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Barcelona - HELP - restaurant recommendations

Tired of having crappy food. Need breakfast/bakery recommendations and then dinner (or linner-late afternoon lunch/dinner) recommendations.

This is how it was is Madrid too - bad restaurants.

Help please!!! We are staying near Plaça de Catalunya in the dreta de l’eixample area.

Posted by
4180 posts

So sorry you are not eating well in Spain! The food culture can be not very intuitive/tourist friendly.

Plaça de Catalunya is a bit of a food desert, but you can check the gourmet cafeteria at the top of El Corte Inglés for both breakfast and a casual lunch or early dinner. 5 min walking distance you can also look at Xurreria Laietana for pastries, fresh churros and Spanish chocolate, and cafe for breakfast.

If you're near El Born, I'd look at Bar Celta Pulperia for a quintessential tapas experiences.

If wanting more upscale lunch/dinner try Barceloneta right on the old port (https://restaurantbarceloneta.com/ca/el-restaurant/)

Posted by
114 posts

Sorry to hear this! We will be there visiting both Madrid and Barcelona in a couple of weeks. Care to share the restaurants you did and did not like?

Posted by
86 posts

Citizen Cafe for breakfast/brunch. Had great dinners at Bodega Puntual and Canete. Look at a tapas food tour....

Posted by
270 posts

Two of my favorite restaurants in Barcelons: 7 Portes (near Barri Gothic, I think), and Botafumeiro (Born?).
Yum.

Posted by
49 posts

We are in Barcelona. We've worked hard to find great food. It exists!

For healthy food, try Flax and Kale.
For casual fare, try Parking Pita or Parking Pizza.
Use google and read through the reviews carefully. It takes a few hours, but you can do it!

Posted by
46 posts

We like La Paradeta - inexpensive seafood place with several locations around BCN. https://www.laparadeta.com/en/

When it is your turn you choose what you want from the raw seafood display at the entrance. Tell them how you want each item cooked (fried, grilled, etc). They weight it all to get the price and then you go and get drinks and pay the bill before sitting down. They cook your food and call your number as each item is ready for pick up. It comes out one by one so you don't get everything at once.

Posted by
46 posts

Look for Spain Revealed videos on YouTube. James takes you around to different restaurants in many cities around Spain.

Posted by
46 posts

Check out the pool bar on the roof of the Renaissance Barcelona Fira hotel (across from Ikea). Drinks aren't expensive considering it is a hotel. Amazing views.

Tucco Real Food https://tuccorealfood.com/ is a budget set menu restaurant. Great value and super busy as a result.

Posted by
1 posts

Don't really have any breakfast recommendations, mostly a cappuccino and small pastry are what most eat.

Since you are near Placa de Catalunya, I will give you several restaurants near that area that my friends in Barcelona and I enjoy.

For real Catalonia food try La Lluna, carrer de Santa Anna, 20 - it is actually at the end of a side street carrer Sant Bonaventura - you will see the menu board on Santa Anna. It has the traditional monk fish, cuttle fish, octopus, squid, etc. They have a set lunch menu at 12.95 for starter, main course and dessert. Open on weekends for dinner. Lunch on weekdays.

For tapas, tapes - Tosca del Carme, Carrer del Carme, 40 is a great choice.

Barcelona has good international food as well. Try Torres del Paine, Carrer junta de comerc, 28 - this is a Chilean restaurant.

El Pachuco, Carrer de Sant Pau, 110 - a Mexican Restaurant.

Rajah Restaurant, Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3 - this is a Pakistani Restaurant, they have a great set lunch menu on Mon -Thurs. for 12.95

There is also a great buffet restaurant that a lot of locals go to called Fresco. It has a main local dish plus pasta and pizza for the kids or adults, along with a never ending salad and dessert bar. All for 12.95 near the Placa de Catalunya or 13.95 near the marina.

Hope this helps.
Stephen

Posted by
4180 posts

I think the OP may have already finished thier Barcelona portion of the trip.

I'm curious to see if they actually took up any of our suggestions and was finally able to eat well 😂

Posted by
42 posts

OP Here. Yes!! We have now left Barcelona and will turn off notifications. Ha!

For breakfast we loved Funky Bakers

For dinner we ate here twice - https://pirineuenboca.es/

Never really got to any of the suggestions - as some were too far away.

Thanks all!!