11 Best Restaurants in Barcelona, Spain

Just above Diagonal, this elegant retro space serves first-rate products ranging from wild sea bass to the best Ibérico hams. Crowded, noisy, chaotic, delicious—it's everything a great tapas bar or restaurant should be. The wine selections and range of dishes proposed on the chalkboard behind the bar are creative and traditional and the service is superb. The name is a play on the word vermut (vermouth), which, not so long ago, was about as close to tapas as Barcelona was apt to get. The menu changes with the seasons, but staples include the solomillo with seasonal mushrooms (or foie gras when mushrooms aren't in season) and the utterly decadent lobster with egg and brandy. Don't let the friendly and casual feel of the place lull you into thinking that la cuenta (the check) will be anything but sobering. Entrepanes Diaz, directly opposite, is a spin-off that serves more humble (and more sensibly priced) snacks and sandwiches in a similarly elegant style.

Elevated sharing plates made from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients are the bottom line at this trendy Eixample eatery. The menu features unlikely combos: artichoke salad with parmesan cream and bottarga, or glazed mackerel with pumpkin—blends that shouldn't work, but yet they really do—along with nods to the most classic of Catalan "grandma" dishes, like the decadently meaty macaroni covered in cheese. The intimate dining room is chic but unfussy, works by local artists adorn the walls, and the small outdoor terrace has four tables for four for diners who prefer to eat al fresco. 

This restaurant in an enormous riverboat-like building at the end of the yacht marina in Barceloneta is geared for high-volume business, but the paellas and grilled fish dishes are reliably excellent. The hundreds of fellow diners make the place feel like a cheerful celebration.  

This three-floor design triumph by Spain's hottest interior decorator, Lázaro Rosa Violán, makes up for in sheer panache what it lacks in consistency. Don't plan on a quick visit: the fresh seafood and rice dishes on offer here can take a while to reach your table. Abandoning the post-Modernisme minimalism that has dominated Barcelona for the last decades, Boca Grande is a baroque celebration of colonial and safari-chic, from the second floor bar, Boca Chica, with its enormous elephant tusks behind the counter, to the spectacular unisex restrooms downstairs. You'll want to linger for a postprandial cocktail on the roof terrace.

With no sea views or terrace to attract diners, Can Solé has to rely on its reputation as one of Barceloneta’s best options for seafood. Faded photos of half-forgotten local celebrities line the walls of this 120-year-old establishment, but there's nothing out-of-date about the exquisitely fresh seafood. 

By concentrating on sophisticated execution rather than groundbreaking creativity, the family-run Etapes provides a reliably satisfying dining experience that suits a wide range of palates. Take a seat on the pleasant terrace or in the narrow, cave-like interior and enjoy elegant interpretations of classic Catalan dishes. These include an Asian-inspired take on a local favorite: roast suckling pig with hoisin sauce & daikon, mango and Mexican-style salad, and a range of rustic desserts cooked at home by the co-owners' grandmother. The set lunch is a true bargain.

The cosmopolitan crowd here doesn't just come for hip vibe and stylish decor; Fismuler Barcelona re-creates its Madrid-based mothership's precise, market-based cooking and adds interesting local touches. Star dishes include a translucent, semi-cured carpaccio of gilthead bream with grapes and almonds, and an unctuous, complex cheesecake that tastes more like cheese than cake and is an utterly sinful, gooey delight.

The interior design of Oriol Ivern's small restaurant is minimalist, but his cooking is intricate—and wonderful. This is budget-conscious fine dining that avoids exotic ingredients but lifts local dishes to exciting new heights; the menu changes four times a year to take advantage of what's best in season. Local gastronomes come here for dishes like John Dory with truffle and salsify, and oxtail stew with burrata, delicately presented but always—and most importantly—delicious. The nine-course tasting menu is a steal at €85 (€110 with wine pairing).

A polished dining spot with a garden terrace, Roig Robí ("ruby red" in Catalan, as in the color of certain wines) maintains a high level of culinary excellence, serving traditional Catalan market cuisine with original touches directed by chef Mercé Navarro. Top-value prix fixe menus of seasonal specialties are available at both lunch and dinner. 

Sense pressa means "without hurry" or "no rush" in Catalan, and if you can score one of the coveted half dozen tables here at the corner of Carrer Còrsega, you will want to linger as long as possible to enjoy this miniscule winner. Risotto de ceps (wild mushroom risotto), garbanzos con espardenyes y huevos fritos (chickpeas with sea cucumbers and fried eggs), or filet mignon of Girona beef cooked to perfection are all good choices. A wall of racked wine bottles dominates the rustic decor, perfectly appropriate for this intimate spot.