Barcelona is a truly beautiful city, but it’s not just a feast for the eyes! With over 7,000 outstanding bars and restaurants, Spain’s capital city offers a great range of delicious dining options that cater to every taste and budget.
According to locals on Reddit, Barcelona’s cuisine is an essential part of discovering the city’s rich culture, with Tapaseria Catalana being the most popular place to enjoy traditional Spanish Tapas. So no matter whether you’re sitting in a shaded plaza in the heart of the city, sipping on a glass of Sangria while you enjoy a variety of tapas dishes, or indulging in a delicious and hearty bocadillo on the go, here are 8 foods to try in Barcelona that truly capture what this city is all about!
Food You Can’t Miss in Barcelona (Even If You’re in a Hurry)
1. Pa amb Tomàquet (Bread with Tomato)
Pa amb Tomàquet is a simple food, but this doesn’t make it any less important to try during your visit to Barcelona. It’s a rustic staple amongst locals that dates all the way back to rural Catalonia, where it originated as a clever way of reviving stale bread. Today though, it’s equally as simple, but is made from oven-fresh, crusty bread, drizzled in olive oil, topped with a pinch of salt, and rubbed with fresh tomato.
This delicious, satisfying snack is relatively inexpensive, typically costing around €2 – €4, and can be enjoyed at any time of day that hunger strikes, be it as a snack, a light on-the-go breakfast, or even as an accompaniment to dinner.
You can get this delicious spanish bread pretty much anywhere in the city, from fine-dining restaurants to family kitchens, and even some small rustic cafes. It is often served as a side for Tapas, but if you’re looking for the best in the whole of the city, you’ll want to head to Mercat del Ninot, located in L’Antiga Esquerra de l’Eixample, which houses a small cafe on the left hand side that produces Pa amb Tomàquet that is a favourite amongst locals and tourists alike.
2. Bombas
Bombas is a delicious medley of fried potato-and-meat balls, served up mouthwateringly hot and with a side of spicy aioli. These delicious morsels date all the way back to the Spanish Civil War, and provide a cruchy and satisfying experience.
Costing around €2–€3 per Bomba, these tasty creations are best enjoyed for dinner, as they’re quite filling. If you’re going to try them anywhere in Barcelona, you’ll want to head to La Cova Fumada, a rustic Tapas bar located in Barceloneta, which is hailed by many as being the birthplace of Bombas!
3. Calçots with Romesco Sauce
Calçots with Romesco Sauce is truly a famous food in Barcelona, and is one of the city’s most unique dishes. Despite it sounding simple, it boasts a truly colorful flavor profile. These grilled green onions are dipped in a nutty romesco sauce, and are typically eaten with hands (don’t worry, it sounds messy, but most places are happy to provide gloves and a bib!)
Indulging in this dish is both fun and communal, and is something most tourists overlook. It costs €15–€25 for a full calçotada meal, but is often only available seasonally, as these onions are not available all year round, making it a true treat for those visiting in early spring (between January and March).
Head to a rustic restaurant at the right time of year if you’re hoping to sample some, or, if you’re looking to truly indulge, head out of the city to a Calçotada – a dedicated BBQ event that cooks up these delicious treats!
4. Esqueixada
If you enjoy sampling local salads and staying healthy whilst you’re traveling, then you’re in luck! This light, refreshing salad boasts a complex flavor profile of salted cod, tomatoes, onions, and olives, and if often referred to as Catalonia’s ceviche.
A delicious choice for the summer months, it makes a truly tasty lunch, and if often priced quite reasonably around €8–€12 at traditional Catalan restaurants. Locals recommend sampling this salad at Taverna El Glop, a small, rustic spot in the neighborhood of Gracia that most tourists overlook due to its unassuming exterior.
5. Crema Catalana
We’ve discussed some of the most delicious and unmissable savory foods to try in Barcelona, but if you have a sweet tooth, then you simply can’t miss Crema Catalana! This mouthwatering dish is similar to crème brûlée – A custard with a burnt sugar topping, but this one dates all the way back to the 14th century, and boasts a more unique flavor thanks to the addition of lemon and cinnamon!
It typically costs around €4–€6 and can be enjoyed at many restaurants on their dessert menu for an after-dinner treat. If you’re hoping to simply savour it as a snack, though, you should be able to find it in a wide selection of pastry shops too, with one of the best restaurants in Barcelona to eat it at being Granja Dulcinea, located in the Gothic Quarter.
6. Tapas & Sangria
Less of a particular food, and more an assortment of dishes, this uniquely Spanish way of dining simply had to be mentioned. There’s a huge variety of traditional tapas dishes that cater to a variety of tastes, so many in fact that we simply can’t list them all here. For that reason, we chose to group them all together, as you just can’t visit the Spanish capital without indulging in Tapas!
From patatas bravas cooked in a rich tomato sauce, to delicious anchovies in oil, this delectable meal is created to your own tastes and made for sharing, every single time. It makes the perfect communal evening meal to share with your family on vacation, or friends on a group trip, and typically costs around €15–€30 per person, depending on which dishes you choose and where you dine. If you drink, we highly recommend pairing it with a classic glass of Sangria for a more authentic experience.
There’s a huge range of great tapas bars in Barcelona, each with a buzzing atmosphere and great food options. Some of the best spots that locals recommend, though, include El Xampanyet in El Born and Bar del Pla in the neighboring Sant Pere. If you’re looking for an all-plant-based menu, be sure to head to the city’s top Vegan tapas bar, Teresa Carles in Dreta de l’Eixample
7. Bocadillo de Jamón
Also commonly referred to as the jamón ibérico sandwich, this tasty mid-morning snack or lunchtime favorite is both simple and unforgettable. Boasting freshly baked crispy baguette-style bread, a drizzle of olive oil, and mouthwateringly tasty cured ham, it makes the perfect on-the-go snack or filling lunch.
It’s also typically very inexpensive, costing only around €3–€6 per baguette, with a variety of small cafes and bakeries across the city serving it up as a staple. That said, if you’re looking to sample one of the best sandwiches this city has, you might want to head to La Boqueria Market in the neighborhood of El Raval.
8. Botifarra (Catalan Sausage)
This juicy pork sausage is a truly unmissable dish for meat-lovers visiting Barcelona. Typically grilled and served up with white beans, this dish dates all the way back to Roman times, but is still just as loved by Spanish locals today.
It makes a tasty treat for both lunch and dinner, and can be enjoyed at a range of traditional Catalan restaurants across the city, typically costing around €8-€14 for a dish. Most locals prefer to eat this traditional Barcelona food at market restaurants, but the traditional Can Culleretes in the Gothic Quarter serves it up perfectly too!
Tips for Dining in Barcelona
If it’s your first time visiting Spain, these travel tips for first-timers eating their way through the city of Barcelona have you covered, to ensure you blend in with locals perfectly!
Timing is important: Lunch is typically served after 2 pm, and dinner doesn’t begin until 9 pm. It’s important that if you’re traveling in Europe, to note that Spanish locals often eat later than those in other countries.
Tipping is non-essential: Unlike in America, you don’t need to tip when visiting Barcelona, but servers always appreciate you rounding up the bill, especially if you enjoyed the food and service.
Menus del Día: Also known as Midday set menus, be sure to ask about this when visiting a restaurant in the middle of the day. They typically cost around €10–€15, and are a great way to sample a few different dishes without breaking the bank.
Book Ahead: Like any other major city, the most popular restaurants fill up fast, especially on weekends. Be sure to book ahead to avoid missing out!
Read more: Great Places To Stay in Barcelona