Barcelona Restaurants

I am offering you this brief review of the restaurant scene in Barcelona in the full knowledge that everyone of you who has already been here will be saying, after you’ve read through the content, ‘For goodness sake, how can he not have mentioned …’. That is an absolute inevitability but it does illustrate the enormous number and variety of fine restaurants in the city. Whatever your own particular favourite cuisine, you are sure to be able to find superb examples of it here.

For example, as Barcelona has always been a port that has attracted people from all over the world, there are a great number of authentic international restaurants – from the Far East to Africa and the Mediterranean to the Americas – the whole world cooks in Barcelona.

Elsewhere on these pages you’ll find a few more detailed reviews of individual places that I have eaten in, but the following are some of Barcelona’s most well-known and celebrated restaurants.
Botafumeiro, at 81 Gran de Gracia, is one of the city’s most traditional Spanish seafood restaurants, with a very formal atmosphere but some great food. You can see tanks of fresh seafood waiting for you to choose your own favourite and this is the kind of place you would want to take someone if you really wanted to ‘push the boat out’ or impress them with your taste and refinement. There’s lots of dishes full of cream and alcohol but it is also possible to get some superbly, simply-cooked dishes.

Vildsvin, L’Antiga Taberna, at 38 Ferran, is, literally, a very different ‘kettle of fish’. Although this is another atmospheric old place, this restaurant is superb value for money – serving up fantastic food, with friendly, casual service and is a great place to go if there are a group of you together.

One of the most prestigious eating places, opened especially for the 1992 Olympics, is El Cangrejo Loco, on Moll de Gregal right on the front in the Olympic Port Area. There are five outdoor terraces as well as two covered ones – all of them with enticing views and impeccable styling. The two interior dining rooms personify modern Mediterranean sophistication. This is one of those celebrity spotting restaurants and, if you really want to taste the best it can offer, the lobster is justifiably famous.

For something entirely different again, the Basque restaurant, Mikel Extea, at Ferran 15, is one of the very best tapas bars – whether you’re talking about quality, quantity, price or ambience. Set up to look like a typical rural Basque eating house, this is an exhilarating place to eat.

Another delightful Basque restaurant, with a cafe/bar at the front of it, is the Sagardi at the BCN Centre at 70-72 Muntaner. Especially well-known for the quality of its meat – and the quality of its cider – this restaurant typifies the best of Basque cooking, reputed to be the best in Spain.

And if you’re looking for something other than Spanish, for a change?

Well, if you’re a great steak eater then you’ll find many good places serving top quality Argentinian beef in the city. ‘Prime’ amongst these is the Patagonia Beef and Wine Restaurant at 660 Gran Vía Cortes Catalanes. Like many Spanish restaurants, the lighting might be a little harsh for some tastes, but the steaks are exquisite. You’ll find a more substantial review of this restaurant in the Reviews section.

Cirkus Sushi, on Calle Avinyó 24, has many admirers and you can not only have fabulous Japanese sushi but also indulge in a little retail therapy as it’s also a trendy boutique. With fabulous cocktails and lively music at the weekends, this is one of Barcelona’s hippest venues.

The favourite Indian restaurant of many is Namaste on Calle Entenca in L’Eixample. A very elegant but friendly restaurant, Namaste has its own authentic tandoori oven and a mind-boggling selection of Indian beers.

Il Giardinetto, at 22 La Granada del Penedes, is an exceptionally stylish and successful Italian restaurant which has been popular for many years – and rightly so – but if you fancy a delicious, bona fide, wood oven pizza, then look no further than La Gavina Reestaurant Pizzaría in Ros de Olano, next to Plaça del Sol. With a great value, and very acceptable quality, House Red wine and nothing but pizzas on the menu, this is a deservedly popular eating spot.

Finally here, in a country not renown for its vegetarian meals, Sesamo, at 52 Calle Sant Antonio Abat, really does buck the trend. Freshly made, organic food, all offered at very competitive prices, have helped make this a place that is becoming more popular by the month.

There’s no doubt that there are many other popular, high quality restaurants in the city that could be mentioned here and gastronomes will find Barcelona to be high on their list of fulfilling places to visit. One of the great joys of the place, though, is the quality of the small, unheralded, family-run restaurants, unexpectedly discovered whilst walking round little-known streets.

You’ll gather your own favourites and treasure them forever.