastro Lab Barcelona, we have been particularly cautious to take away the ink sacs when cleansing the squid in order that the black ink wouldn’t discolour the paella.
Nonetheless it’s the black ink that’s the prized ingredient in arroz negro con sepia!
It usually comes topped with shrimp or strips of pink pepper for a pop of color.
It’s usually the rarest and priciest dish on restaurant menus and is proven alongside paella and fideua.
🌟 Attempt It: La Paella De Su (Google Map) within the Eixample district close to Gaudi’s La Pedrera and La Sagrada Familia options La Negra (black rice) topped with gamba (shrimp).
🌟 Professional Tip: Observe that on restaurant menus the worth for arroz con sepia is per portion. There’s often a minimal of two parts per order. Plan on 45 minutes for preparation.
8. Galets Soup
Christmas Day is an particularly in style time to get pleasure from a steaming bowl of galets soup with household and associates.
Sopa de galets contains a vegetable and/or beef broth with pasta. The most effective variations of this Catalan specialty brim with the small ravioli-type pasta.
Carn d’olla, the meat reserved from making the broth, is served on the facet.
This soup is also called escudella after the clay pot it was initially made it. Terra d’escudelles is a kind of sand used within the countryside to scrub kitchen utensils.
🌟 Attempt It: Catalan eating places usually embody escudella de nadal on their Christmas menus. Make reservations nicely prematurely.
💡 From Wednesday to Sunday through the winter months you could find escudella and carn d’olla on the every day menu at Ca l’Estevet, a Catalan restaurant (Google Map) that’s been in operation since 1890.
9. Cabreaos Eggs (Offended Eggs)
Many Spanish tapas function eggs as they’re plentiful and make a easy, satisfying snack.
In Barcelona, cabreaos eggs seem atop thinly-sliced spiced potato sticks.
They’re ready damaged and sunny-side up therefore the identify ‘offended eggs’ as a result of they’re smashed and barely spicy.
Together with patatas bravas, you’ll discover cabreaos on tapas menus in Barcelona.
🌟 Attempt It: At Cerveceria Catalana (Google Map) within the Eixample neighbourhood.
This in style tapas bar doesn’t take reservations and is packed particularly on weekends. However you’ll be able to usually get a seat on the bar.
Whereas cap I pota won’t be the primary dish you rush to attempt in Barcelona, this wealthy, garlicky, comforting stew is a Catalan basic.
Cap I pota actually interprets to “head and paw” in English, which refers back to the two important parts of the dish: boiled beef (or veal) head and ft.
A lesson in sluggish cooking and the wonders of seasoning, this hearty Catalan favorite is made by simmering meat in spiced, salted water for hours. Because the collagen melts into the broth it creates a satisfying gelatinous base for the stewed meat and greens.
It’s historically served with garlicky pil pil sauce in addition to potatoes, chickpeas and extra greens.
🌟 Attempt It: A prime place to attempt cap I pota is at Restaurant Can Ros paired with one among their Catalan wines.
11. Espinacs amb Panses i Pinyons (Catalan Spinach)
This straightforward Catalan facet dish blends candy and savoury to scrumptious perfection. Espinacs amb panses i pinyons (spinach with raisins and pinenuts) is such a well-known Catalan dish ide dish that it’s also called espinacas a la Catalana.
The preparation is comparatively easy. Contemporary spinach is steamed after which sautéed in olive oil with garlic, candy raisins or currents and toasted pine nuts. Typically it comes topped with an egg sunnyside up.
Take pleasure in espinacs amb panses i pinyons as a facet to grilled meats.
🌟 Attempt It: You’ll love the basic model served at Estevet, a Catalan restaurant (Google Map) that’s been in operation since 1890.
12. Fideua (Noodle Paella)
Fideua is a detailed cousin of the extra in style paella. However whereas paella makes use of rice as its base, fideua options toasted noodles.
The noodles are combined with onion and garlic, juicy tomatoes, seafood combination (clams, mussels, and prawns), saffron-infused water, candy pimenton, and fish inventory inside a paella pan.
Because the noodles prepare dinner within the inventory, they absorb the flavour, making a wealthy and fragrant dish.
Some variations embody asparagus, pink peppers or inexperienced peas.
Take pleasure in it with a dollop of garlicky alioli. This straightforward sauce is made by crushing garlic cloves with salt in a mortar and pestle. As soon as it’s floor to a paste, olive oil is drizzled in a skinny stream till a thick sauce kinds.
🌟 Attempt It: La Paella De Su (Google Map) within the Eixample district close to Gaudi’s La Pedrera and La Sagrada Familia is finest recognized for its paellas. However their menu additionally options three kinds of fideuas together with a vegetarian model.
🌟 Professional Tip: Observe that on restaurant menus the worth for fideua are per portion. There’s often a minimal of two parts per order. Plan on 45 minutes for preparation.
13. Fricandó
Historically ready for particular events or household gatherings, fricandó is a beef stew that’s simmered for hours and served with potatoes or crusty recent bread.
You’ll discover variations of fricandó served up all through the Catalan area. However three substances all the time stay the point of interest of the dish: skinny slices of beef, broth/pink wine and mushrooms, ideally wild-harvested.
Whereas the tender, slow-cooked beef often is the star of the present in fricandó, the mushrooms play an almost-as-important supporting act for flavour and texture.
Fricandó is commonly known as the nationwide dish of Catalonia.
🌟 Attempt It: You’ll need to do that consolation meals someplace with a little bit of historical past. Can Vilaró restaurant situated in entrance of Sant Antoni market (Google Map) is an effective selection.
This third-generation family-owned eatery makes a speciality of heritage dishes fabricated from offal, sweetbreads and humble fare similar to pig’s trotters and rabbit with herbs.
However their fricandó (served Saturdays) is a stand-out.
🌟 Professional Tip: For those who’re visiting the Barcelona Museum of Modern Artwork, you’ll be able to cease at Can Vilaró for lunch. They shut at 3:30 pm. Closed Sundays.
14. Pollastre amb Prunes (Rooster with Prunes)
One of many distinctive traits of Catalan delicacies is the how they mix candy and savoury flavours, creating beautiful style mixtures.
For instance, pollastre amb prunes, country-style hen with prunes (soaked in brandy and wine)with pine nuts is a must-try in Barcelona.
Your finest guess to search out this Catalan specialty is through the Christmas season, when it’s also called Rostit de Nadal.
🌟 Attempt It: 4Gats restaurant is the place to go for a lot of conventional Barcelona meals. You’ll discover this dish listed as pollastre rostit del Penedès on the menu.
15. Seafood Paella
Paella is Spain’s hottest rice dish and probably the most well-known of Valencian and Catalan delicacies.
The glow of the rice, the caramelized crispy crust and juicy seafood is what makes paella a conventional Catalan meals that’s nicely value looking for out.
In terms of its historical past, paella originated within the jap coast of Spain within the 1800s. The phrase paella itself means “frying pan” in Valencian-Catalan.
The principle distinction between paella in Barcelona and Valencia is that Barcelona paella sometimes options seafood whereas paella Valenciana accommodates rabbit and snails.
The key to each paella? The finest paella contains a agency socarrat, the crust of crispy rice caught to the underside of the paella pan. This barely scorched rice crust provides a deliciously satisfying layer to the rice.
With out a socarrat, it’s not an genuine paella. As a substitute it’s only a slightly soggy combination of rice and seafood. Take pleasure in paella with sangria, cava or a Spanish gin & tonic.
🌟 Attempt It: You could find ready paella on the Mercado de la Boqueria however your finest guess is to get it at a restaurant specializing in seafood.
The seafood doesn’t get any more energizing than at family-run La Maroteca (Google Map) the place you’ll be able to chat with the fisher/proprietor. See the day’s catch on ice on the restaurant entrance. Then, cooked-to-order in your paella half-hour later.
🌟 Professional Tip: Observe that on restaurant menus the costs for paella are per portion. There’s often a minimal of two parts per order. Plan on 30-45 minutes for preparation.
16. Suquet de Peix (Catalan Fish Stew)
Essentially the most well-known of Catalonia’s seafood dishes, it is a very talked-about Barcelona conventional meals to attempt.
Suquet de pesh (pronounced “soo-ket day pesh”) is a fish and potato stew that’s usually loved with crusty bread.
There are numerous variations of fish stew. However a few of the hottest variations embody littleneck clams, mussels, smoked paprika, garlicky mayonnaise, saffron and/or chorizo together with the filets of white fish.
17. Crema Catalana (Catalan Cream)
This Catalan model of crème brûlée is distinct from different flans in Europe because it accommodates the essence of Valencian oranges.
🌟 Attempt It: A prime spot to attempt it’s at Petritxo Cafe, situated on Carrer de Petritxol. This slim avenue close to La Rambla (Google Map) is dedicated to chocolate and desserts.
This café seems tiny from the skin however has fairly a little bit of seating inside.
18. Mel i Mató (Cheese with Honey)
One other in style however easy conventional dessert is mel i mató. This scrumptious Catalan dessert created from mató, a recent cheese (requesón) present in Catalonia created from cow or goat’s milk with none added salt.
🌟 Attempt It: Mel i mató is on the dessert menu at Estevet, a Catalan restaurant (Google Map) that’s been in operation since 1890.
19. Pijama
This classic Catalan dessert is supposed to be shared because it accommodates one thing for everybody!
Loosely impressed by peach melba, pijama options creamy flan within the centre of a big plate surrounded by scoops of vanilla ice-cream, peaches in syrup, maraschino cherries, pineapple and some carquinyoli (Catalan almond biscuits).
🌟 Attempt It: This Barcelona dessert is taken into account slightly old school so may be tough to search out. However pijama remains to be on the dessert menu at Estevet, a Catalan restaurant (Google Map) that’s been in operation since 1890.
20. Cava
Catalonia is famend for its manufacturing of Cava, a glowing wine made utilizing the standard technique (Méthode Champenoise), the place the bubble-creating secondary fermentation happens contained in the bottle just like French champagne.
Not like Italian prosecco the place the second fermentation takes place inside stainless-steel tanks and produces giant bubbles, cava has smaller bubbles.
In consequence cava is often dry, crisp, and effervescent, with flavour notes of inexperienced apple, citrus and pear. It’s usually loved as an aperitif or for toasting on particular events.
The most effective place to pattern cava (and different conventional Catalan drinks) is within the bohemian neighbourhood of El Born.
This district is finest explored on foot and with a neighborhood information. Not solely can a neighborhood knowledgeable assist decipher the menus (there usually isn’t one) however you gained’t get misplaced whereas exploring the slim streets!
We actually loved the Connoisseur Tapas & Wine Tasting Tour with Devour Excursions. Through the 3-hour, small-group tour you’ll cease at three tapas bars to pattern Catalan meals paired with regional wines, glowing cava and vermouth straight from the faucet.
21. Purple and White Catalan Wines
Past cava, there are different kinds of wines from Catalonia value looking for out. Priorat is thought for its daring and full-bodied pink wines.
These wines are characterised by intense darkish fruit flavours like blackberry and plum, together with mineral notes and a sturdy tannic construction.
Penedès is a flexible wine area producing each white and pink wines. White Penedès wines are sometimes recent, with citrus and floral aromas.
Purple Penedès wines can vary from mild and fruity to extra complicated with notes of pink berries and a easy end.
Much like Priorat, Montsant is thought for its pink wines, that are wealthy, concentrated, and spicy. They usually showcase intense darkish fruit flavours like black cherry and blackcurrant.
🌟 Attempt It: Located in a historic stone constructing within the Gothic Quarter, stylish Bar Pla B, has an intensive checklist of wines of Catalunya at inexpensive costs. The tapas menu is enjoyable with skilfully ready Catalan dishes. Don’t miss the braised galta de vella.
Alella makes a speciality of brilliant and fragrant white wines of primarily the Pansa Blanca, Garnacha Blanca and Viura grapes. These white wines are crisp and refreshing, that includes notes of inexperienced apple, pear, and generally delicate floral hints.
This wine-growing area is situated simply outdoors Barcelona overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. So it’s truly very straightforward to take a Catamaran, Alella Vineyard and Wine Tasting Tour from Barcelona, stroll the vineyards and study three Alella wines from a sommelier.
Test costs and availability of a Catamaran, Alella Vineyard and Wine Tasting Tour from Barcelona on Viator.com.
22. Vermouth From the Faucet
One other must-try drink in Barcelona is vermouth. This fortified wine infused with numerous botanicals, herbs, and spices has an extended historical past in Barcelona and Catalonia.
Vermouth bars, often known as “vermuterias” provide a wide array of manufacturers and varieties that includes distinct flavours.
When ordering vermouth in Barcelona, you’ll usually be introduced with the vermouth bottle together with a glass of ice and a slice of orange and /or a inexperienced olive. Many Vermouth Bars additionally provide particular tapas plates and potato chips.
🌟 Attempt It: The atmospheric Bastaix Bar in La Ribera (Google Map) provides their home crafted vermouth paired with tapas similar to creamy manchego cheese, artichokes, briny clams and anchovies.
Sipping vermouth inside the uncovered brick and stone partitions of this medieval constructing makes exploring the Barcelona vermouth scene not only a drink selection however a cultural expertise.
🌟 Insider Tip: Pause on the everlasting flame, a part of the Fossar de les Moreres memorial (Google Map). The historic landmark is a tribute to the Catalan folks killed through the 1714 Siege of Barcelona and buried within the plaza. It’s a symbolic place for Catalans.
23. Xocolata (Sizzling Chocolate)
The cacao tree originated in Latin America and was distributed all over the world after the Spanish Conquest.
That explains why as we speak you’ll discover xocolata (chocolate) all through Spain in addition to in conventional Oaxacan delicacies and Guatemalan dishes.
Sizzling xocolata is commonly loved with churros a lot as it’s on a Sunday in Mexico Metropolis’s Historic Zone.
In Barcelona there’s even a complete avenue dedicated to xocolaterías (chocolate outlets). Carrer de Petritxol aka Chocolate Road is a slim avenue within the Gothic Quarter (Google Map) that’s paradise for chocolate lovers.
In between looking the impartial artwork galleries, bask in boxed bonbons in addition to thick, wealthy, scorching xocolata with or with out whipped cream.
🌟 Attempt It: Granja Dulcinea and Petritxo Cafe, each situated on Carrer de Petritxol (Google Map) are prime spots to get pleasure from a mug of genuine xocolata.
Or for an upscale interpretation, head to Petit Comité the place their ‘textures de xocolata’ presents chocolate served 3 ways.
🌟 Professional Tip: Based in 1775, confectioner Torrons Vicens has an extended historical past of manufacturing premium handcrafted nougat and chocolate specialties.
Lots of their 15 outlets in Barcelona serve scorching xocolata in numerous intensities. That is the place to purchase the good Barcelona memento for foodie family and friends.
Ultimate Ideas on Exploring Barcelona’s Conventional Meals and Drink Scene
This checklist is just the start of the implausible Catalan foods and drinks you’ll be able to attempt in Barcelona. It might take a lifetime to find all of it!
With a lot various and scrumptious meals to attempt, hopefully we’ve satisfied you to incorporate loads of time in your itinerary to discover Barcelona’s culinary scene independently or on a guided meals tour.
Whether or not you’re a meat or seafood fanatic, you’re certain to discover a Catalan dish that may make you need to revisit Barcelona many times.
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Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the closest tropical seashore), Michele Peterson is the founding father of A Style for Journey. Her award-winning journey and meals writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Supply, Nationwide Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ different publications.
Learn extra about Michele Peterson.