Eat Your Heart Out: Barcelona
A First Timer’s Guide of What and Where to Eat in Barcelona
It took me less than a day to fall hopelessly in love with Barcelona.
So in love that I was back only 10 months after my first trip. As my husband Nick would put it: what’s not to like about people who eat like Hobbits - many times a day and with gusto? Traditionally, a day in the life of a Spaniard consisted of 5 meals:
Desayuno (Breakfast) is the smallest meal of the day, consisting of a small pastry or toast with butter and jam, and a coffee.
Almuerzo (Mid-morning snack) is taken sometime between 10:00AM and 12:00PM, and is meant to tide you over until lunch. This is the time to have a Bocadillo, a small sandwich, or a slice of Tortilla de patatas, a thick potato omelet. You can even have a combination of the two - a Bocadillo de tortilla de patatas!
Comida (Lunch) is the largest meal of the day, enjoyed between 2:00PM to 4:00PM. People take their lunch break seriously and businesses tend to close between that time. Many restaurants will offer a Menu del dia, a set multi-course meal for a fixed price.
Merienda (Late afternoon snack) is another snack time meant to tide you over until dinner. However, this is mostly for kids coming home from school.
Cena (Dinner) is a lighter meal eaten after 9:00PM. If eating out among friends, many people will preface this meal time with a drink and Tapas, small dishes meant for sharing, or let it evolve into an entire evening of bar hopping and sharing Tapas at each destination.
According to my good friend, Tyler Mains, local American expat and infallible gastronomic curator, these meal times have evolved to something closer to the North American three meals a day. To that, I say nonsense. If you want to experience Spanish culture in Spain, then go with tradition. That said, I believe we’ve established when to eat: all day.
An even better question is now what to eat? The following is by no means derived from research or advice from cultural experts, but merely foods that were such revelations to us that we could not imagine a visit to Barcelona, or Spain for that matter, without consuming these in abundance and with abandon.
Foundations
Olives
Barcelona had me at olives. They were the first thing we ate after our jet lag nap, wandering in a daze into La Vinya del Senyor, a lovely wine bar in Plaça de Santa Maria, in the vibrant district of El Born. Trust me: you’ve never had an olive until you’ve had one in Spain. They burst with such a rich umami that at first I thought that the wine bar had marinated them in anchovy brine. But no; they are like this everywhere, come in a variety of flavours and colours (including orange!), with the distinct umami note present in all olives, even the regular ones. How they achieve this is still a mystery to us despite long hours of debate.
Vermouth
In Barcelona, vermouth is not a supporting actor hidden in a cocktail. Darling, it’s the star. Vermouth is served solo often as an aperitif - in a glass with ice, garnished with a slice of orange and an olive. Some like to add a burst of sparkling water; in some bars, they provide a self-serve bottle of sparkling water at the table, with a squeeze nozzle so you can help yourself.
While eating jamón in Spain is table stakes, there are layers of complexity that can have you going down the rabbit hole should your curiosity will it. The Ibérico pig is black with black hoofs and is much fattier than its cousins that produce Jamón Serrano, made from a variety of white pig breeds. The added fat allows Jamón Ibérico to cure much longer, imbuing layers of more complex flavour into the meat. When given the choice, go for the acorn-fed Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (Spanish for acorn). The difference in flavour, lightly sweet and nutty, is unreal and worth every penny.
Native to La Barceloneta and birthed by the iconic La Cova Fumada (read more below!) these mashed potato croquettes are stuffed with meat, topped with aioli and spicy sauce. Conceived in the 1950’s, Bomba are now one of the most common tapas on the menu in bars and restaurants across Barcelona. La Cova Fumada’s OG Bomba is arguably the best, but I’ll have a bomba anytime it’s on the menu, anywhere in Barcelona.
Local Seafood
Try anything locally sourced and in season, but if I were to dine with you, these would be my picks, in order of preference:
Carabineros - these huge bright red prawns are prepared simply; salted and grilled. The ultimate flavour comes from the head. Break it off and suck in its juices, which a dear friend of mine astutely compared to lobster bisque.
Navajas (razor clams) - I love the chew of a fresh razor clam swimming in olive oil or butter, cradled in its perfectly shaped tubular shell. I order it wherever I see it, with bread or Pan con Tomate to sop up the fat.
Pulpo (octopus) - I personally like my pulpo charcoal grilled whole, but you’ll often find them on a Tapas menu Galecian style; tentacles boiled and sliced into thick discs served atop a bed of boiled potatoes, drizzled with olive oil and dusted with salt and smoked paprika. Why discriminate? Try different variations and see what you like best.
Conservas
No trip to Spain is complete without a conservas haul. Bonus points if you’ve had to acquire additional baggage to transport these home. Spain and Portugal are known for their rich array of top-quality tinned seafood and, back home, this comes at a hefty price when you can find it. While tastings here are a good idea before you commit to a shopping spree, I would prioritize getting your fill of fresh local seafood dishes and saving the conservas for souvenirs and gifts to take home. Weeks or even months later, when Spain seems but a distant memory and you’re feeling nostalgic, open a tin of beautiful seafood preferably among friends - and you’ll be taken back to that magical place instantly.
One of Everything’s Top Picks
If you can only have one meal in Barcelona, this is the place. In this iconic fourth generation family-run restaurant, time stands still. But go early to avoid disappointment! Our first time, Tyler suggested we go for breakfast between 9 and 10am, “when it’s just old men and jugs of wine,” he said. We thought it was a typo, but when we arrived closer to 11am, the place was packed and there was a bit of a wait. As this is the birthplace of the famous Bomba, you must, under penalty of implacable FOMO, have it. And eat your heart out and order everything; the Carxofes (artichokes), the Calamar, the Navalles (razor clams), the Cap i Pota (a Catalan stew made of the meat of pork head and legs). And, yes: the jug of breakfast wine.
Another must is Can Paixano, a standing room only, proudly Catalonian lunch counter. The menu is exclusively in Catalan, so if you’re linguistically challenged, claim a spot at the bar and point at things, or throw your caution to the wind in favour of mystery menu bingo. You can’t go wrong. If you’re in need of a head start, get the Plat Variat (a plate of shallow fried mixed sausages), the Costella Fumada, Roquefort i “Pepinillos” (a sandwich with pork rib meat, roquefort cheese, and cucumber pickles), and, of course, the unreasonably cheap and cheerful house cava.
Ah, Bodega Del Born, where wishes may come true. This vermouth bar was how we were introduced to the Barcelona way of drinking vermouth, and we highly recommend it be yours. Sit at the bar if you can, the ladies who run the joint give off the most welcoming, fun-loving hippie vibe, and will be more than happy to help you along your journey of discovery. The ceilings are draped with twine holding colourful tags; these are meant for guests to write their wishes and hang them up. On the eve of the Catalonian holiday of St John the Baptist (June 24th), the wishes are carried to the beach and burned in a glorious bonfire, and revelers dive into the sea. Here’s hoping your wish comes true!
This place is what the cool kids call “a vibe”. Think 90s cruise ship serving impeccably executed, timeless dishes, with less than subliminal reminders to “F*ck your diet”. Fun, no? The menu is seafood-forward, but provides so much variety that, unless you’re eating with a large group, will inevitably lead to some tough decisions on what won’t make the cut. I’ve had some of the best razor clams here, but despite my obsession with Navajas, did not order it the second time around in favour of trying new things. Repeat orders were the Torta de Gambas del Cadíz and, of course, the Bomba. If they have it on the menu, try the “Callos” Tripe with Chickpeas. Go with your gut and make reservations ahead of time!
We had the rare opportunity to not just stumble upon this place by mistake, but secure the best seat in the house - the kitchen bar. Dos Pebrots hails from culinary royalty; it’s the second restaurant of Chef Albert Raurich, former head chef of El Bulli. The menu is inspired by historical culinary traditions, playfully reimagined and thoughtfully referenced in their menu. For people like us who travel for food, this beats any history museum. We put ourselves in our server’s care and asked him to pair each course with wine, to which he boldly accompanied every course with a different sherry, and thus a new household obsession was born. As lightning only strikes once, I strongly recommend you make a reservation ahead of time, sit at the kitchen bar, and go with one of the very reasonably-priced tasting menus.
One of Diala Canelo’s definite recommendations, Berbena was not to be missed. Chef Carles Pérez de Rozas is omnipresent; checking people in for their reservations one minute, taking orders the next, recommending wines, serving dishes, and somehow making casual conversation in between. He even makes the house sourdough himself. His exuberance and immense passion shine through every dish of a creative and eclectic menu marked by international influence and the notable presence of offal. Everything is well-executed in an unfussy setting where it’s all about having a good time: the way hospitality should be. The best way to experience Berbena is to leave yourself in their care. Sure, pick a dish or two you really want to try, but let them take care of you and allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised.
El Chigre operates on two core principles: sourcing local, sustainable, and responsibly cultivated ingredients; and uniting Barcelona’s dual identity by offering a menu that represents both its Asturian and Catalonian roots. El Chigre positions itself primarily as a Sideria (cidery) and Vermuteria (vermouth bar), but I assure you that food is central to the experience here. That said, try the cider with whatever you’re having. As cider is traditionally poured from up high, to avoid a novice’s messy attempts at adhering to tradition, the bar has these neat tabletop escandiador that will deliver the effervescent nectar at the push of a button. It’s really quite fun and everyone’s going to want a turn. For food, have whatever you like, but we enjoyed the Arroz Negro, the Croquetas Caseras, and the Fabada Asturiana.
Honourable mentions
Nomad - for properly hipster third wave coffee.
Paral.lello Gelato - for fantastic artisanal gelato in fun flavours.
Cuvee 3000 - a bottle shop where you can also enjoy your purchase onsite.
La Vinya del Senyor - a great wine bar with a lovely second-floor view.
Entre Latas - for an extensive selection of carefully curated conservas.
Dr. Stravinsky - for inventive cocktails made in a veritable laboratory of experiments in made-in-house fermented, distilled, macerated, vacuum-cooked, cold-drip brewed, or fat/milk-washed ingredients.
Words and photos by Kimberley Kwo