restaurants Barcelone list 2006-2014

List cooked up by Paul Hirschbühler
1. Tapas
2. Restaurants higher quality (including suggestions by Jan Koster, Sergio Scalise and
Claudia Borgonovo)
3. Less fancy
4. Everyday restaurants, lunch
5. Paellas
6. Four suggestions by Claudia Borgonovo
1. Tapas
*Ciutat Comtal / Ciudad Condal
http://www.bcnrestaurantes.com/eng/barcelona.asp?restaurante=ciudad-­‐
condal Rambla de Catalunya, 18. Right on the corner of Rambla de Catalunya and Gran via de les Corts
Catalanes (there is a nice statue of a Thinking Bull, inspired by Rodin’s Penseur at the extremity
of Rambla de Catalunya –there is also a Horse/Girafe at the other end of the Rambla de
Catalunya)
Try to sit at the counter, especially at the right hand side, there is a little more space for your
plate) or at one of the small round tables with high chairs rather than within the restaurant itself
(very busy place). There are two other places
Similar places by the same owner :
1) La Flauta II, Carrer de Balmes, 164, less touristy than Ciutat Comtal (Close to diagonal)
(Also La Flauta, Carrer d´Aribau, 23, we have not been in this one)
2) Cerveceria Catalana, carrer de Mallorca 236 (I like less, very busy also, no reservation at
the counter, first come first served)
*La Pepita, Carrer de Còrsega, 343, one block up from Diagonal, on the right hand side of
Passeig de G.; it opens at 8 pm, small bar, again better to sit at the bar when you are 2 or 3.
Really nice, different. Also with a touch of Japanese in some tapas, though the last time we went
there were none of that type.
*Paco Meralgo, Carrer de Muntaner, 171. www.restaurantpacomeralgo.com. Early for lunch,
better to make a reservation. Interesting tapas, with a number that are different from the usual
ones. Not the Basque type.
La Bodegueta, Rambla de Catalunya, 100 . Terrasse sur la rambla, parfait pour relaxer en plein
air sur la Rambla, avec un verre de cava et quelques tapas.
antic celler de vins, ha esdevingut un bar de tapes típic i molt conegut de Barcelona.
Also, on Passeig de Gràcia, try Costa Gallega Restaurant
(http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g187497-d1224527-ReviewsCosta_Gallega_Restaurant-Barcelona_Catalonia.html ), we went there and had a soup I think.
What people had looked quite good.
D.O. Vins I platillos, Carrer de Verdi, 36
Téléphone :+34 932 18 96 73, a few houses before Cine Verdi. Reservation needed but you can stop for a
drink.
We went there in 2005-2006. It was very good (a set menu of about 10 modern tapas like plates) but
expensive. Comments on the internet are mixed.
See also Bar Mut, section Restaurants
2. Restaurants higher quality
**Roig Robi, 20 Seneca (www.roigrobi.com; reservations needed). This is a higher quality
restaurant, very good, nice if you can eat in the patio. Expensive but is worth it.
*Passadis d’en Pep, Pla de Paul 2 . The entrance is not easy to find because it is a small passage.
Unless you ask for the menu, you get the standard menu they give to everyone (fruits de mer and
a bottle of cava). We really liked in 2005 ; we liked it less in 2012 because of one dish, I do not
remember which one. Expensive, but think that you cava is included.
www.passadis.com ; http://www.passadis.com/eng/index.htm
______________________________________________________________________________
2 suggested by Sergio Scalise
Scalise 1. El botafumeiro, Carrer Gran de Gràcia, 81, +34 932 18 42 30
Specializes in Fish and fruits de mer.
http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187497-d697432-Reviews-BotafumeiroBarcelona_Catalonia.html
Not cheap, check the reviews for that. We’ll probably go try it ext time we are in Barcelona. We went by
often and often but it looked to much for a certain class of people (sometimes dropped by limousine).
Scalise 2. Casa Leopoldo, in the Barrio Cino (PH : Barrio el Raval): you arrive there taking from the
ramblas (on your right going towards the see) calle of the hospital or smt like that.
Carrer de Sant Rafael, 24, +34 934 41 30 14 http://www.casaleopoldo.com/presentacion
The menu looks like very interesting, typically traditional catalan http://www.casaleopoldo.com/menu
1 (of those) suggested by Jan Koster.
Koster 1. Casa Calvet, carrer de Casp, 48 - 08010 Barcelona - Tel. 93 412 40 12
The Restaurant Casa Calvet is located in the Casa Calvet, a building that created the great Catalan
architect Antoni Gaudí.
The menus look very very nice, some at a reasonable price, others more expensive, but it looks worth it.
_____________________________________________________________________________
*El Asador de Aranda Carrer de Londres, 94 off Aribau, close to Diagonal (we went 3 times)
for roasted unweaned lamb (Lechazo Asado en Horno de Leña) and suckling pig (cochinillo
asado = cochon de lait). We always used the menu selección rather than set menus.
Other locations : Carrer de Pau Claris, 70 and Av. del Tibidabo 31 (must be their flagship in a
fancy neighbourhood)
Traditional Spanish cuisine, meat is excellent, great décor (see on Internet
http://www.asadordearanda.com/es/restaurantes/barcelona/003/ ; reservations required
*Restaurant Con Gràcia, Carrer de Martínez de la Rosa, 8 (Gràcia), Tel. Reservations: 933 300
303. http://www.congracia.es/
Outstanding. « At Con Gracia, chef Paul Treacy, offers our guests 2 carefully selected Dinner
tasting menus where the menu is based on Mediterranean flavours with some Asian influence.
The Surprise Menu, which includes 7 courses, where you can sit back and relax while Paul will
surprise you with the Con Gracia flavours time and time again. The Tradition Menu, a choice of 7
courses. »
*Restaurant Wagokoro, Regas 35, on the corner of Laforja, between via Augusta and Balmes.
http://www.wagokoro.es/ Absolutely necessary to reserve towards the end of the week..
This is a very outstanding Japanese restaurant. Four menus, from 39,50 to 54,50 euros. It is worth
it. Small place, can sit around 4 people at the counter and a dozen or a little more at tables.
*Restaurante Somodó, Carrer de Ros de Olano, 11, Gràcia (off Gran de Gràcia)
http://www.somodo.es/elmenu.html
This is an excellent with a really cheap menu. Reservations needed.
Cocina mediterránea con un toque japonés en Gràcia.
Osmosis, Aribau 100, Barcelone
http://www.bcnrestaurantes.com/eng/barcelona.asp?restaurante=osmosis
Excellent, check the link. We went once for lunch, very good.
Bar mut. Calle Pau Claris, 192, 08037 (between a restaurant, bar and tapas place)
A very well-known place. Tiny place, reservations or come at 6 pm or before for some tapas and
a drink, you may be lucky to have a place at the counter. Not cheap. If you are interested in a
funny looking fish, inquire about the price, and make sure to be told how much your order will
be. We had a bad surprise one, we paid at least twice as much for said fish, I think it was a
mistake, but I did not react quickly enough. Went back a few days later but the lady owner really
did nothing. I’ll still go back.
Topik, Calle de Valencia, 199. Reservation (with some luck you’ll meet Cedric Boeckx and his
wife, they are regulars and have befriended the owners). Also with a touch of Japanese in some
dishes. Lunch and supper. Very good
More traditional, family type, very affordable
*Taverna El Glop, Carrer de Sant Lluís, 24, 08012 Téléphone :+34 932 13 70 58, not the on
Rambla de Catalunya. (http://tavernaelglop.com/ ). Their web site is not the best one, you can
have an idea of the food by looking at « Group menu types » but we always ordered indivudual
items from the general card.
http://restauraweb.com/tavernaelglop2011/files/GROUP-MENU-TYPES-1-42.pdf
This is one of the places to go if you want to have an atmosphere of people of all walks of life,
eating earthy catalan food. If you go between January and April, try the calçots (sort of big green
onions from the family of the leeks).
More traditional bourgeois type
Restaurant Flamant, Carrer de Enric Granados, 23.
Cuisine bourgeoise, beau décor ancien.
Restaurant Antigua (more fancy) Calle Mariano Cubi, 59, close to Diagonal and one street
below Laforja.
3. Less fancy but very good choices
*Orígens
We used to go to the Orígens on Enric Granados, but it is no longer part of the Orígens
restaurants (it is now El Nou de Granados, Enric Granados, 9), and the concept of El Nou has
somewhat changed. Comments on the internet are very good/not good. It has a very nice terrasse
on the street (pedestrian, not many people, not noisy).
There are several Orígens, we suggest the one in Gracià
La llavors del orígens: c/ Ramón i Cajal, 12.
Telephone: 93 213 60 31
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: 12.30h-12.30h night
Open 365 days of the year
http://www.lallavordelsorigens.com/index.php?lang=en
Origens Graçià
http://www.lallavordelsorigens.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96:gracia
&catid=28:restaurants&Itemid=173&lang=en
You have both menus and A la carte
http://www.lallavordelsorigens.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=the
me1311:gallery&id=29&Itemid=169&lang=en
Look at this link, you’ll see all the nice little things you can have. The carte changes 4 times a
year, according to the seasons
*Café Salambo, Torrijos 51, just below Plaça de la Virreina; quite good at a reasonable price,
sometimes very good. With friends you can make a nice combination of dishes to share, like
tapas. Great decor and ambiance. More below in the same street, on the other side, there is an
interesting simple mexican restaurant, where you need reservations in the evening. I do not
remember whether it is open for lunch but I think so. It is a great place to eat, relax and see a
variety of people. They have literature readings, apparently.
Restaurant Marisco, Corsega 272 Excellent fish and fruits de mer at a reasonable price. It looks
a bit like a cafetaria (they also have a similar restaurant (Marisco Reial) Plaça Reial, 8, phone 93
412 45 36).
*Bar El Velódromo Carrer de Muntaner, 213. Similar to a French café, open all night. Quite a
variety of choices. Like a French Brasserie, perfect for lunch, late supper, or when you do not
know what to eat.
4. Everyday restaurants, lunch
*OVO Corner of Laforja and Alphons XII (just where we lived) for everyday, open only for
lunch, family place for residents and people who work in the neighbourhood, around 11 euros
(internet says 13 now, perhaps that includes the coffee) for lunch.
We went there probably once a week. Quite good for the price, really home-made
(first plate, second, dessert, drinks). The quality is excellent, they have 3 choices for the first plate
(for example a generous salad, or pasta, sometimes a soup), and three choices for the second plate
(some meat or fish in general). It is also possible to order just one of the plates. The owner speaks
some French (originally from Perpignan, he has lost quite a bit of French). He and the other
server are really nice.
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g187497-d3860942-i66965137Ovo_cafe_restaurant-Barcelona_Catalonia.html
Only 1 review, proof that this is not a place tourists know.
« El restaurante ofrece menú diario con comida de calidad aunque las raciones son un poco
escasas para los que son bastante comedores. El precio es de unos 13€, con lo que en general, la
calidad-precio es muy equilibrada.
El local no es muy grande y las mesas están bastante juntas, por lo que si vais en grupo, mejor
reservar.
Lo mejor la decoración, moderna y con buen gusto. Los dueños también son un poco particulares
con sus bromas, con lo que le confieren al restaurante un ambiente especial.
Visited March 2013 »
There are several non tourist restaurants around Carrer de Laforja
Restaurante Guana, Carrer de Laforja 60. Quite good for lunch, we have not tried it at night.
Restaurant Roma Restaurant, Carrer d'Alfons XII, 41). Went for lunches, more fancy than OVO.
More simple
Restaurant café Madrazo, Carrer dels Madrazo, 50) This is an ordinary family/workers place
with normal, typical, catalonian food (as well as things like thin steacks, etc.). We only went for
lunches, think it is open for supper.
Ajouter la place à tapas sur la place sur laforja
Trobador Carrer d'Enric Granados, 122 Tel 934 16 00 57
Has a nice terrasse, we ate only once there, as far as I remember, it was simply OK but some of
the things they do are original (like a sort of hamburger made with monkfish).
5. Paellas
Barcelona and higher up in Catalunya is in general not the greatest place for paellas/arròs. Here
are three recommended by Elena Castroviejo Miró. We tried the first one and the last one Eix,
which is woth it for the general experience.
1. In Gràcia arrosseria "Xàtiva".
Torrent d'en Vidalet, 26.
http://www.arrosseriaxativa.com/arrosseriaxativagracia.html
<http://www.arrosseriaxativa.com/arrosseriaxativagracia.html>
2. In la Barceloneta "Ca la Montse".
Carrer Balboa, 14.
http://www.restaurantcalamontse.com/
Not well-known by tourists. Elena says that on Saturday there is a menu at a good price. Closeby
there is the « Museu d'Història de Catalunya, situat al Palau de Mar, que és allà al costat » and
you can have a drink if you go up on the last floor (of the restaurant or the museum?), the view is
worth it. (També es pot pujar a l'últim pis a prendre alguna cosa, i les vistes valen la pena.)
3. Finalment, i a un preu més car, hi ha la joia de la corona, que és el restaurant "Elx".
*Eix (al Maremagnum, al Moll d'Espanya, 5.
A little bit difficult to find, not really on a street but in a section of the harbour. This restaurant is
located in the Maremagnum complex on Barcelona harbour. It is at the edge, so the outside
tables are only 5 metres from a jump into the water!
http://elxrestaurant.es/cat <http://elxrestaurant.es/cat>
We really enjoyed it.
Other places to try for paella, see section 2.
Scalise 1. El botafumeiro
Scalise 2. Casa Leopoldo
Also
Restaurante Casa Nuri, en el delta del ebre. at http://restaurantnuri.com/. Excellent arròs/rice with sea
urchins, shrimp, cockles & artichokes, thyme & spring garlic ice cream 26,50 €.
http://restaurantnuri.com/com-arribar/
6. Four suggestions by Claudia Borgonovo
Pour ce qui est de restaurants:
1. Bar del Pla. Montcada, 2.Cuisine traditionnelle excellente, avec un menu du jour qui vaut
la peine (il faut le demander; ce n'est pas écrit). En tapas: croquetas de sépia vraiment
phénomenales.Il faut réserver. Le menu est très raisonnable, les tapas un peu moins mais
elles valent la peine. http://www.bardelpla.cat/ Carrer Montcada, 2, 08003 Barcelona,
Espagne +34 932 68 30 03 (Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera-Born)
2. El Mundial. St. Agustí Vell, 1. Bar traditionnel, avec un menu des raciones qui inclut des
plats maison qui ne sont pas ceux qui apparaissent dans d'autre menus (albondigas con
pulpo et d'autres).Les heures sont un peu incompréhensibles; je crois que c'est fermé les
soirs mais à confirmer. (Mundial Bar Restaurant, Plaza Sant Agusti Vell, 1 08003 . En El
Born. https://plus.google.com/+MundialBar/about?gl=ca&hl=fr
http://www.bcnrestaurantes.com/barcelona.asp?restaurante=mundial-bar
3. Bangkok Café. Evarist Arnus, 65 (Gracia): je sais qu'on ne vient pas à Barcelone pour
manger Thai mais c'est le meilleur restaurant Thai que j'ai eu le plaisir de fréquenter.
Cuisine authentique et très, très bien faite. Il faut réserver une ou deux semaines à
l'avance. PH : Actually, the restaurant is in the barri de les Corts, not far from Estació
Sants, see http://www.timeout.cat/barcelona/ca/restaurants-cafes/bangkok-cafe
https://plus.google.com/113421899456994481046/about?gl=ca&hl=fr
4. Las Fernández. Carrer de les carretes, 11. Raval. Cuisine sophistiquée dans un restaurant
funky et peu prétentieux. Il y a des plats del Bierzo, la région d'où viennent les
propriétaires -serveurs–chefs et le menu change tout le temps. Il y a quelqu'un à la
cuisine qui sait ce qu'elle fait. Il faut réserver. Téléphone :+34 934 43 20 43.
https://fr.foursquare.com/v/las-fern%C3%A1ndez-barcelonaspain/4b4d9934f964a5209bd426e3
http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187497-d810752-ReviewsLas_Fernandez-Barcelona_Catalonia.html