How to Enjoy Barcelona | Best Food & Drink Places Per Neighbourhood

When I moved to Barcelona for my Erasmus exchange, someone gave me a handwritten list with recommendations. She was doing her Master’s degree in Barcelona and made an overview of her favorite places. I used her list throughout my exchange and eventually updated it with my tips. 

Now, eight years later, and after visiting Barcelona various times, I updated the list with the help of some friends living in Barcelona.

You can find the bars and restaurants arranged per neighborhood, so it’s easy to find places close to where you’re staying. 

I also created a Google Maps Layer to make it easier to find each spot. I hope this helps you to enjoy your next trip to Barcelona!

Each place in this blog includes links to TripAdvisor or Google Maps.

Barcelona Restaurants and Bars

food & drink barcelona

Gracia

Gracia is a residential area north of L’Eixample and Placa Catalunya. 

The area has organized streets with fancier food & drink options that are a bit more pricey.

Restaurants

  • Gut has a wide variety of tasty food but is often busy on weekends. It’s therefore wise to make a reservation. There are plenty of vegetarian options as well.
  • La Bicicleta offers a variety of unique and affordable dishes in a relaxed and cozy environment.
  • If you’re looking for a slightly fancier option, check out La Pepita. The atmosphere is just as fantastic as the tapas with a twist.
  • Bacoa is an excellent burger place with affordable prices (between 10 and 15 euros). You can find them in Barceloneta and around Plaza Catalunya as well.
  • If you’re craving something other than tapas, visit Malaysian Street Delights with authentic Malaysian dishes.
  • For a classic fish restaurantBotafumeiro is your place. They serve some of the best seafood in a vintage-looking restaurant. The portions are large but on the expensive side.

Bars

  • Are you looking for some salsa? Dance away with free classes and great mojitos in El Sabor, or visit the more petite Gracia Latina with live music. Gracia Latina also offers free salsa and bachata classes. Do you want the salsa environment without necessarily having to dance? Try a cocktail in El Bombó Salsa.
  • If you’re more in the mood for a traditional cocktail bar, visit 14 De La Rosa for great bartending and cocktails with a twist or Old Fashioned Gin Tonic & Cocktail Bar for old-fashioned G&Ts in a vintage bar.
  • Just want to grab a beer and relax? Bring your drinks to Plaza del Sol or enjoy one of the many bars in the square.
 
food & drink barcelona

Barceloneta

Barceloneta is the neighborhood next to the beach. 

Although Barcelona has better beaches outside of the city, it’s nice to have them close to the city center. 

Have a walk on the beach and enjoy the view from the famous W-Hotel, but please avoid the street sold mojitos. Instead, buy your drinks at a supermarket or one of the beach bars.

Restaurants

  • Makamaka has good burgers and a good vibe. Order the classic fries with wasabi mayo or the Maradona burger.
  • Perikete is a small place with a classic tapas menu and good beers and sangria. It’s good value for money.
  • Neapolitan Authentic Pizza (NAP) Mar NAP is a chain with good pizzas made from fresh products. The NAP restaurant in Barceloneta might be the best one. Prices are affordable.
 

Bars

  • Barceloneta has many small beach bars (called chiringuitos in Spain). If you’re looking for one to sit back and relax, you might want to consider The Surf House. You can enjoy a cocktail with your feet in the sand.
 

Poblenou

Poblenou is an underexplored area of Barcelona but has a lot to offer. 

It’s the artistic neighborhood of the city with designers, artists, hip cafes, and tapas bars along the Rambla de Poblenou. 

Many places are converted factories housing tech offices and design showrooms.

Restaurants

  • You can find Pincho J on the famous Rambla de Poblenou, a street full of pincho places. Pinchos are tapas on bread with a cocktail stick in it. Each cocktail stick has a color indicating its price (typically only one, two, or three euros). You hand in the cocktail sticks at the end of your meal and pay the bill.
  • Mamma Mia is a hidden gem with some of the best service you can get in Barcelona. Aside from the wonderful staff, they serve great Italian pizza.
  • La Picanteria de L’Escriba has great food and cocktails. It’s colorful and serves delicious Peruvian fusion food. Try the Ceviche.
 

Bars

  • Ovella Negra can be best compared to a giant German beer hall. The place is full of the pool- and beer tables and serves 5-liter beer dispensers. It’s close to one of the best clubs in Barcelona, Razzmatazz, and thus a great place to start your night.
  • D9 is a low-key bar with soccer matches and loud music on the weekends. It’s a great place to start your night out and serves surprisingly tasty food – especially the burgers.
 
If you’re looking for some more trendy coffee and beer places, check out this Lonely Planet Poblenou page.

El Born

El Born is a central neighborhood but maintained its alternative vibe. 

You can find all types of bars and restaurants, often with their unique design. 

Most places are more relaxed and typically cheaper than many of the other areas in Barcelona.

Restaurants

  • For a delicious and affordable French lunch, check out El Casal. It was one of the highlights of my exchange. It’s hidden on a small square and offers an outstanding lunch menu for around 12 euros, including an appetizer, main course, dessert, and a drink.
  • For Asian food, check out Mosquito or Vietnamita. Mosquito offers the best of two continents, including a menu with Catalan craft beers. You might have to wait a while to get a table, though. Vietnamita has the best Vietnamese food in Barcelona and has another restaurant located in Gracia.
  • Tlaxcal has some of the best Mexican food in Barcelona. A neat-looking bar with affordable prices and incredible food.
  • Quillo Bar is a modern-looking tapas bar with traditional dishes. The service is ok, but the food and design compensate for that. If you’re looking for another tapas bar, go to Tantarantana, a restaurant located on a small cozy square in El Born. Make sure to pair your tapa with one of their wines.
  • For a delicious burger, check out Bacoa Kiosko, which is part of the Bacoa chain.
  • If you prefer Italian food, be surprised by the beautiful dishes at Restaurante Spaccanapoli or check out Via Margutta.
 

Bars

  • Berimbau & Bar Borneo are two cozy bars on the same street. They offer great deals on mojitos and caipirinhas (for 4 euros).
  • La Champagneria Can Paixano is one of the most incredible places in Barcelona, in my opinion. It’s a tiny bar that offers tapas and a few homemade cavas. You can also buy their cavas for takeaway for an incredible price (a few euros). I’d highly recommend getting a few bottles of the rosé cava.
  • Mr. Robinson Cocktails & Food has excellent cocktails and food, a cool decor, and super friendly staff.
  • Do you prefer some unique high-class cocktails, check out Dux Gins & Cocktails Borne or Dr. Stravinsky, two of the best cocktail bars in Barcelona.
 

Brunch & Coffee

  • 65 degrees Barcelona is maybe the best breakfast place in Barcelona with great-looking and tasting dishes. They also serve dinner. For brunch, check out Picnic‘s delicious Eggs benedict.
  • Pasteleria Hoffmann has fantastic takeaway croissants and pastries. Are you explicitly craving cheesecake, however? In that case, you should consider visiting Jon Cake instead.
  • Brunells has a typical Spanish decoration but great homemade croissants and pastries. It might be a little busy, though.
  • Alsur Café is a good place for a casual brunch.
 

Gotíco

Gótico is still some of my favorite places in Barcelona. 

With its tall houses and small (somewhat dirty) streets, you’ll quickly get lost and discover a handful of new bars and restaurants. 

Gotico is an excellent area to stay if you enjoy beers and parties. For families, the quieter Eixample and Gracia may be better.

Restaurants

  • Salterio is a cool little bar in the Gotico quarter. It’s great for a drink and simple but very tasty food.
  • Tucco Real Food is hiding in plain sight in one of the small streets of Gotico. The restaurant offers a cheap but tasty Italian menu. If you’re not looking for refined food but simply a nice cozy meal, this is your place.
  • For burgers, you should visit Bacoa or Milk. Milk is also a good option if you’re looking for lunch or tasty pancakes.
 

Bars

  • Harlem Jazz Club is one of the best places for live music. Buy a ticket at the door (around 7 euros) and enjoy live jazz, soul, and blues music.
  • Rabipelao and Bombon are two small bars on the same street. Rabipelao is low-key and has cheap 4 euro cocktails, whereas Bombon serves mojitos in small jars with a relaxed Latin vibe and good food.
  • Espit Chupitos has 500+ shots for two euros each. Don’t try the Monica Lewinsky. I repeat, do not get the Monica Lewinsky.
  • Rosa Negra is a low-key Mexican place with a cozy design and cheap cocktails.
  • Pipa Club is a hidden vintage bar with live performances. Ring the doorbell, become a member (for free), and enjoy this unique experience.
  • Ohla Rooftop Bar has a fantastic view. Just go for a drink and enjoy the sunset. It might be closed during the winter months, though.
 

Brunch & Coffee

  • El Bosque de les Fades is hidden in plain sight. This fairytale bar is a cafe by day and bar by night. A must-visit if you’re walking down La Rambla.
  • For a tasty takeaway sandwich, visit BodeB. This restaurant offers the most filling takeaway lunch you can get in Barcelona.
  • If you prefer a simple bakery, go around the corner and get a coffee and a sandwich at Forneria Tiana.
 

L’Eixample

L’Eixample is the area just north of Plaza de Cataluyna. 

Where Gotico and Raval are known for their labyrinths of small streets, Eixample is characterized by its wide streets and housing blocks (like in the picture above). 

Eixample is known for two of Gaudi’s houses, Casa Batllo and Casa Mila, slightly more expensive than everything south of Plaza Catalunya but quieter and more local.

Restaurants

  • For the best tapas in town, you have to visit Cervecería Catalana or its smaller brother Ciudad Condal. You might have to wait 30 minutes, but it’s worth it. Try the Huevos Cabreaos (angry eggs).
  • If you’re looking for a fancy alternative, try the tapas at Paco Meralgo. For fish tapas, go to Vinitus and for traditional ones with sangria, check out La Flauta.
  • Eixample has several good Italian options. For traditional pizzas with fresh ingredients, try Pizzeria Bellillo or La Balmesina. If you like sharing, order two pizza flavors per person at Le Romane. For a wider variety of Italian dishes with a good glass of wine, go to Bronzo.
  • For Asian food, go to Món Việt for authentic Vietnamese food, Kanada-Ya for great ramenThai Zaap for a Thai dinner or lunch, and POCHA for Korean food.
  • Are you looking for other alternatives? Baldomero is an ideal lunch place, cozy with fresh homemade food9 Reinas offers great Argentinian steak, and Albé Barcelona serves spectacular Lebanese-Spanish fusion dishes. Try the labneh, kebbeh, and bravas.
 

Bars

  • For beer tours and tastings, visit the Moritz brewery. They also serve food. Another fun bar is Dow Jones. This sports bar integrated the stock market concept. When you order a drink, that drink’s price goes up, and other beverages become cheaper. If you don’t care what you’re drinking, you can have a cheap night out.
  • For cocktails, check out the fairytale garden Jardinet d’Aribau or the high-class (read a bit expensive) Galileo or iconic Dry Martini. If you’re looking to spice things up with a speakeasy bar, have a look at Bobby’s Free Bar disguised as a barbershop. To enter, you will need a password that you’ll be able to find on their Instagram page.
  • If you’re in a party mood, start your night at Chupitos Espit, a bar with hundreds of shots for 2-4 euros, or Le Cyrano. The latter is noisy and tacky but has super cheap drinks. If you order a cheap cocktail, they give you the liquor bottle to pour your own drink. It’s excellent for pre-drinking, but that’s about it.
  • Do you prefer a lovely sunset? Go to Rooftop La Dolce Vitae (Majestic) or NH Collection Rooftop for rooftops with fantastic views.
 

Brunch & Coffee

  • OMA Bistro is an excellent place for breakfast or brunch. The staff is great, and the site feels very homey.
  • Ugot Bruncherie offers a variety of healthy and vegetarian options to start the day in the right way.
  • DeLaCrem offers nice artisanal ice cream and pastries and coffee and tea.
  • Brunch & Cake is a cute brunch place with colorful and unique dishes. Try The Egg Lab for another brunch place with delicious food and clean-looking decor.
  • For a nice-looking brunch, visit Barcino Food Brunch. Their offering ranges from the typical eggs benedict and English breakfast, to healthy dishes with a Korean or Mexican touch. Barcino also has great homemade cakes, açai bowls, juices and plenty of vegan and lactose free options. 

El Raval

When I moved to Barcelona, I had the chance to move into a house in Raval. Because Raval was one of the shadier areas of Barcelona, I decided on another place in Gótico instead. 

Although not all areas in Raval are great (especially at night), the neighborhood offers many artsy and non-mainstream options.

Restaurants

  • Kasparo offers lovely tapas on a small square. Give the Clara a try, a combination of beer with lime.
  • Bar Lobo is a beautiful quiet restaurant close to La Rambla. It’s a good choice for food or drinks and has an excellent price-quality ratio.
  • Pizzeria Napoletana Pummarola serves authentic, simple pizzas of excellent quality.
  • Prefer something different, visit Ramen House, a solid place for Ramen.
 

Bars

  • Ultramarinos is one of the best places for Gin Tonics in Barcelona. Try one of the three gins of the week!
  • Ovella Negra is a small cave-like beerhall hidden in plain sight. It’s always full of students, has a great atmosphere, and cheap beers.
  • 33/45 is a nice artsy bar for after work. Don’t miss the happy hour for a cold beer or cocktail.
  • For live (flamenco) music, check out La Rouge. The service is ok, but the music is excellent.
  • Beirut 37 has great bartenders and a relaxed vintage vibe. It’s great for cocktails and if you’re looking for something unique.
  • If you simply want to roam around, check the bars around MACBA, the Contemporary Art Museum.
 
food & drink barcelona

Festivals

  • Sonar Barcelona is one of Europe’s best-known music festivals. In June, the festival takes place on Montjuic (up from Plaza España) once a year. If you happen to be there that month, check out the tips from an experienced Sonar goer.
  • Primavera Sound Barcelona is an annual music festival held in Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona. The festival offers pop, indie, rock, and underground tendencies of electronic and dance music.
  • Brunch in the Park is a biweekly festival that costs between 11-25 euros. It’s smaller and an initiative for young people and families to spend an ecological Sunday amongst nature, food, and electronic music. Check out this blog post for more info.
  • SOUNDIT (formerly SoundEat!) is a small-format music festival with top national and international DJs. The festival takes place in the Parc del Fòrum and, sometimes, in La Monumental. It’s also a bi-weekly event and offers great food. The entrance is around 12 euros.
  • Palo Alto Market Fest happens every first weekend of the month. It’s a fabulous event with live music and food trucks with a wide variety of dishes from all over the world. You can also find small stands with designer products from local artists.
food & drink barcelona

Sightseeing/Hidden gems

  • Montserrat is a beautiful monastery for a day trip outside of Barcelona. You can buy a train + funicular ticket at Plaza España.
  • Tibidabo has an amusement park and church on top of a hill overlooking Barcelona. You can travel here quickly with a zone 1 metro ticket. Make sure you check the buses on Google Maps before going. The view from the hill is fantastic.
  • Refugi 307 is a hidden gem that most people do not know about. Between 1937 and 1939, a total of 1903 bombs hit Barcelona. The population had less than 90 seconds to get cover, which led to a massive network of 1400 air raid shelters. Refugi 307 takes you on tour through these shelters. You can (only) visit on Sundays for 3 euros. It’s easiest to send an email to make a reservation.
  • Bunkers have a beautiful view over the city. Most people go for the sunset and bring drinks and music.
  • The Labyrinth Parc is a nice and quiet park with a labyrinth. Entrance is free or costs a few euros (depending on the day). I would recommend going if you’re tired of the busy city life.
food & drink barcelona

Clubs

Barcelona has a wide variety of clubs. What most people don’t know, however, is that you can get into many famous clubs without waiting in line but putting yourself on one of the guest lists. 

Check ShazlistBpremium, and WeLove

These lists are handy if you’re going to one of the beach clubs like Opium, Shoko, and Pacha or Sutton and BlingBling. 

Do note that you have to arrive before a specific time (for example, 12 o’clock or 2 am.)

  • For beach clubs, check out OpiumShoko, or Pacha. These are the most popular clubs in the beach area and are close to each other. If you’re looking for something more chill and fancy, go to the sail-shaped W Hotel Eclipse.
  • My favorite club in Barcelona is Razzmatazz. It’s popular but authentic and one of the few that doesn’t need discounts and waiting lists. Make sure to buy your ticket online to avoid not getting in.
  • Are you looking for other famous clubs in the city center? Check out SuttonBlingBling, or Astoria in Eixample.
  • If you are into minimal and techno music, Nitsa is a good option.
  • For a local option, check out La Fira.
  • Do you also want to party on Monday and Tuesday? Check out the options at Apolo.
  • Not done partying yet? Check out Atlantic Club BarcelonaLa Terrazza, and Elrow, three clubs outside the city center.
 

Google Maps & Living in Barcelona

I’ve saved all the recommendations as a Google Maps Layer to make things a little easier for you. You can use this layer on your phone and see all bars, restaurants, clubs, and sightseeing activities close to you.

After writing this post, a guy from Barcelona shared his favorite local food tips. You can find them in this maps layer.

If you’re planning to stay in Barcelona and learn Spanish, look at my post Best way to learn Spanish: How to go from A1 to C2.

Do you also want book, movie, and music recommendations from Spain? In that case, check out the complete Cultural List.

If you visited any of my recommendations, had good or bad experiences, or have other tips, please comment below! 

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