Famed Spots & Hidden Gems in Barcelona
Let's be honest. It's really difficult to eat bad food in Barcelona. It is really easy to find good - really good - food on nearly street. But there is really great food, a lot of which can be found at oft written about restaurants, naturally. Others are hidden gems tucked into corners, full of locals. Two girlfriends and I had 3 days to eat our way through Barcelona. We took the challenge seriously and put our all into it. To the victors go the spoils!
CAL PEP: This is one you'll hear is a must to visit. And I completely agree. We did not make a booking in advance so were super worried that we wouldn't be able to eat there. On a rainy night at about 9:30, as we were walking towards another restaurant, we passed it. All lit up and still serving, we walked into the bar dining area and, lo and behind, 3 stools were open. It was fate. We left the menu up to the chefs and WOW. While I love seafood, I am not a huge fan of clams. But their clams in garlic and butter was one of the best things I have ever tasted. Dredge your bread through it and you'll need to check to ensure you aren't actually in heaven. Also, order the creme for dessert and thank me later.
Tapas 24: From a tapas perspective, this was my favourite. It does not offer reservations, but the line moves quickly as does the food delivery. Again, we lucked out. We had visited La Pedrera and Casa Batlló in the rain and needed fuel by way of delicious food. We walked in and 3 stools were available. The luck! We over-ordered and ate every bite. There are daily specials which should be tried, but definitely order the Bikini with ham and cheese, crispy chicken wings, and fig carpaccio with almond cream.
Ca l'Isidre: Recommended by Jose Andres as the consummate Barcelona restaurant, we could not wait for this dinner. This small, white tablecloth restaurant was terrific for both its service and its delicious food. The meat & duck liver ravioli in truffle broth was the perfect start, followed by a grilled then baked turbot in a white wine sauce paired with a crisp Albarino. The piece de resistance was the chocolate souffle! It's a MUST if you dine here.
Quimet & Quimet: If tiny "hole in the wall" spots are your thing, then this will not disappoint. Tiny is an understatement, made to feel even more so by the walls lined to the ceilings with wine bottles. But the atmosphere is all energy, the servers are super friendly and the tapas are uniquely delicious.
Tapeo Bar: This tapas bar/restaurant, though highly regarded, is a bit hidden on a cobblestoned pathway. We were exhausted when we arrived but the food really woke us up! We had delicious ham croquettes, sausage & wild mushroom cannelloni (wow!), avocado & quinoa salad with corn, and tuna with soy & yogurt (my gosh!). If you crave a quiet dinner at a hidden gem, I highly recommend this spot.
Bar Cañete: We ate here on our last night on the recommendation of Jose Andres. The vibe is fun and energetic, fueled by both locals and foodie tourists. We ate lots of things, but what is most memorable is the lobster and "secret ingredient" croquettes (so good we ordered more!), the suckling pig, the green bean salad with pine nuts and the mille feuille dessert. YUM!
For lunch, there were two food halls and markets that have lots of options for excellent eats.
El Nacional is a fairly new space that contains 4 bars and 4 restaurants, each with its own theme. The bars focus on beer, wine, oysters or cocktails and the restaurants feature meat, fish, rice/noodles or sandwiches/light meals. We ate at the latter which is called La Paradeta. It's decor is as inviting as the food! If you aren't sure what you are in the mood for, pop by here for lunch and go where your senses take you.
La Boqueria is a quite famous and popular food market. It's great fun to meander through the crowds to admire the food stalls full of fresh fish, fruit juices, Spanish meats, candies, chocolate, fruits and vegetables. (The best stall for fruits and vegetables is Vidal Pons 1897!) And despite the dense crowds, it's worth the effort of waiting for a table or bar stool. Those we loved were also recommendations from Jose Andres and now what I recommend to you. La Pinotxo Bar (has only daily specials - we had clams, baby squid & white beans, grilled lobster - and is terrific for breakfast) and Kiosk Universal (garlic shrimp, mushrooms, squid & potatoes, blistered green peppers). El Quim de la Boqueria was also recommended to us but we couldn't fit it in.
There were many restaurants we did not make it to but came highly recommended to us. If you have more time than we did, check out Tickets (get a booking!), Alkimia, Niño Viejo, Bodega 1900, Hoja Santa, ABaC (experimental, modern), Santa Maria tapas bar (on Carrer del Comerç), and the pastry shop Cacao Sampaka.
