Barcelona · Spain
The Barcelona food cheat sheet
One page from Chef Amazing · November 2026
The dish to eat
A fried ball of mashed potato around spiced beef, topped with garlic aioli and hot red sauce.
Best at La Cova Fumada, Barceloneta. Get: The bomba, then the grilled sardines and artichokes
Five places, and what to order
- Varmuteobar · Sant AntoniGet: A vermut (many Catalan, Basque, Spanish and Italian ones) and the beef-stew sandwich
- Colmado Wilmotbar · Sarrià-Sant GervasiGet: Classic tapas and charcuterie
- Bar Ramónbar · Sant AntoniGet: Draft beer with the house tapas
- Bar Pinotxofor pa amb tomàquet · La BoqueriaGet: Pa amb tomàquet with market-fresh toppings
- Can Majófor fideuà · BarcelonetaGet: Seafood fideuà
The market
Covered market. Seafood, jamón, Catalan market bars
The line worth it
El XampanyetEl Born
Get: House cava, anchovies and pan con tomate
Expect: Packed bar with waits. Beat it: Go at 7pm opening.
In season this November
Wild mushrooms (bolets, rovellons) · Roast chestnuts and panellets · Game (partridge, hare, wild boar)
How it works here
Tip: Not expected. Leave the small change or round up, up to 5-10% for a great meal.
Book: Book sit-down dinners a few days out; pintxos and tapas bars are walk-in, so go bar to bar.
When locals eat: Lunch 2-4pm is the big meal; dinner starts at 9pm, 10 on weekends.