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The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

Spanish VAT (IVA) is 7% and is included in all menu prices. If not, it will be stated that prices are exclusive of IVA. Tipping is not a widespread practice in Barcelona but, of course, should diners wish to leave a gratuity, it is always appreciated. In the upscale restaurants, it is customary to leave around €3. Occasionally, a cover charge of approximately €1 is added to the bill but the menu should mention this.

The restaurants below have been grouped into four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over €60)
$$$ (€40 to €60)
$$ (€20 to €40)
$ (up to €20)
These prices are for a three-course meal for one and a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent; they include IVA but they do not include tip.

Gourmet

Agut d’Avignon
Tucked away in a tiny street in the atmospheric Barri Gòtic, Agut d’Avignon is the creation of ex-lawyer and pharmacist Ramón Cabau. Known for his impeccable taste, the restaurant is a haven for writers, artists and politicians; it has attracted diners such as Joan Miró and Yves Montand. Rustic yet elegant, it employs top-quality produce and offers a first-rate wine list. The menu is seasonal, offering regional specialties and dishes such as partridge pâté and roast wild boar with raspberry sauce.

Carrer de la Trinitat 3/Avinyo 8
Tel: (93) 302 6034.
Website: www.agutdavignon.com  
Price: $$$
Alkimia
Alkimia is considered one of Barcelona’s best modern restaurants, largely due to the wildly creative cuisine of audacious young chef Jordi Vilà, whose avant-garde twist on traditional Catalan cooking has gained him a Michelin star. Signature dishes include guinea-fowl terrine with pistachio and green apple guacamole, steak tartare served with olive-oil ice cream, and a unique romesco sauce containing strawberries. The stark, pure white minimalist dining room serves as a perfect backdrop both for Vilà’s imaginative cuisine and the ultra-cool clientele. Booking is essential.

Carrer Indústria 79
Tel: (93) 207 6115.
Price: $$$$
Ca l’Isidre
Run by the Gironés i Salvó family for nearly 35 years, Ca l’Isidre is an intimate restaurant boasting King Juan Carlos among its regular clientele. Isidre Gironés presides over the excellent wine list and exquisite food, personally selecting the best ingredients at the nearby La Boqueria market to conjure up timeless dishes, including duck liver pâté with figs, stuffed artichokes or saddle of lamb. The cosy dining room is a charming ‘home from home’, thanks to his wife, Montse. Daughter Núria, who now runs the kitchen, is an excellent patisera. Her desserts provide a perfect finale to the seasonal Catalan dishes. Booking is essential.

Carrer Les Flors 12
Tel: (93) 441 1139.
Website: www.calisidre.com
Price: $$$$
Gaig
Gaig started out as a small family tavern specializing in home cooking in the northern barrio of Horta in the 1800s. More than a century later, it is one of the city’s top restaurants and the recipient of many awards. Master chef Carles Gaig is at the helm, creating brilliant and innovative versions of old recipes, such as pheasant with plums, canelones with truffle sauce and mango ravioli, to name but a few. The wine list is equally impressive. Carles’ wife, Fina, presides over the light, modern dining room.

Passeig Maragall 402
Tel: (93) 429 1017.
Price: $$$$
Jean-Luc Figueras
Housed in the former atelier of fashion designer Balanciaga, the elegant, classically Catalan surroundings (all polished wood, lamps and tiled floors) are almost as outstanding as the food. Frenchman Jean-Luc Figueras creates modern, original dishes, such as fried prawn and ginger pasta in mustard and mango sauce, without submitting to the demands of food fads or egotism. The menu tends to lean towards seafood but meat dishes are also included. Master patisero Jordi Butrón’s sublime puddings are outstanding.

Carrer Santa Teresa 10
Tel: (93) 415 2877.
Price: $$$$

Trendy

Arc Cafe
A fairly recent arrival on the Barcelona scene, Arc Cafe is a ‘gastrobar’ run by German duo Thomas and Willi. Hearty Mediterranean, Caribbean and Asian-influenced dishes, such as chicken curry salad and sublime spicy veggie burgers, are prepared in the spotless open-plan kitchen, amid warm, softly lit surroundings and a backdrop of mellow sounds. Tending towards the vegetarian, there’s nevertheless a good selection of meat dishes too. Its location in a narrow, picturesque street near Plaça Reial makes it an ideal pre-club dinner venue.

Carrer Carabassa 19
Tel: (93) 302 5204.
Website: www.arccafe.com
Price: $$
El Racó d’en Baltà
A favorite among hip young Catalans, this design-led restaurant cleverly avoids the ‘design over substance’ cliché. This is because it combines a modern approach to traditional dishes (such as meatballs with cuttlefish, fish mousse or turrón ice cream) with low prices, a decent wine list and a fascinating array of bizarre creations by British artist Steve Foster. The upstairs dining room is a relaxing cocoon of gentle greens punctuated with eccentric odds and ends.

Carrer Aribau 125
Tel: (93) 453 1044.
Website: www.racodenbalta.com
Price: $$
Mama Cafe
Microwaves and processed or tinned foods are strictly prohibited in this stylish, fun vegetarian cafe-restaurant located in the Raval district, just off La Rambla. Using only the freshest ingredients, a range of innovative dishes, such as melon gazpacho, are prepared daily. The use of bold, rainbow colors, recycled materials and laid-back sounds creates a happy and informal atmosphere.

Carrer Doctor Dou 10
Tel: (93) 301 2940.
Price: $
Sikkim
Inspired by their travels to India, the owners have transformed this former grocery into a high temple of exotica, complete with an abundance of candles, Buddhas, wafting incense and rich, mood-enhancing colors. The food is nevertheless Mediterranean, albeit complimented by ingredients from further afield, such as mangoes and yukka. Sikkim caters handsomely for vegetarians and carnivores alike, with a decent range of dishes including roast shark, vegetable risottos and homely cheesecakes.

Plaça Comercial 1
Tel: (93) 268 4313.
Website: www.sikkimbcn.com
Price: $$
Vildsvin
Urban Barcelona meets old Czechoslovakia in this chic, fusion-inspired cerveceria situated near the Generalitat, where modern furnishings and original 19th-century features are stylishly juxtaposed to pleasing effect. The menu is an intriguing mix of Eastern European dishes, such as Hungarian goulash, and traditional Spanish platos and tapas. A wide range of beers and wines are also available.

Carrer Ferran 38
Tel: (93) 317 9407.
Price: $$

Budget

Cantina Machito
Even though the décor verges towards the unsophisticated, with its riotous colors and abundance of Mexican kitsch, the food here is authentic and surprisingly good. Many of the ingredients are imported from Mexico and lovingly prepared by the Mexican-born chef. Standards, such as margaritas, tacos and guacamole, make an appearance, as do unusual puddings, such as lime and tequila mousse.

Carrer Torrijos 47
Tel: (93) 217 3414.
Price: $
Fil Manila
A simple, homely restaurant overlooking a quiet square near Plaça de Catalunya, Fil Manila (Barcelona’s only Filipino restaurant) offers excellent value for money. The choice of dishes is vast, with main courses starting at around €4. In addition to meat and fish, there are some appetizing coconut milk curries to be had and uncomplicated but mouthwatering puddings, such as fried banana.

Carrer Ramelleres 3
Tel: (93) 318 6487.
Price: $
Habibi
Of the growing number of Lebanese restaurants in Barcelona, Habibi is one of the best. A world away from the falafel and kebab brigade, the diverse menu caters for carnivores and vegetarians alike, including excellent houmous and other savoury dips, spicy rice dishes and sweet, succulent Arab puddings to finish. Considering that only organic produce is used, the value for money is almost astonishing.

Carrer Gran de Gràcia 7
Tel: (93) 217 9545.
Price: $
La Fonda
Part of a highly successful, upmarket chain, La Fonda offers Catalan classics (such as butifarra sausage with haricot beans or the national dessert, crema catalana) in well-designed, attractive surroundings. An abundance of plants, wood and a gallery create a light and spacious atmosphere. The restaurant is very popular, especially at lunchtime, so booking is essential. Les Quince Nits (tel: (93) 317 3075), part of the same chain, is just around the corner at Plaça Reial 6.

Carrer Escudellers 10
Tel: (93) 301 7515.
Price: $$
La Habana Vieja
Retro décor and a plethora of exotic cocktails evoke the exuberant spirit of old Havana in this atmospheric Cuban restaurant, situated in a narrow passeig near the Picasso Museum. A feast of dishes (such as shredded beef, coconut and cheese pudding, and fried banana) make for a lively and inexpensive dinner.

Carrer Banys Vells 2
Tel: (93) 268 2504.
Price: $$

Personal Recommendations

Arola
Since its opening, the eponymous restaurant of the dazzling Michelin-starred Catalan chef Sergi Arola at the ultra-chic Hotel Arts has been the talk of the town. Its informal menu is based on the regional tradition of pica-pica (sharing a variety of different dishes with friends), and includes such tempting flavor combinations as smoked sardines with romesco sauce, tuna carpaccio with jamón oil, and his signature patatas bravas with a piquant chilli sauce. The ambiance is contemporary and laidback, with a garden terrace during summer months, and a DJ to entertain the beautiful people every evening.

Hotel Arts Barcelona, Carrer Marina 19-21
Tel: (93) 483 8090.
Website: www.arola-arts.com  
Price: $$$
El Convent
El Convent is a sumptuously decorated fin-de-siècle-style restaurant, occupying four storys of an 18th-century house in a minute street behind La Boqueria market. Individually decorated private rooms are available in addition to the attractive public dining areas. An extensive menu combines cocina Catalana and international cuisine, with dishes such as chicken with orange or cod with garlic mousse. Inexpensive group menus start at under €12 per head and include homemade puddings, such as the ubiquitous crème caramel-like ‘flan’.

Carrer Jerusalem 3
Tel: (93) 317 1052.
Website: www.rbmesa.com/convent.htm  
Price: $$
El Pla de la Garsa
Tucked away amid a tangle of medieval streets near the Picasso Museum, this former dairy and stables has been converted into a cosy, bohemian retreat, retaining many of its original 16th-century features. Antique tiles, an old spiral staircase and low lamps create an agreeable ambience in which to enjoy the wide selection of dishes, high-quality cheeses, pâtés and delicious puddings, such as caramelized figs.

Carrer Assaonadors 13
Tel: (93) 315 2413.
Price: $$
Euskal Etxea
Otherwise known as the Basque Cultural Center, some of the best tapas in town are to be had in Euskal Etxea. Situated in an idyllic tiny square near the Picasso Museum and the wondrous church of Santa Maria del Mar, the restaurant is an atmospheric bar offering a huge variety of tapas, ranging from the most simple to the most intricate creations. Tapas appear around noon and again around 1900, so the best choice is to be had early.

Placeta Montcada 1-3
Tel: (93) 310 2185.
Website: www.euskaletxeak.org
Price: $
Set Portes
The building housing Set Portes is a national monument and has the distinction of forming the backdrop to the first photograph ever taken in Spain, in 1840. Past diners have included kings, politicians and an array of famous names from Alexander Fleming to Ava Gardner. The large dining room is traditionally Catalan, as are the individually decorated private rooms seating two to 80 diners. Its old-world charm and legendary paella, zarzuela (fish stew) and fidueà (seafood and spaghettini) maintain its status as one of Barcelona’s favorite restaurants.

Passeig Isabel II 14
Tel: (93) 319 3033.
Website: www.setportes.com  
Price: $$$



Nightlife:

Barcelona is widely considered one of Europe’s great party cities and deservedly so. Things may start slowly with some food and a few drinks after siesta finishes (at approximately 1700) but they soon gather pace and by 2300 the city is buzzing. Friday and Saturday nights are when the city is at its liveliest, although the drinking and dancing keeps going throughout the week. Bars are usually open until 0200 or 0300, while clubs and discos keep going until 0500 or 0600. The legal drinking age in Barcelona is 16 years.

Port Olímpic is particularly buzzing on summer nights, as is Port Vell, where the Maremagnum shopping complex bizarrely metamorphoses into a nefarious collage of cafes, bars and nightclubs, open late into the night. In the last few years, bars modernos with music and designer décor have been popular with a young ultra-hip clientele across the city. The trend is to dress quite smartly when going out in Barcelona.

Available in hostels, the free seasonal guide See Barcelona (website: www.seebarcelona.com), and the Guía del Ocio booklet (website: www.guiadelocio.com), available from newsagents and newspaper stands, both provide information on nightlife in Barcelona.

Bars: Xampanyerías (champagne bars) serving sparkling Catalan wine (cava) are a specialty of the city. Good places for cava include Xampanyería de la Bodegueta del Xampú, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 702, and El Xampanyet, Carrer Montcada 22. The latter also serves cider and tapas, in vibrant surroundings. Bar Pastís, Carrer Santa Mònica 4, has the honor of counting Picasso among its former regulars. The artist’s other hangout was El Quatre Gats, Carrer Montsió 3, a modernista bar with good beer and live music from 2100. The original menu, designed by Picasso, is on show in the Museu Picasso (see Key Attractions).

L’Ovella Negra, Carrer Sitges 5, is a favorite as much with the international backpacker set as it is with local students. Bar Marsella, Carrer de Sant Pau 65, is the place to imbibe an absenta, a close relative of absinthe. For the style-conscious, some of the city’s coolest haunts include the chic Danzatoria, Avinguda Tibidabo 61, the perennially stylish Dry Martini, Carrer Aribau 162-166 and Ideal Cocktail Bar, Carrer Aribau 89. Mirablau, Plaça Doctor Andreu 2, at the foot of the Tibidabo funicular, is especially romantic, with its sweeping views of the city. Popular Berimbau, Passeig del Born 17, serves up good cocktails to a background of Brazilian rhythms, while Oven, Calle Ramon Turró 126, is a hip venue for cocktails, in a modishly-converted factory in the up-and-coming Poblenou district.

Clubs: Barcelona’s most beautiful people can be found in Barcelona’s most beautiful people can be found in Up And Down, Carrer Numància 179, the city’s most exclusive nightclub, while a younger, more down-to-earth crowd boogie to the latest sounds at Bikini, Carrer Deu i Mata 105 (website: www.bikinibcn.com). The split-level Moog Club, Arc del Teatre 3 (website: www.masimas.com), in the Chinese Quarter, offers the best of European techno and hosts big international DJs. Salsitas, Calle Nou de la Rambla 22, with a well-designed bar, restaurant and a dancefloor, is one of the city’s trendiest hotspots, while Alfa, Carrer Major de Gràcia 36, is celebrated for its rock and indie music.  Popular open-air haunts include La Terrazza, Avinguda Montanyans - open in the summer months only (website: www.nightsungroup.com). Punto BCN, Carrer Muntaner 63 (website: www.grupoarena.com), is a popular gay club.

For flamenco dancing, try Tablao Flamenco Cordobes, La Rambla 35 (website: www.tablaocordobes.com), Los Tarantos, Plaça Reial 17 (website: www.masimas.com), or Tablao del Carmen, Arcs 9, Poble Espanyol (website: www.tablaodecarmen.com). La Paloma, Carrer Tigre 27 (website: www.lapaloma-bcn.com), is a beautiful dancehall dating from the early 20th century. The band plays to an enthusiastic crowd, with a menu of pasa doble, tango, salsa, flamenco and more.

Live Music: Large-scale rock and pop concerts by international stars can be heard at the Palau Sant Jordi, Passeig Olímpic 5-7, the Estadi Olímpic, Montjuïc, and Camp Nou, Avenguda de Joan XXII. Harlem Jazz Club, Carrer Comtesa de Sobradiel 8, hosts jazz and other live music, daily until 0400. Jamboree, Plaça Reial 17, is a long-standing and popular jazz, blues and funk venue. Traditional folk music from Catalonia, Spain and the rest of Europe is on offer at the Center Artesà Tradicionarius, Travessera de Sant Antoni 6-8, which hosts concerts on a variety of evenings.

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