We visited Barcelona in the middle of a Fall Euro-trip that consisted of stops in Munich and Paris (see our guides for best restaurants in Paris and things to do in Paris!). Barcelona welcomed us with days full of sunshine, warm breezes, and great food. This popular Catalonian city is the second-largest in Spain and is a frequent favorite among tourists due to its colorful architecture, never-ending delicious tapas, and rich heritage. See below for our list of the best restaurants to try when you’re in Barcelona. Also be sure to check out our list of the best things to do in Barcelona from World Heritage sites to tattoos!
1. Maleducat
There is an overwhelming number of tapas restaurants in Barcelona, but if you want something different, try Maleducat. This restaurant is a new-wave Catalan restaurant that focuses on tapas traditions, seasonality, and fusion. To start off, I ordered a cocktail called the Sauco Spritz with elderberry liquor, calamansi vinegar, and ginger; this was so refreshing and light for a balmy Barcelona day.
We ordered tapas of white prawn toast that was as equally beautiful as it was delicious, with its bright dots of red and orange sauces on top of succulent prawns and a flaky cracker. I was most surprised by the tomato tartare, which isn’t something you think of when you think of tartare. But the tomato’s acidity and ripeness really balanced the smoky, meaty flavor of the mackerel. It made me want to grill my own mackerel at home!
Maleducat is easy to reserve ahead, even for a party of five (like we did). We booked the dining room and were seated in one of the few round tables, and had ample room for our dishes. You can also pick the front room, which can be a little bit noisier. For groups, order your own tapas items because they’re small and share the larger dishes.
Type of food: new wave Catalonian, tapas
Price: $ ($ pp)
What to order: white prawn toast, tomato tartare and smoked grilled mackerel, squid toast, sauco spritz cocktail
Neighborhood: L’Eixample
Address: Carrer de Manso, 54, Eixample, 08015 Barcelona, Spain
Website
2. El Xampanyet
We waited over an hour in line to eat at El Xampanyet, and it was well worth it. We even got a free bottle of house-made cava, which was light and not too sweet or too bubbly. It turned out to be one of the best cava we tasted on in Barcelone and it made one of our already most memorable dinners in Barcelona even better. There are no reservations at El Xampanyet, and you really need to wait in line to get a seat at this bustling and popular tapas spot.
The dishes at El Xampanyet are traditional tapas options, minimally seasoned because everything is so fresh and ripe. Some of my favorites were the razor clams that sold out so quickly we couldn’t even order a second serving! These clams were so, so tender and plump and seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and black pepper–the best I’ve ever eaten. We also ordered a Spanish omelet that was perfectly tender and filled with creamy potato slices. They even have an option to add chorizo too!
This is an excellent and lively dinner spot for a date or small group, and be ready to get cozy because it’s small and compact. I almost tipped my glass of cava over while trying to get into the bathroom, but the staff makes the intimate experience even better because they’re so welcoming! It felt like coming home to your neighborhood bar where the food and drinks are so comforting and good.
Type of food: Spanish tapas
Price: $ ($ pp)
What to order: razor clams, housemade cava, Spanish omelet
Neighborhood: El Borne
Address: Carrer de Montcada, 22, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Website
3. Suculent
Suculent is a contemporary Spanish restaurant founded by former El Bulli chef Antonio Romero. If you love meat and seafood, you definitely need to visit Suculent. Some of my favorite dishes in all of Barcelona were eaten at Suculent.
The crispy suckling pig is a huge lechon contender, with tender, juicy meat and crispy skin (note that it does come in a leg shape, so if that freaks your American heart out, just be warned). Succulent also serves fresh seafood, such as langoustine and prawns.
Succulent is popular, and we recommend making reservations at least 2 weeks before your trip (or earlier if you are dining with a larger group). There are larger tables in the back of the restaurant.
Type of food: new Spanish
Price: $ ($ pp)
What to order:
Neighborhood: El Raval
Address: Rambla del Raval, 45, Ciutat Vella, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Website
4. Origo
As a Paris lover and a pastry lover, I will tell you that Barcelona’s pastries are also amazing. Origo Bakery has three locations throughout the beautiful city and offers freshly baked pastries and breads daily. One of my favorites was their fig Danish with a creamy pistachio filling–each bite of the pastry puff was flaky and fruity. Their cardamom bun was also not too sweet, and you could actually taste the spice throughout the pastry.
I also ordered an unsweetened cortado, and I liked that they offered in-dining coffee cups for you to enjoy while you eat your pastries. At the Sant Pau location, there is limited seating, but I liked that there were windows to watch staff making fresh pastries (& also the all-pink interiors).
Type of food: pastries, cafe, bakery
Price: $ ($ pp)
What to order: seasonal pastries, cardamom bun, monkey bread, cortado
Neighborhood: L’Eixample and Gràcia
Address: Rda. de Sant Pau, 67, Eixample, 08015 Barcelona, Spain OR Pg. de St. Joan, 52, Eixample, 08009 Barcelona, Spain OR Carrer de Milà i Fontanals, 9, Gràcia, 08012 Barcelona, Spain
Website
5. Bar Cañete
The tapas tour continued with a stop at Bar Cañete, a much-loved restaurant known for its fresh seafood and produce sourced from local Catalan markets. Order the sauteed prawns that come on a very hot, sizzling pan, swimming in a buttery garlic sauce. The prawns were super tender, and we paired them with a side of pan con tomate to balance out the richness of the sauce.
Due to its high popularity, we recommend making a reservation in advance to skip the long lines. We were able to book a high-top for a group of five a couple of weeks ahead of our trip. Like most famous spots in Barcelona, the seating can be intimate, but that’s all part of the experience. The staff was also extremely friendly and helpful during the ordering process and gave us tips on how many dishes to order.
Type of food: Spanish tapas, traditional Catalonian
Price: $ ($ pp)
What to order: sauteed prawns
Neighborhood: El Raval
Address: Carrer de la Unió, 17, Ciutat Vella, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Website
6. Cocina Hermanos Torres
Barcelona offers so much good food, and the fine-dining options are endless. We ate at Cocina Hermanos Torres, and it was the highlight of our trip. When we first pulled up to this three-Michelin-starred restaurant during a very rainy night, we were surprised by the huge interior. Operating out of a renovated tire factory, Cocina Hermanos Torres has a very modern, chic, all-black interior that separates the front bar lobby from the dining area. If it wasn’t for the large glass window panes on the roof where you could hear raindrops pattering through dinner, you would forget you’re in a large warehouse because of the orchestra of a kitchen team making dinner in the center of the dining room.
Cocina Hermanos Torres offers a tasting menu with around 20 courses, including small bites, and the entire dinner takes +3 hours. Catalonians like to enjoy a good, long meal, and this dinner is no exception. When you first arrive, you’re welcomed to the bar area with a glass of cava and the best Iberico ham you’ve ever tasted. The tasting menu changes with the seasons, and my favorite items were the appetizer of smoked anchovy bon bon that combined sweet and savory flavors, tender langoustine in a rich bone marrow sauce, and ripe peach dessert with earthy tarragon and cardamom seasonings.
Like many three-starred restaurants, Cocina Hermanos Torres’s service was impeccable, and every detail throughout the night was well thought out, down to the last chocolate treat that was tucked away in a branded red box. They also offer a private dining room, but it’s more like a glass box, and I couldn’t help staring at the diners inside. I definitely recommend sticking to the main dining room to see the chefs and staff work.
Type of food: Spanish fine dining
Price: $$$$ ($ pp)
What to order: tasting menu
Neighborhood: Les Cortes
Address: Carrer del Taquígraf Serra, 20, Les Corts, 08029 Barcelona, Spain
Website
7. La Salsamenta
La Salsamenta isn’t a restaurant, but you will be served a generous, delicious traditional Spanish meal. Sara started La Salsamenta in 2012 and still hosts a paella-making class in her ancestral backyard garden. This is peak cottage-core vibes, and you’ll be learning how to make two types of Spanish paella: meat and seafood. There are about 20 students in each class, and you learn so much about the history of paella, local ingredients, and how you can make it at home.
For our class, we had two large paellas going: one with meat and one with seafood only. The pans are massive, and there are a lot of steps to the cooking process, so everyone can get a turn contributing, if you like. All the washing, cutting, and prep work was done for us, though, so we could focus on the techniques and the cooking.
During the class, there is an endless supply of Spanish wine and snacks. And when you’re done cooking, there are appetizers with local cheese, meats, and seasonal fruits to munch on while you wait for the paella. La Salsamenta is a great way to learn about Catalonian and Spanish cuisine, and you get fed a lot of paella.
Type of food: Spanish
Price: $$$ ($81 pp)
What to order: paella class
Neighborhood: Gràcia
Address: Carrer de l’Escorial, 191, Gràcia, 08024 Barcelona, Spain
Website
8. Coffee – Nomad, D Origen Coffee Roasters, Ripa Coffee, The Coffee
You can’t write about the best places to eat in Barcelona without adding the coffee shops. Barcelona is thriving with great third wave coffee shops. And this city is of my favorite places to get coffee, especially with spots like Nomad, which not only serves up great pourover and espresso, but also offer workshops for at-home and commercial baristas. I was lucky to be able to take a private latte-making course at the Nomad lab, where I learned to steam milk and pour latte art. Nomad also has several locations in Barcelona in L’Eixample, Poblenou, and El Born, and do expect them to be busy, but worth it!
I also liked visiting D Origen Coffee Roasters for the cortado. And if you’re visiting popular tourist spots like Casa Batlló, there’s Ripa Coffee, a few blocks away, that offers cortados and lattes on the go, and vegan pastries like cinnamon rolls and croissants. We also visited The Coffee in L’Eixample, which is a Japanese-influenced coffee shop. Here, you’ll find strawberry matcha iced lattes, or my favorite, tonka bean iced lattes, that are fruity and delicious.
9. Prima Salvaje
Prima Salvaje opened in 2025, and it’s already gaining popularity in Barcelona for its innovative pastries. Some of our top picks were the brioche with sauteed mushrooms, cheese, and truffle–nothing beats a savory and soft bite of brioche–and a cookie croissant, the best of two decadent and buttery desserts in one. If my stomach were bigger, I would’ve also ordered a fluffy focaccia sandwich stuffed with bacon, tomatoes, and cheese!
This small bakery in L’Eixample is run by two bakers, Maria and Gasper. They were busy ringing us up and also making more pastries as we stopped by. There’s a small bench outside to enjoy your fresh pastries, too.
Type of food: bakery, pastries
Price: $ ($ pp)
What to order: sauteed mushroom and truffle brioche, cookie croissant
Neighborhood: L’Eixample
Address: Carrer de Girona, 181, Eixample, 08037 Barcelona, Spain
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10. CAJÚ Gelato
If you need a dessert after a filling meal and you’re walking around El Borne, stop by CAJÚ Gelato. If you’ve got dietary restrictions, this sweet treat is for you because CAJÚ Gelato only specializes in vegan gelato – and you can’t even tell! My favorite flavors were coconut, pistachio, and chocolate because you could really taste the nuttiness without artificial flavors. The texture was slightly thick and creamy, too.
They offer a variety of gelato sizes, which I appreciate because you can get a mini without stuffing yourself. Larger sizes offer options for more than one flavor in a cup or a cone. CAJÚ Gelato has a very minimalist style, and inside, you’ll find concrete steps to sit on as you enjoy your plant-based dessert in peace. Even if there is a line, it moves quickly!
Type of food: gelato, vegan
Price: $ ($ pp)
What to order: pistachio, coconut, chocolate
Neighborhood: El Borne
Address: Carrer de Rera Palau, 9, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Website
11. Bar La Camila
If you want a relaxing and calm breakfast, definitely hit up Bar La Camila. Bar La Camila is a charming cafe and wine bar in Gràcia that offers a simple menu of small plates and snacks. We visited early in the morning for a quick coffee and ended up staying to order a small breakfast of pan con tomate, anchovies in oil, and a croissant.
I thoroughly enjoyed my cortado here, in the very locals-feeling and no-frills kinda shop. Like most cafes in Europe, I find the milk rich and creamy enough in the cortado that you don’t need to add sugar. And eating it with a flaky, buttery croissant is the perfect match.
The anchovies were lightly salted and swimming in olive oil; We ate them with the crispy, fresh bread, and the tangy crushed tomatoes balanced the saltiness of the fish. Eating this light meal to start the day, with the open window of Bar La Camila, felt like a dream.
Type of food: cafe, wine bar
Price: $ ($ pp)
What to order: cortado, tomato con pan, anchovies in oil
Neighborhood: Gràcia
Address: Carrer de Banyoles, 11, Gràcia, 08012 Barcelona, Spain
Website
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