The gastronomic scene of the city continues unstoppable thanks to the most recent innovations and so many always infallible classics. In this list, the editors of Condé Nast Traveler share what for us are some of the the best restaurants in Barcelona.
Enjoy Barcelona.
TO ENJOY (Villarroel, 163)
Signature cuisine. The three former chefs of elBulli at its highest level… and one of the best restaurants in the world. And it is that rarely has a name defined so much, so well, a restaurant. Because, when they opened their doors, in December 2014, Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro and Eduard Xatruch they wanted nothing more than to enjoy themselves… and make the clientele enjoy themselves. Not only did they achieve it instantly, but their recognition at the international level does not cease (the 5th best in the world according to The World's Best Restaurants 2021 ). dishes like “empedrat” of hake and almonds, its already famous gilda or carbonara macaroni that break the mold are already part of the Enjoy universe. Tip for fans: the book Enjoy (Volume I) It is a gem of gastronomic literature that will go down in history. David Moralejo
The Serras, Barcelona.
INFORMAL, SERRAS HOTEL (Passeig de Colom, 9)
The restaurant of Hotel Serras is not just the restaurant of one of our favorite hotels in Barcelona (Condé Nast Traveler Spain award to best urban hotel ), but the best way to taste the great cuisine of Marc Gascons (Els Tinars, Girona) in the city. In an informal plan, yes, as his name says. dishes like grilled turbot with roasted leeks, dry rice with baby squid and prawn carpaccio and sweet potato gnocchi with butter sauce and truffle will also make you a fan of Marc. And a secret: if you stay overnight in Serras (which you should do) ask for breakfast on bikini sandwich. One of the best in the world. Wait: order two. David Moralejo
Sandwich of cream cheese, smoked salmon tartar and caviar, in Estimar.
ESTIMATE (San Antonio of the Hatters, 3)
Contemporary kitchen. Rafa Zafra presents the great marine taxonomy with a very high culinary level. Seafood and fish without forgiveness in the largest modern temple dedicated to the sea. headquartered in Madrid and in Barcelona, the food journalist pillar rooms defined it as “the seafood restaurant of the 21st century” and that is. Little to add because Rafa and his team, modest, say that theirs has no trick, that it only consists of putting the best sea on the table. You will not see or eat anything like it: sea urchins with caviar, barnacles in salt, Norway lobster in three cookings, pan-seared razor clams with warm marinade... David Moralejo
FRACAS (Provence, 230)
Rafael Pena he is among the greats and time is on his side. With a kitchen that shows reflection and talent and a way between surprise and academicism, his Gresca is for many the best place in Barcelona if you want to eat well and have a better time. Their Iberian loin bikini sandwich It has already gone viral, but watch out marinated horse mackerel, the ear and tongue nem, the cod with its gut and mushrooms or the calf brains. The management of her the offal and the small morsels make it the best ambassador of what travelers always look for when they arrive in Spain: “A good tapas place, please?” Note: he has just opened a branch in Madrid, inside the beautiful Santo Mauro A Luxury Collection Hotel. David Moralejo
The Colombo brothers (Xemei).
XEMEI (Passeig de L'Exposicion, 85)
A Venetian in Barcelona? That's it. Small, we would say almost discreet… but considered the best Italian in the city. The colombo brothers They opened 15 years ago and are still trendy in the neighborhood. For attitude, for its ability to evolve and for a cuisine that never goes out of style. Bob Dylan, James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) and Woody Allen have already been there. Now it's your turn to try their assortment of venetian fish (buttered cod, saor sardines, marinated anchovies, mackerel confit), its stracciatella with cecina and figs and a pappardelle homemade with ossobuco ragu that you will never forget. In Madrid they are the creators of Il Colombo, in case you want to double. David Moralejo
MR PORTER, the cosmopolitan steakhouse.
MR. PORTER (Rossello, 265)
We have come here to have fun. And in Barcelona you find fun almost everywhere, also in this Mr Porter inside the Sir Victor, one of the coolest hotels in the city. Branch of the successful local Amsterdam, the game here is the same: an updated steakhouse in which, of course, the meat rules. Start the feast with a selection of carpaccios, of which the potato with caviar takes the cake, as well as wonderful roasted vegetables, such as aubergine or leek. A spicy tomato salad and don't ask for more... the meat arrives. Different cuts and sizes arrive at the table accompanied by mac'n'cheese with cauliflower and Iberian, broccolini, baked sweet potato. For non-carnivores there are also fish and a phenomenal grilled lobster with butter. David Moralejo
Xerta.
XERTA (Corsica, 289)
In Xerta the trip is, direct and without detours, to the heart of the Ebro Delta. To its rice dishes, to its garden, to the fish of Sant Carles de la Rapita, citrus fruits, game birds, the sweet river and the salt flats of the Trinity. A brilliant menu with a handful of surprises that it is better not to reveal: experience them yourself. Every pass, every game and every trompe l'oeil they take you to the beautiful natural area of the Delta with all your senses: the touch of a mussel farm, the view of the barracks, the aroma of rice and vine shoots on Sundays. Great job by the López brothers in the Ohla Hotel, in the heart of Barcelona's Eixample. David Moralejo
PLA BAR (Montcada, 2)
It would be a sin to leave off this list one of the most authentic, boisterous and charismatic gambling dens from Barcelona. It could be a secret if it weren't for the fact that few secrets remain to be revealed in Barcelona. You will find there all those who, like you, were looking for an authentic place. And it will have been worth it. Sardine coca, squid with chickpeas, suckling pig cannelloni, fish and rice dishes of the day... Everything comes and goes at breakneck speed in this classic of Barcelona tapas. The wine list, run by four sommeliers, it will surprise you with its commitment to high-quality natural wines. David Moralejo
The Smoked Cave.
THE SMOKED COVA (Bulwark, 56)
Talking about the Pla has reminded us that La Cova Fumada does maintain its secret character a little more, to begin with because he doesn't even hang a name sign on the door. Opened in 1944 and run today by the brothers Magi and Josep Maria Solé, with his mother, Palmira, at the stove, he is a true market Pub, hence its opening hours, throughout the morning from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. except on Saturdays, when it closes at 1 p.m. Quite a challenge for the Spanish, used to eating so late, but fun for a late breakfast or a good aperitif. fresh fish as its mythical sardines, squid, octopus or herring are mixed with beans, sausages and their famous bombs. They do not accept reservations, get in line. David Moralejo
Entrance to ABC.
ABAC (Tibidabo Avenue, 1)
Tradition, modernity and product are the three pillars on which ABaC stands, the temple where the chef jordi cruz imagine the flavors from the "mind palate"
Tradition, because, starting from a creative DNA, "We move forward from the respect that everything that has already been done gives us." Modernity, because its cuisine “doesn't want to be pretentious but it does want to be unique”. And product, because "you can only make a great kitchen if you have the best products."
ABaC is an experience in itself, overlooking a beautiful garden and in a sophisticated atmosphere that elevates to the nth degree the culinary creations of the well-known chef: from metamorphosis from cap to rock mullet going through "the Chinese box", the "Ode Paris Basque" and the cured red prawn in textures. Maria Casbas
Alchemy.
ALCHEMY (Round of San Antonio, 39-41)
The chef Jordi Vila proposes a journey through the past, present and future of Catalan cuisine called Alkimia: "an exploration of the limits of our gastronomy from the center to the margins that, starting from tradition, also opens up to the most radical contemporaneity".
Located in the Moritz brewery, renovated by the French architect Jean Nouvelle Alchemy is divided into several spaces: al kostat (a room with a fresh menu full of exquisite dishes and tapas ideal for sharing), the restaurant proper and al davant (Classic-style dining rooms designed to accommodate groups of different abilities).
In its tasting menu you will find exquisite and surprising dishes, such as the raw prawn suquet, the “extreme sea and mountains” or almost ná rice. Maria Casbas
Lasarte, Barcelona.
LASARTE (Mallorca, 259)
Martin Berasategui is always a guarantee of success and its gastronomic space in Barcelona, awarded with three Michelin stars and located in the Monument Hotel, well worth a long stop. After its recent and exhaustive reform -carried out by the architects Oscar Tusquets, Carles Basso and Tote Moreno with interior design Oscar Tusquets and Mercè Borrell –, Lasarte now has a much more modern and avant-garde appearance, with larger and more luminous spaces, joined by a semi-private room in the main dining room and the coveted “Chef's Table”, for eight people.
"Work with joy, illusion, intelligence and intuition It is our best recipe to be able to transmit the flavors to the thirsty palates of a gastronomic experience comme il faut”, they affirm from the restaurant.
Paolo Casagrande (Head Chef) and Joan Carles Ibáñez (Room Manager) They lead a prestigious and effective team that will make the diner enjoy Berasategui's culinary creations, different according to the seasons and divided into several options: a la carte, tasting menu and lunch menu.
don't miss the pickled oyster with hibiscus, the warm shellfish salad, the wagyu and glazed eel ravioli and the irresistible Landes pigeon in its juice. Maria Casbas
Gala's carousel.
GALA (Provenca Street, 286)
Gala has already become a classic of the Barcelona night show dinners. They introduce themselves as “A trip to the surrealist past of Barcelona at the beginning of the 20th century”. Artistic, hooligan, theatrical, in short, unique: Gala offers an atmosphere full of joy and color and a table where the best products of the Mediterranean cuisine.
True to the philosophy of Isabella's Group , space, designed by Quintana Partners, lends itself to the usual photo –and a few more–: a merry-go-round, a nose-shaped fountain, neon lights, and even a tarot reader!
The restaurant, led by Marco Gari, proposes delicious dishes such as the open omelette with prawns, the Rossini sirloin or the false asparagus risotto with parmesan. Maria Casbas
Durango Diner.
Durango Diner (Carrer d'Aribau, 18)
cross the door of this remodeled local of the Eixample It's like teleporting to the other side of the Atlantic, where Majid, alma mater of this diner with a cowboy aesthetic (along with his brother, Mani), found inspiration. The run over is its star dish: delicious tacos of dried minced meat with egg and beans, an easy recipe to find at gas stations in the Mexican state of Durango. The Pancakes -whether sweet or savory-, the BLT, the fried oyster po' boy, the rib burrito, the fried green tomato sandwich, and the beef burger accompanied by a lobster, fries and coleslaw, are other essentials. A curious cocktail proposal and a photogenic interior design to rage – watch out for the mechanical horse and the hypnotic pink room – they put the icing on the cake of this American fantasy. Bonus track: every Wednesday Durango celebrates its happy hour, starring oysters for one euro and glasses of champagne. Lydia Gonzalez
Baby Jalebi: street food from India and Pakistan without leaving Barcelona
BABY JALEBI (Grand Via of the Catalan Courts, 452)
There are restaurants where sitting down to enjoy a pleasant banquet becomes a totally sensory experience. And that is exactly what happens in number 452 Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, where Baby Jalebi It encourages us to make a stop along the way. The engine of this ode to street food from India and Pakistan It is a tandur oven, where they bake one of the essentials of their gastronomy: naan, a flatbread made from wheat flour and yeast. Where do you need to dip it? In the chicken tikka massala sauce, in the chicken korma sauce (chicken curry made with a little cream, almonds, korma and cardamom) or in the delicious lamb madras. specials are also hamburgers, kebabs and desserts. Although the jalebi is the sweet orange that gives this restaurant its name, the goulab jamun – small balls made from flour dough that are served hot and with ice cream – is one of our favorites. On the other hand, its second headquarters, located in the Gracia neighborhood (Carrer de Martínez de la Rosa, 71), on weekends it hosts the pop-up of @chaiguybcn, that is revolutionizing the city with its authentic chai tea. Lydia Gonzalez
Here is the best hummus in Barcelona
IAKNI (Vilamari Street, 3)
In a bright premises with minimalist decoration and a cozy atmosphere, located in the heart of the Sant Antoni neighborhood, is where a romance between Lebanese cuisine and Barcelona. We talk about Iakni, the restaurant with those five letters that everyone who has had the fortune to sit at one of its tables pronounces with passion. Thanks to word of mouth (perhaps there is a better review?) it was like we found the best hummus in town: Chickpea-tahini cream, minced beef and toasted pine nuts are the ingredients of the addictive recipe. But it is not the only mezze that deserves a mention: from the muhammara (roasted red peppers, roasted walnuts and pomegranate molasses) to kibbe (beef and bulgur dough, stuffed with beef and pine nuts), passing through the tasty shawarma (Strips of tenderloin marinated in cinnamon and wine) or the exquisite mousshan (chicken marinated in ground sumac). Absolutely everything is a delight. Not forgetting the baba ganoush, of course. Lydia Gonzalez
GoXO.
GOXO (Carrer de Déu i Mata, 69-98 Jardins de Sant Joan de Déu)
GoXO combines the best of haute cuisine, product and preparation, with the informal style of the best fast food: without room service, with pick-up at the premises, directly or through Glovo, and home delivery through this platform.
This revolution was already started by the chef before the pandemic in Madrid, and he implanted it in Barcelona in the form of delivery . Added to this, therefore, is the physical space in the NH Collection Constanta hotel, which has interior room and terrace. As we have said, it can be taken home and tested on site, but yes, without room service. Diners can order and pick up their order at the bar and take it to their table or wherever they want.
As for the menu, it remains, as in its other concepts, alive and constantly changing. Their udon a la carbonara Singapore de carabineros, smoked rib tacos, or their "Hong Kong-Madriz" stew are on the menu, at least for now. In addition, there will always be a gastronomic proposal that can only be consumed on the premises. Marta Sahelices
Teresa Carlos.
TERESA CARLES (Carrer Jovellanos, 2)
The restaurant ovolacto-vegetarian Teresa Carles welcomes summer with a gastronomic proposal that is an example of the innovation that the chef pursues in all of her creations, since she has reinterpreted traditional dishes thanks to the introduction of alternative protein. The new menu, which includes six starters, four main dishes and three new desserts, stands out for the introduction of surprising creations plant-based and continues betting on local and quality ingredients and seasonal flavors.
Since the chef pioneered vegetarian food Teresa Carlos opened her first restaurant in the seventies, the desire to move towards healthy, tasty and sustainable food has led her to reinterpret traditional cuisine based on innovative techniques. Faithful to this purpose, the novelties of Teresa Carles are a sample of the latest advances in R+D+i developed internally by her team at the workshop of Lleida. If you are vegan you have to come and meet him: it is a must in the city! sarah andrade
Galley rice with black sausage and green asparagus by Carlota Claver
THE BONFIRE (Plaça Rosa Del Vents 1, Final, Passeig de Joan de Borbó)
The Bonfire is the gastronomic experience of W Barcelona, that this summer enlivened with an outdoor show in which fire is the protagonist. Every Thursday night, FIRE, the flagship restaurant of the Hotel W Barcelona, moves to the hotel's WET Deck terrace giving way to The Bonfire.
Its menu, centered on grills and other ancestral techniques, offers seasonal products, such as black cherry gazpacho or spider crab with osmosis watermelon. Also main dishes like the wild sea bass flambéed in front of the diners or desserts like Tahitian vanilla crème brûlée with flambéed sugar.
All this enlivened by the fire show, music and dancers, and of course, the views of the sea. The best plan of the summer. sarah andrade
So far our compilation of the best restaurants in Barcelona, Which of course will continue...