Food in Barcelona
May 12, 2014 2:29 PM Subscribe
We are visiting Barcelona, Spain for a week, and are having trouble finding decent restaurants that aren't geared towards tourists in the Eixample area. I figure that y'all might know where we can eat.
We are looking for restaurants primarily in the Eixamlple area of the city. We are staying very close to the intersection of Gracia and Diagonal avenues and would prefer not to walk more than 3/4 of a mile or so for dinner (although will walk further if it's worth it).
There are a lot of tapas places here, but they seem to cater primarily to tourists. They're expensive and not terribly amazing. We would prefer inexpensive (like 17 to 20 euros for a meal for two, for about 3 plates of tapas and maybe some wine) and authentic food. We are mostly looking for good dinner places. Being able to sit outside is nice, but not absolutely necessary.
We've looked online and in guidebooks but all the places we tried today that we found online no longer existed, so I thought I'd turn to the hive mind for help. Thank you!
If there is anything else we just can't miss while we are here, let me know. My favorite thing in Paris (the only other big European city I've visited) was the catacombs, so anything like that is up my alley.
We are looking for restaurants primarily in the Eixamlple area of the city. We are staying very close to the intersection of Gracia and Diagonal avenues and would prefer not to walk more than 3/4 of a mile or so for dinner (although will walk further if it's worth it).
There are a lot of tapas places here, but they seem to cater primarily to tourists. They're expensive and not terribly amazing. We would prefer inexpensive (like 17 to 20 euros for a meal for two, for about 3 plates of tapas and maybe some wine) and authentic food. We are mostly looking for good dinner places. Being able to sit outside is nice, but not absolutely necessary.
We've looked online and in guidebooks but all the places we tried today that we found online no longer existed, so I thought I'd turn to the hive mind for help. Thank you!
If there is anything else we just can't miss while we are here, let me know. My favorite thing in Paris (the only other big European city I've visited) was the catacombs, so anything like that is up my alley.
I liked Woki quite a bit, especially the wok bowls. It's close to the Placa Catalunya.
El Bitxo has quirky & delicious tapas and good sandwiches. I think it's more expensive than Woki, but more elegant too. I saw a lot of locals eating there. It's across the street from the Palau de Musica, so I think it's a bit farther away from you. (It's kind of hidden in an alley too. You can almost see it from a side entrance of the Palau.)
If you get down by the gothic Cathedral (recommended), and if you feel like Mexican food, I liked Rosa Negra. It was good and inexpensive.
posted by isthmus at 3:13 PM on May 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
El Bitxo has quirky & delicious tapas and good sandwiches. I think it's more expensive than Woki, but more elegant too. I saw a lot of locals eating there. It's across the street from the Palau de Musica, so I think it's a bit farther away from you. (It's kind of hidden in an alley too. You can almost see it from a side entrance of the Palau.)
If you get down by the gothic Cathedral (recommended), and if you feel like Mexican food, I liked Rosa Negra. It was good and inexpensive.
posted by isthmus at 3:13 PM on May 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you head down to El Born - a bit farther from you but an easy metro ride - there is a lot that's good but I will specifically recommend Sagardi. There is a dinner side - don't do that - and a pintxo side - do that. It was amazing and fun.
There was also a chain called taller de tapas and everything was quite good there. And if you see a place selling cones full of ham, for the love of god, stop.
We honestly only had one experience - of 20ish meals - that made us feel suckered. What a great food city.
What not to miss? The sagrada familia. Just absolutely breathtaking. Get reservations online and do a tower tour unless you're more sensitive to heights than me.
posted by ftm at 3:50 PM on May 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
There was also a chain called taller de tapas and everything was quite good there. And if you see a place selling cones full of ham, for the love of god, stop.
We honestly only had one experience - of 20ish meals - that made us feel suckered. What a great food city.
What not to miss? The sagrada familia. Just absolutely breathtaking. Get reservations online and do a tower tour unless you're more sensitive to heights than me.
posted by ftm at 3:50 PM on May 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
Try Retorno at Comte d'Urgell and Mallorca. Galician food.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 4:56 PM on May 12, 2014
posted by the man of twists and turns at 4:56 PM on May 12, 2014
I ate well in Barcelona! In particular, I thought Cal Pep was worth the line, and I had a really good time on a food tour through the a Gothic Quarter with The Barcelona Taste.
posted by maryrussell at 7:12 PM on May 12, 2014
posted by maryrussell at 7:12 PM on May 12, 2014
I enthusiastically second the recommendation for Cal Pep: it usually has a line (for the bar; reservations accepted for the dining room for parties of >4), the food is delightful and prepared with imagination; and the atmosphere and patrons are a fun mix of tourist and local.
The cider and snacks ("conservas", mostly shellfish from a tin but oh so good) bar El Xampanyet is nearby and wonderful; the cafe at the Textile Museum is low-key and in a really cool old castle, although the food has declined in recent years the setting (and occasional live music performances) are notable. All three are near each other in El Born, a stone's throw from the Gothic Quarter.
posted by lasagnaboy at 7:55 PM on May 12, 2014
The cider and snacks ("conservas", mostly shellfish from a tin but oh so good) bar El Xampanyet is nearby and wonderful; the cafe at the Textile Museum is low-key and in a really cool old castle, although the food has declined in recent years the setting (and occasional live music performances) are notable. All three are near each other in El Born, a stone's throw from the Gothic Quarter.
posted by lasagnaboy at 7:55 PM on May 12, 2014
The metro is good in Barcelona, so don't restrict yourself to walking surface streets.
I'd strongly recommend a visit to Taverna Can Margarit for roast conejo and a jug of negra sec (or whatever else takes your fancy).
There are loads of good little places to eat, anywhere with pan con tomate and pimientos de padron will do, but I particularly liked Julivert Meu, on Carrer del Bonsuccess.
I had a really good time on a food tour through the a Gothic Quarter with The Barcelona Taste.
Seconding this, they're pretty great. Very friendly people, very nice way to get your bearings in the central city, and try a bunch of little places quickly and easily.
It's kind of hidden in an alley too.
Yep there's a lot of that in Barcelona. What a fantastic city.
posted by The Monkey at 9:40 PM on May 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'd strongly recommend a visit to Taverna Can Margarit for roast conejo and a jug of negra sec (or whatever else takes your fancy).
There are loads of good little places to eat, anywhere with pan con tomate and pimientos de padron will do, but I particularly liked Julivert Meu, on Carrer del Bonsuccess.
I had a really good time on a food tour through the a Gothic Quarter with The Barcelona Taste.
Seconding this, they're pretty great. Very friendly people, very nice way to get your bearings in the central city, and try a bunch of little places quickly and easily.
It's kind of hidden in an alley too.
Yep there's a lot of that in Barcelona. What a fantastic city.
posted by The Monkey at 9:40 PM on May 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
I lived in Barcelona for four months this fall and La Flauta was one of my favorite restaurants! Mostly locals (though they have English menus if you don't speak Spanish or Catalan).
Seconding that the metro is super, super easy!
posted by kylej at 10:18 PM on May 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Seconding that the metro is super, super easy!
posted by kylej at 10:18 PM on May 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Where did you end up going? I really love Barcelona, and can't wait to go back.
posted by The Monkey at 5:11 PM on May 18, 2014
posted by The Monkey at 5:11 PM on May 18, 2014
Response by poster: We unfortunately did not travel outside of our little neighborhood for dinner, and I have to say that the tapas places on Rambla de Catalunya are not much to write home about. We did have a nice bunch of tapas and some good wine at Mauri on that street, but the rest of the food was not as memorable as I had hoped (it's ok; the sights in the city more than made up for this)! Most of the restaurants in that area were either sushi places or were very expensive or both. The online reviews about long lines at Cal Pep and La Flauta made my traveling companions wary, unfortunately.
We had an amazing meal while walking around El Born during the middle of the day, however, at a little place called Atril. It was great and inexpensive and we got to sit outside and that's the Barcelona food experience that people talk about! I highly recommend this place.
I also could not get enough of the boldúman donuts at boldú on Carrer de Provença.
I also did not run into any cones full of ham in my travels and was really disappointed about this fact.
posted by k8lin at 9:36 PM on May 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
We had an amazing meal while walking around El Born during the middle of the day, however, at a little place called Atril. It was great and inexpensive and we got to sit outside and that's the Barcelona food experience that people talk about! I highly recommend this place.
I also could not get enough of the boldúman donuts at boldú on Carrer de Provença.
I also did not run into any cones full of ham in my travels and was really disappointed about this fact.
posted by k8lin at 9:36 PM on May 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by cmoj at 2:49 PM on May 12, 2014