How to Eat in Barcelona

Barcelona is full of dining options that offer little bang for your buck. In order to get a real taste of Spain, especially Catalonia, you must do a little searching. Like any major tourist city in the world, Barcelona is engorged with foreigners and expats, and because of this fact it is growing increasingly more difficult to find unique restaurants that are true to the rich gastrointestinal fare that is as much a part of Catalonia as its history and art. Barcelona is famous for its experimental cuisine, foam for food, and sushi, but finding these little restaurants or getting into the most well-known ones is an artful culinary dance all on its own. Here’s an insider’s guide to eating in Barcelona.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Language dictionary (Spanish and Catalan)
• City map
• Metro map
• Walking shoes
• Appetite
• Open mind

1. Do some research before you travel. Make a list of restaurants that received great reviews from other travelers on websites like Chowhound (see Resources below). Restaurant critics are in the know when it comes to international cuisines, so check national newspapers like the New York Times for their reviews. Know what the specialties are when you get there. In Catalon, the big ticket items are chocolat con churros, paella, patatas bravas, squid and sangria, but you might also enjoy eating merluza, anchovies, cava and the vast variety of experimental cuisines.
2. If you don't know Spanish or Catalan, learn a few key words in each language that will help you order with ease. Restaurants frequented by tourists are more likely to have staff who speak English, but you're trying to avoid the touristy areas, and the rural areas will have less English fluency. Catalan is the national language of Catalonia and is usually the first language on most menus, but almost everyone in Barcelona speaks both Catalan and Spanish.
3. Eat the stuff you’re expected to eat. There is something to be said for the traditional foods that you know about--and Spain has a lot of them. Skip the gofres and crepes stand and head straight to family run Dulcinea for a taste of chocolat con churros. This is arguably one of Spain’s finest deserts, and though it’s not for everyone, it should be tasted. The thick mess of warm chocolate is not your ordinary Swissmiss, but might be closer identified with chocolate pudding. Served with fresh churros, it’s a sweet cocoa treat that can be enjoyed at the relaxed pace of a native.
4. Catalonia gave birth to the calçot--a sister to the green onion and scallion--so it is only right that you try them while you’re here. You won’t be able to find them anywhere else in the world and they’re only available in Catalonia between January and April, so calçots could be considered the caviar of Spain. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Spain in the winter you’ll be able to find them at most restaurants, but if you have a place to cook, grab a bunch at the market and make them yourself. Roasted with olive oil and served with an almond and pimento-based sauce, they’re heavenly.
5. Splurge on some over-priced chocolates at La Boqueria. This is the only time we’ll recommend spending your money in a tourist trap, but La Boqueria, Barcelona’s main market, is a must-visit. The chocolates (try Turron bonbons), though over-priced, are delicious. After you’ve picked out your chocolates, head over to La Pinotxo, a little bar located on the right front of the market facing Las Ramblas. Tell the chef to cook up whatever is fresh that day. Order a cappuccino while you wait, and when your meal arrives, pair it with whatever beer they have on tap.
6. Con ‘K’ is a favorite restaurant for real-meal-sized portions. Tapas bars litter Barcelona’s cobbled street, and a few days in this glorious city will have you snacking all day without ever feeling satisfied, so visit Con ‘K’ for a full-sized Western meal. This quaint little shop is located off a hidden street in the Barri Gottic, Banys Vell, near St. Maria Del Mar, and is a romantic little hideaway with a great wine list and even better food choices. The menu is small, but the offers of chef Txiki Fuster are muy grande.
7. In Spain, shops and cafes serving helado (ice cream or gelato) are about as frequent as the flower stalls on Sant Jordi’s Day. You’ll be hard pressed to find an ice cream store that serves anything less than spectacular, but for the best in creamy Catalan gelato, order the Turron at renowned, Heladería Italiana, an ice cream shop in La Plaza Revolucion. Since the name literally means, ‘Italian Ice Cream Shop’, you can imagine that the two Italian women working there are as authentic and genuine as the ice cream they sell. In the summer time, you’ll need a little luck and patience as the cue extends from Barcelona to Rome, but this ice cream is well worth the wait.
8. For a real taste of Catalonia and an intriguing little place, visit Inopia, which boasts insanely delicious anchovy fillets, torta Canarejal (a yummy cheese), tomato salad with fresh salt cod, and sliced confit tuna belly. You can get the tired list of tapa bar menu stuff here, like papatas bravas, ham croquets and fried squid, but at Inopia it somehow seems to be vastly superior than the touristic bars along Las Ramblas.
9. If you’ve come to Spain in search of the best sangria, your flight may have been made in vain. Though sangria is a very traditional cocktail, the only place you’ll get an authentic one is at a Spanish fiesta. What most bars offer is tinto con limon, which is red wine with lemonade and a few slices of fruit thrown in for good measure. However, if you’re looking to siesta with a glass of sangria anyway, the best place to go is at a bar with a terrace overlooking the water. What you lose in yummy sangria, you’ll make up for in ambiance.
10. You don't want to miss this gem while you're touring Barcelona: El Xampanet is one of the coolest bars in town. Located off of a narrow, terrace-lined cobblestone street near the Picasso museum in the heart of the Gothic Quarter, El Xampanyet is old world charm meets modern trendy, where natives share their stools with foreigners and the young tip their glasses to the old. The blue-tiled walls are lined with old trinkets and antique artifacts, while gourmet canned foods are nestled in between. Cava is sold by the bottle or glass here, but don't miss the anchovies, which are pulled from what looks like a bunt cake of fish.

Tips & Warnings

• Catalan will be the first language you see on most menus, followed by Spanish.
• Avoid bar sangria. Sangria is a party drink created to get people drunk cheaply. If you want the most "authentic" sangria, you'll have better luck finding it at a private Spanish-hosted party or fiesta.

Who Can Help: