What and Where to Eat in Barcelona

Having been to Barcelona a few times over the years, I can honestly say that the city is a complete melting pot of different cuisines. From the big hitting US brands like Hard Rock Cafe, to your average coffee shop, fast food galore and even a daily food market, Barcelona certainly has a lot to offer.

I guess the main point to make is DO NOT limit yourself to eating along the central section of Las Ramblas - you will pay WAY over the odds for a mediocre meal. Even the restaurants that fan out along each side of this road are better value but step away from the main drag and you will stumble across beautiful squares filled with restaurants, local children playing, dog walkers and the like, experience a bowl of freshly made paella and sit and sip whilst watching the world go by. For a quick bite the central market is a great place to visit during the day. It's a place where you can sample numerous small plates, stock up on your fresh fish, vegetables and fruits and its a great place for tourists to find those paella seasonings you will really want to take home with you! It is colourful and vibrant, busy and noisy but well worth a visit or two during your stay.

If you are visiting the city from another resort, say to shop, then do visit the Hard Rock Cafe - in our house we have a bit of a magnet obsession and have 'Hard Rock Row' on our fridge which shows all of the Hard Rock Cafe restaurants we have visited on our travels, and yes, Barcelona is there! You will get a fair priced meal of burger, steak or ribs with drinks for around 60-70 Euros for 2 and you are guaranteed a good quality meal. Booking online is easy enough to do if you are planning to go for dinner but honestly when we visited the city for the day (we travelled up from Calella on the train) we just walked in.

If you are staying in the city and are looking for something more authentic then do visit one of the squares - known as 'Placas' these can be found set off of the main strip of Las Ramblas in the Gothic Quarter as well as the main central Placa Catalunya. Try and find somewhere local and experience a fresh paella, or a juicy steak. It may take a little time to prepare but the food will be fresh and sizzling when it arrives. There are also a number of roads running off of Las Ramblas which are well worth exploring. We discovered a lovely cafe which was great for both breakfast and lunch set just off of Placa de L'Angel. Cappuccino, situated at La Rambla, 76 Ciutat Vella, offered a great range of breakfast and lunch items including amazing croissants and pastries, milk shakes and a great coffee to set us up for the day.

Whilst visiting the city you should really venture down to the harbour area. This vast area includes the usual array of shops and restaurants together with a large indoor mall (Maremagnum). Here you will find well known brands such as Jack and Jones, Bershka, Mango and others together with the usual selection of fast food outlets and coffee shops, however if you are looking for something a little more authentic try Tapa Tapa. Located just outside the main shopping mall, Tapa Tapa offers you a huge selection of small plates (tapas) within a scenic setting. You can of course still eat a burger here, however when we visited we opted for around 8 or 9 small plates which we shared. They are not served to you all at once - they come as and when they are cooked so your meal is somewhat staggered, however this does give it an unrushed feel. We spent a very happy couple of hours sampling succulent prawns, calamari, salads, breads and of course patatas bravas all washed down with a cool drink. With prices at around 70 euros for 2 it is at the pricier end for lunch, but worth it for the experience and the array of foods on offer.

If you continue on past the harbour, moving along all of the moored boats you will find yourself in Barceloneta. An area filled with restaurants and extremely fancy boats ! If you keep walking all the way around you will pretty much find yourself opposite Tapa Tapa, on the other side of the harbour at the Cable Car. This takes you on a ride over the water with gorgeous views of the beach, the port and the impressive sail like hotel that is the W Barcelona. Tickets were around £10 each and we did book online, however tickets were available to purchase on the day. Just be mindful that it is a very long walk from Las Ramblas so give yourself plenty of time and note that they really do pack you into those cars!!

If you are a little peckish after your cable car adventure, walk back through the Barceloneta area and you will find a McDonalds quite close to the metro stop! It's worth noting that there are plenty of supermarkets around should you need a drink or snack and this area is again, filled with all manner of restaurants.

If you do head over to the beach, you will be surprised to find several beach bar 'shacks' in full swing, offering snacks, meals and cocktails - a little surreal to be honest, sitting looking out over blue sea and white sands with a concrete jungle backdrop !

While in the city we visited both of the Gaudi houses (Casa Batilo and Casa Mila) in the same day which was no mean feat! It did mean that we had just a small window of opportunity in between visits to eat and we opted for one of the small restaurants located along the main road of Passeig de Gracia We were able to sit outside however beware that it is a little busy being near the main road. There is also a lovely tea shop in the area where we also stopped for a cuppa (English Breakfast of course!) and a rest after a full day of sightseeing. Its worth noting that there is also a McDonalds, a Burger King and a Five Guys all close by.

On our final evening in the city we visited the really popular Italian / Pizza restaurant on Las Ramblas. Having been here before, La Poma did not disappoint. Unfortunately we had not booked and had a 10-15 minute wait to be seated, but the food here is delicious and well worth the wait. With a full menu offering meats, fish, pastas, pizza and of course paella, it is reasonably priced and the food tasty. We opted for a pizza and pasta with drinks and dessert (creme caramel of course) and a cafe bonbon, priced at a very reasonable 60 euros for 2.

So, Barcelona is definitely a vibrant and interesting place to visit. It does cater for all budgets - you can eat out cheaply using bakeries for breakfast and perhaps fast food for dinner, and you can make use of the supermarkets for drinks and snacks etc to keep costs low. You can also eat and drink like a Queen here choosing succulent cuts of meat or sampling an array of tapas dishes. The choice is yours! I would always recommend doing your research beforehand and booking ahead if you can. We often use Open Table or The Fork as there are often reviews and discounts or offers and I personally like the certainty of knowing my table is booked.

So enjoy your visit to Barcelona, give Columbus a little wave from me as you walk past him on your trips up and down Las Ramblas and don't forget to try the churros with chocolate sauce - O.M.G. !!

Happy Travelling

Tracey x