If this is your first time in Catalonia, you probably don’t know our cuisine yet, one of the best Mediterranean gastronomies in the world: The Catalan gastronomy. Typical things in this neck of the woods are all i oli (garlic and oil dressing), els cargols (snails), escalibada (roasted peppers salad), our worldwide known pà amb tomàquet (bread with tomato), botifarra, xat xató, els calçots… and many other dishes that you will be able to enjoy through the various seasons of the year. Now, at Hostemplo, we would like to recommend you 10 restaurants in Barcelona to taste the delicacies of the Catalan cuisine. Making you salivate? Get ready, as we haven´t started yet!
1. 7 PORTES RESTAURANT:
7 Portes Restaurant – Photo 7portes.com
Over 175 years behind support them. It is a classic within the Catalan restoration where you will be able to enjoy the best of Mediterranean cuisine ever. The 7 Portes opens from one in the afternoon to one in the morning. A non-stop service to let you enjoy the best Catalan wines and the most awarded cava anytime.
Located at the Pòrtics d’en Xifré, a building of national architectonic interest, it has witnessed and hosted exceptional historical events: it was the first building in the city to have tap water and its architecture was featured by the first photograph taken in Spain. A must visit for anyone who prides their self in being a foodie!
More information:
- Location: 14, Passeig Isabel II, 08003 Barcelona.
- Web: www.7portes.com.
2. CASA AGUSTÍ RESTAURANT:
Casa AgustíRestaurant – Photo de tulollevas.com
It might be right the perfect moment to go and taste Casa Agustí’s specialties, as they are celebrating their 80th anniversary this year. Since 1936, this little restaurant has delighted the crême de la crême of Barcelona’s society: painters, singers, international film stars, business people…
With a very trendy decoration nowadays (vintage) and dating from 1955, the restaurant preserves the charming atmosphere of the old structures and sober materials, making the diners feel in a nostalgic and somehow homely environment. It’s just the ideal scene to enjoy the best author cuisine with the best quality season products. Are you going to miss it?
More information:
- Location: 5, Bergara Street, 08002 Barcelona.
- Web: www.casa-agusti.com.
3. CA L’ESTEVET RESTAURANT:
Ca L’Estevet Restaurant -Photo tripadvisor.es
Estevet is the short form for Esteban in Catalan. With this term of endearment we get to Esteve’s and his doughter Mariona’s cuisine, inheritors of the old Navarro Inn (1890). Their traditional dishes take us back to Barcelona’s youth movement by the end of the 19th century. Ca l’Estevet is part of the city’s history as unifying agent for certain core groups in Barcelona’s society, with its peak in the formation of the ineffable ‘gauche divine‘.
As a curiosity, you might be interested to know that it used to be the journalists from La Vanguardia who used to full its capacity every lunch time and today, it is two of the reference cultural centers in town, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) and the Center of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (CCCB), as well as the Universities around. At night, it is still one of the most traditional meeting points, due to it location at El Raval.
More information:
- Location: 46, Valldonzella Street, 08001 Barcelona.
- Web: www.restaurantestevet.com.
4. CAN CULLERETES RESTAURANT:
Can CulleretsRestaurant – Photo luxos.com
Did you know that this restaurant is on the Guinness records book? Can Culleretes is no more no less the second oldest restaurant in Spain and the oldest one in Catalonia. But that’s not the only reason to visit it, if your plan is to have a good meal in Barcelona…
Catalan, Mediterranean and high quality market cuisine: fresh products coming from one of the best markets in the world (la Boquería market, very close to the restaurant). Moreover, it is a cuisine with a great background, since 1786! If it was not enough, pictures of distinguished personalities of all times will surround you while you’re eating. Artists, sportsmen and also, a peculiar corner of Liceu singers! Just go and see!
More information:
- Location: 5, Quintana Street, 08002 Barcelona.
- Web: culleretes.com.
5. LEKU RESTAURANT:
Leku Restaurant – Photo restaurantes.com
They already state so on their website and we can only agree with them: this is the perfect place to enjoy 100% Catalan, creative, market food with manners that go from the kitchen to the dining room in the shape of a dish.
This restaurant belongs to Sergi, a young chef with a broad range of experiences and knowledge. And Leku is just like him: a permanent source of surprises! A mix of technic and tradition, from Hostemplo we recommend the millefeuille with fried eggs or chickpeas with scallops. It is very close to Camp Nou, so if you are planning to see Barça or visit the stadium, take a walk and taste Leku’s cuisine!
More information:
- Location: 189Joan Güell Street, 08003 Barcelona.
- Web: www.restauranteleku.es.
6. FREIXA TRADICIÓ RESTAURANT:
Freixa Tradició Restaurant – Poto freixatradicio.com
Under the motto ‘More than 40 years sharing the traditional Catalan cuisine” you will finde the kitchen of Josep Maria and Ramon Freixa (father and son) and Dori Riera hides. Open to mid-80s, it was 90 when the son of Josep Maria Ramon, took command of the kitchen ydio a return to the Catalan cuisine of yesteryear putting the restaurant on the top 10 of the best in the city.
In no longer than two years, Ramón became “independent” and started his own project in Madrid, now awarded with two Michelin Stars. Josep María followed his advice and surrounded himself with a new generation of professionals; that allows enjoying today the former Catalan taste and flavors in a re-interpreted manner. Our recommendation: Pork feet stew with plums and pine nuts and squids with artichokes.
More information:
- Location: 22 Sant Elies Street, 08006 Barcelona.
- Web: www.freixatradicio.com.
7. RESTAURANTE CAN VILARÓ:
Restaurante Can Vilaró – Foto de vforner.com
The scene? As you can see in the picture, a traditional house where you can find almost-forgotten, tasty dishes, such as the typical “grandma’s noodles stew”(cassola de l’àvia in Catalan) or pork cheeks, worth to be recommended! There is no special menu at lunchtime, but their menu is full of treasures, all equally traditional.
And what’s best about it? Simple and inexpensive, so there is no excuse to have a good meal! Excellent quality plus attentive and homely service that will make you come back. No need to think it over! It is just the ideal excuse if you are around Sant Antoni district.
More information:
- Location: 61, del Comte Borrell Street, 08015 Barcelona.
8. CAL BOTER RESTAURANT:
Cal Boter Restaurant – Photo de lamochilaverde.com
An old carpenter’s shop in Gracia neighborhood was the place chosen by Toni and Encarna in 1986 to develop their idea and create Cal Boter, a homely restaurant of Catalan cuisine.
Currently, with the new generations of the family on board at Cal Boter, they’ve broadened their daily services offering ‘Esmorzars de Forquilla‘ (fork breakfast). Satiating fork breakfasts to gain energy before noon, including dishes such as tripe and chickpeas stew, pork feet or various types of cod. It is a good choice for a walk or cycling day around Barcelona and the gorgeous neighborhood of Gracia. The proximity of the owners and the freshness of the ingredients they use for their dishes will not disappoint you at all.
More information:
- Location: 62 Tordera Street, 08012 Barcelona.
- Web: www.restaurantcalboter.com.
9. AGUT RESTAURANT:
Agut Restaurant – Photo tripadvisor.es
Over 250 positive opinions on tripadvisor speak on their behalf… but there is much more that what we can find on the internet. Located in the very heart of the traditional Gothic quarter in Barcelona, Agut keeps the old inn’s spirit, as it was set up in 1924.
In its menu you will find the typical soups and stews dishes. We recommend you to taste their meats, grilled with coal, or their original cuttlefish burgers with yucca and zucchini chips. A must stop in the Gothic quarter!
More information:
- Location: 16, d’en Gignàs Street, 08002 Barcelona.
- Web: www.restaurantagut.com.
10. DISFRUTAR RESTAURANT:
Disfrutar Restaurant – Photo disfrutarbarcelona.com
And we complete our top 10 with one of the latest contributions of the best current cuisine in Barcelona: we are talking about no other than Disfrutar Restaurant.
Open since December 2014, it arises after years of hard work at elBulli, where Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro and Eduard Xatruch met and grew professionally. All this, after completing their project Compartir, opened in Cadaqués in April 2012. Disfrutar is not a copy of Compartir, although there are inherent elements that belong to the character of the three chefs and owners: a cozy and comfortable atmosphere, and an attentive, close and relaxed service. At Disfrutar, the gastronomic offer is about the tasting menu, with a clearly trend-setting cuisine, where the dishes stand out for their strong personality, which is also distinctly Catalan. It is a restaurant on which awards are pouring down recently. Are you going to miss it?
More information:
- Location: 163Villarroel Street, 08036 Barcelona.
- Web: www.es.disfrutarbarcelona.com.
Have you enjoyed our gastronomic tour? At Hostemplo we always aim to suggest you the best tours: cultural, gastronomic or historical ones, … for you to make the most of your visit to Barcelona. We will also talk about other renowned restaurants in Catalonia, such as El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona. We take the opportunity to remind you that, if you are looking for accommodation in Barcelona, we are your best option! Also, if you book on our website, you’ll get FREE breakfast for your first night. What are you waiting for?
