59 Best Restaurants in Barcelona, Spain

If you're looking for a calm respite in which to enjoy a mid-morning coffee or a laid-back lunch, you can't beat a patio table at this café in the lush gardens of Casa de la Misericòrdia (a former orphanage), replete with palm trees, ferns, moss, and a small waterfall that mutes the street noise. In the evening, twinkling lights add a touch of romance to the already magical space.

Specializing in Catalan bar food and local, organic, biodynamic, and natural wine, this sometimes-rowdy bar may not look like much from the outside but the hordes of people waiting to be seated give it away. Top choices include the mushroom carpaccio with wasabi vinaigrette and strawberries, the black squid-ink croquettes and the spicy patatas bravas.

Set in a charming Moderniste space dating back to 1892, this bar hits the perfect balance of quality, price, service, and ambiance. The menu mixes classic dishes like deep-fried calamari and spicy patatas bravas, with house specials like the steak tartare.

For a cool pick-me-up on a hot Barcelona afternoon, you can't beat the seasonal, locally sourced, Italian-style ice cream from DeLaCrem. Expect classics like vanilla, chocolate, and dulce de leche as well as more unconventional combinations like mandarin and orange blossom yogurt, pear and Parmesan, or pumpkin and toasted butter. There are vegan options, too. 

A favorite with visiting gourmands, this often overcrowded little counter serves some of the best beer and tapas in town. The house-brewed artisanal draft beer—named after the Fort family who owns and runs the bar—is drawn and served with loving care by veteran, epauletted waiters who have it down to a fine art. 

If you're looking to freshen up after a long, sweaty day of sightseeing, this artisanal Italian-owned gelateria is just the ticket. In addition to a broad range of dairy-based flavors, there are plant-based options and fresh-fruit sorbets, plus gluten-free cones. The vegan dark chocolate gelato is a particular favorite. Open every night until midnight. 

This superb café, bakery, and pastry school has set a new standard for sweet treats in the city. The glazed cinnamon rolls are a standout, as is the to-die-for brioche filled with red berries and mascarpone, while the fresh croissant cone overflowing with soft-serve ice cream, praline, and salted caramel is a rare thing of great beauty. Stop in for breakfast or grab something to go. 

There's no glitz, no glamour, and not even a sign outside, but the battered wooden doors of this old, family-owned tavern hide a tapas bar to be treasured. Loyal customers and hordes of tourists queue for the market-fresh seafood, served from the furiously busy kitchen.

Top-notch coffee, homemade pastries and cakes, and healthy fare like avocado toast make this organic café a particularly bustling spot at breakfast. For lunch or a casual dinner, there's a long list of panini sandwiches, as well as excellent quiches and Italian-inspired salads.

Between the buzzing indoor dining room, the breezy outdoor patio, and the strongest Bloody Mary game in town, there's a reason why Picnic has reigned supreme on the Barcelona brunch scene for more than a decade. House specials include the quinoa and potato hash browns, the fried green tomatoes with feta and fresh corn salsa, and, of course, the killer eggs Benedict. Accompany it with a ginger gin lemonade or one of the famous chipotle Bloody Marys and you won't go home disappointed. 

This Poblenou bakery’s ever-changing selection of delectable homemade cakes, tarts, and cookies—including many vegan and gluten-free options—hits the sweet spot. The Saturday-only brunch features savory egg sandwiches served on house-baked brioche buns.

This lively brunch spot is a breath of fresh air in a neighborhood perhaps best described as "up and coming." The name "trópico" (or tropical) refers to both the bright decor and the menu that takes inspiration from the tastes of the tropics—from Colombian arepas to Brazilian chicken coxinhas, Thai dragon fruit smoothies, Peruvian ají, and Indian-style curries. Founders Leonardo Tristancho from Colombia and Rodrigo Marco from Brazil have created a space that reflects their love of vibrant, unapologetic flavors, blended with all the warmth of Latin hospitality.

Fresh, falafel-like balls of meat, fish, and vegetables in unique, mouthwatering combinations are prepared with laser-sharp focus by the Israeli chef helming A Tu Bola. Everything from the harissa (spicy chili paste) to the hummus is made by hand, elevating the standard far beyond that of typical street food in the surrounding Raval. Be prepared to wait for a seat in the small eating area and follow the staff's advice on portion sizes when ordering from the mix-and-match menu.

Started by two sisters, Marisol and Sofía, Artisa is a one-stop-shop for coffee, cakes, juices, and sandwiches, with a few outdoor and indoor tables. It's the perfect place for a light bite or a snack while sight-seeing.

Don’t let the slightly dingy atmosphere dissuade you; this Barceloneta bar serves reliably good tapas and an excellent house vermouth, making it a local favorite since its founding in 1908. The best seats are out on the plaza-fronting terrace.

Despite its location just off La Rambla, Bar Lobo’s outdoor terrace overlooks a charming and usually quiet square, plus it's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu covers all the bases: coffee, juice, wine, cocktails, traditional Catalan and Spanish tapas, and Western mains. 

Always a popular place to hang out and watch barcelonins kill some time, this lively café has hosted everyone from local poets to King Felipe. The tapas are nothing special but the sandwiches are excellent and the beer is cold. Plus, this old-fashioned bar de toda la vida (everyday bar), with its long counter and jumble of tables, is open 365 days a year.

This sun-filled corner lunch spot at the foot of Montjuïc, with coveted terrace seating just across the street, is a cut above the neighborhood’s typical tapas joints. Nearly everything is organic, from the simply-prepared Mediterranean-style dishes to the ecological wines; even the sodas are all-natural.

Famous for its patatas bravas amb allioli (potatoes with fiery hot sauce and allioli, an emulsion of crushed garlic and olive oil), accompanied by freezing mugs of San Miguel beer, this old-fashioned Sarrià classic is worth seeking out. You'll have to elbow your way to a tiny table and shout to be heard over the hubbub, but the effort is richly rewarding. 

One of the oldest bakeries in the city, Brunells has occupied the same corner in El Born since 1852. Recently remodeled, it now sports a contemporary look worthy of a Wes Anderson movie, while its flakey butter croissants filled with everything from ham and cheese to salted caramel, regularly win awards as some of the best in the city. 

This restaurant has been serving old-school Catalan cuisine to local and loyal customers since 1940 (and under a different name for 50 years before that), and the practice has been made perfect. Standouts include butifarra sausage with spinach and chickpeas, meatballs with squid and shrimp, or veal stew with wild mushrooms. Most dishes are hearty, but there are a few lighter options such as steamed mussels and oven-baked cod.

Directly across from the Liceu opera house, this high-ceiling Art Nouveau café has welcomed operagoers and performers for more than 100 years. It's a central point on the Rambla tourist traffic pattern, so locals are increasingly hard to find, but the café has hung onto its atmosphere of faded glory nonetheless. This spot isn't suited to a long meal; it's best for catching a drink and taking in the scene. It's also a good after-dinner stop, open until 1 am.

Founded in 1931, this rustic corner restaurant is a local favorite for the array of classic tapas and mains, along with Catalan “pizza”—flatbread topped with traditional ingredients such as caramelized onion and butifara (garlicky pork sausage) or sobrasada (cured pork sausage) with brie and honey. There’s a small but decent wine list featuring several ecological wines.

A gem among a crop of modern restaurants putting the razzle back into the run-down Raval, Cera 23 offers a winning combination of great service and robust cooking in a fun, friendly setting; stand at the bar and enjoy a blackberry mojito while you wait for your table. The focus of the dining area is the open kitchen, so guests can watch the cooks create contemporary presentations of traditional Spanish dishes. Try the volcano of black rice, with seafood "rocks" and saffron-flavored "lava," and the slow-cooked pork ribs with honey and soy sauce. The reasonably priced restaurant is popular and usually packed until quite late, but the surrounding area can be intimidating at night; get a taxi to the end of the street.