Grilling at Carnal. | Carnal 
From Barcelona’s towering church buildings and bustling avenues to the sun-drenched seashores and idyllic plazas, it’s apparent why this metropolis captures guests’ hearts. You may as well eat extremely effectively right here, and infrequently for not very a lot cash — although Barcelona loves a tasting menu and the World’s 50 Finest Restaurant checklist awarded Disfrutar the No. 1 spot final 12 months. Regardless of Barcelona’s famed delicacies, it’s additionally straightforward to have a downright disappointing meal when you accept any outdated paella-slinging bar alongside Les Rambles (identified in Spanish as La Rambla) or La Barceloneta. (Tip: If a restaurant has to pay somebody to face outdoors and problem pedestrians, the meals isn’t price it.)
Begin with some traditional tapas and paella (each nice however neither fully Catalan) and you’ll want to hunt down native gems like bittersweet vermouth, seasonal seafood, and homestyle Catalan delicacies. However after writing and revising this checklist for practically a decade, I’ve to insist you don’t overlook town’s burgeoning international cuisines; save room for Calabrese paninis, Northeast Asian sharing plates with pure wines, towering fried rooster sandwiches, South Indian fish stews, and nose-to-tail yakitori.
Although this checklist works completely effectively for somebody who lives in Barcelona, I’ve designed it as a crash course for guests on the town for a couple of week who wish to strive each what’s conventional and what’s trending. If it’s on this checklist, it’s worthy of certainly one of your treasured meal slots on a visit that may by no means be lengthy sufficient.
On this newest refresh, we’ve revamped our write-ups to incorporate much more related data for diners, together with a tough vary of pricing for every vacation spot — starting from $ for fast, cheap meals with dishes largely underneath $10 USD (or the equal in euros), to $$$$ for locations the place entrees exceed $30.
Eater updates this checklist quarterly to ensure it displays the ever-changing Barcelona eating scene.
New to the map in June 2025: Brabo, an asador (grill-centric restaurant) that’s versatile sufficient to suit a special day or an informal evening out; Taktika Berri, a 30-year-old Basque bar with a mid-’90s vibe and glorious pintxos, steaks, and codfish omelets; and Colmado Múrria, a restaurant and wine bar inside an iconic modernist-era grocery retailer, based in 1898.
Sam sugar is a contract author, photographer, filmmaker, journey Instagrammer, and gastronomic tour information in Barcelona. He has contributed to Monocle, Nationwide Geographic’s “48 Hours” guides, Tradition Journeyand Vice Journeyamongst others.
