The Best Restaurants in Barcelona - Something To Suit Every Palate and Every Budget

There is nothing worse than traveling half-way around the world to enjoy an exotic holiday or a productive business trip, staying in a nice hotel, but not being able to find good food.

Luckily, there is no shortage of good restaurants in Barcelona and you will easily be able to find something to suit your taste buds and your wallet.

Of course deciding on which restaurant is the best is always a matter of personal taste, but in the list below of some of the top restaurants in Barcelona you will find a selection endorsed by hundreds, if not thousands, of travelers that have come before you.

So let us begin this gastronomical adventure with…

El Quim

El Quim is a family owned restaurant in Boqueria, one of the busiest markets in Barcelona. Run by a Mom, Dad and Son, this restaurant serves traditional Catalan fare. Here you will find some of the best tapas in the city. Also try the latte and the beef stew. Prices range from €10 to €15.

La Pepita – You’ll go back for more

Tastefully decorated with a beautiful ambience, the food is fresh, tasty and different. Recommendations come directly from the owners Sophia and Sergio. If you want great food that tastes home made, friendly service and great wine then this is the restaurant for you; and your taste buds will drag you back for more. Prices range from 8€ to 25€.

Ca l'Isidre

Ca l'Isidre offers excellent Catalan food with a French twist. Named after the owner Isidre Gironés, she runs it with her daughter Nuria. This restaurant is apparently a favourite of King Juan Carlos when he’s in Barcelona.

It will be difficult to choose only one meal and you will want to come back to try the rest. It is cozy and tastefully decorated but make sure to book in advance.

Dishes that come highly recommended are; the grilled baby octopus a la plancha, the baked sea bass, the grilled 'king - sea cucumber', the fried codfish 'home style', the grilled scampi from Sant Carles, the grilled turbot with vegetables, not to mention the giant sized langoustines, the list goes on and on.

Not the cheapest restaurant in Barcelona – prices start at 90€ – but are well worth it if you’re looking to splurge for a special occasion or as a treat.

Moo Restaurant

Contemporary, hip and chic, Moo is situated on the ground floor of the Omm Hotel. Chef Felip Llufriu gives traditional Mediterranean food a clean modern and personal interpretation. World class cuisine and fittingly a world class sommelier (wine cellar master) who proposes the perfect wine to suit every dish.

Prices range from12.50€ for a starter dish to 140€ for their Joan Roca Menu.

Alkimia

Hidden behind the Sagrada Familia, this restaurant with minimalist decoration gives plenty in the food department. Chef Jordi Vilà, one of the new breed of Catalan chefs, takes the traditional dishes and gives them a modern twist. In a word… Amazing!

Again not on the cheap side but you get what you pay for. There is an a la carte menu but Alkimia is better known for their set menu options which range from 37.50€ for the lunch menu to 84€ for the Alkimia Menu.

La Oca del Mar

La Oca del Mar is situated on a jetty near Mar Bella beach and offers a great view of the Mediterranean. Surrounded by water on three sides, it gives fantastic views of the beach.

Naturally seafood is the highlight on the menu here and includes all kinds of sea food paellas and the restaurant speciality – cod fish.

Prices start at 30€.

Escriba

On the sea front, this restaurant offers paellas, rice dishes and tapas and a great selection of wines. Booking is essential but make sure to ask to be seated outside.

Prices are on the high side starting at 35€.

Los Caracoles (The Snails)

One of the amazing aspects of this restaurant is the open kitchen, so you can see exactly how clean it is and watch your food being cooked; the kind of restaurant that visitors come back to every time they visit Barcelona. Rapid service, authentic Catalan food and beautiful décor. This restaurant is recommended by most who eat here. Prices are above average starting at 30€.

Sometimes, in a strange country you just want a burger to remind you of home. But who really wants to go to McDonald’s?

Dunnes Irish Bar

Try Dunnes Irish Bar for some of the best burgers in the city. They serve traditional Irish / English fare including Cottage Pie, Bangers & Mash, Fish & Chips and Irish Stew. They also serve tapas, sandwiches and salads and all at very reasonable prices ranging from 4.50€ to 13.50€.

Dusk

This is more of a lounge bar than a restaurant, but they offer a relaxed and super friendly place to eat. Their menu is not huge but they serve great tapas and their homemade hamburgers are to die for.

Prices are also reasonable ranging between 10€ and 20€.

Els Peixaters de la Mediterrania

If it is seafood you’re after Els Peixaters de la Mediterrania is the place for you. It is friendly, caters to both local and international clientele, and the fresh seafood is out of this world.

Try the fresh cod, lightly battered crispy squid, calamari rings and the shark. They also have a great children’s menu and you can have a great meal here, including drinks and wine for a reasonable 24€ per person.

Maitea Taberna

This is a restaurant where the locals like to hang out. Tapas are their speciality and you can get any tapas, hot or cold, for 1.55€ each.

Friendly staff, great service and excellent, authentic Catalan food.

Tapeo, anem de tapes

Located next to the Picasso Museum, this little restaurant has big flavour! Small and cosy, it has arguably the best tapas in Barcelona. Food is cooked to order and served in a super relaxed and casual atmosphere.

The truffle eggs, codfish fritters, croquets and grilled squid come highly recommended. The average cost of a meal is about €30.

Something important to note is that as Barcelona is a Mediterranean city, lunch is usually served between 1pm to 4pm and dinner is served after 9pm.

All in all Barcelona’s restaurants have something to offer everyone; young or old, modest or extravagant. Take your taste buds for a ride and experience the myriad flavours of the Catalans and enjoy yourself at some of the best restaurants in Barcelona!

You might also be interested in finding some totally interesting, fun and unique things to do in Barcelona. You can read more in my hub:

Barcelona With A Difference: 5 Fun And Totally Unique Things To Do When Your Are There