10 Must-Try Barcelona Local Food & Drinks

Barcelona is one of the most lively gastronomic places to visit in Spain to taste great food and for the last few decades, big name chefs have emerged across the Catalan gastronomic scene, filling up their streets with a multitude of Michelin Star restaurants. Mediterranean cuisine has been raised to the max with names like Ferran Adrià or Joan Roca

One of the great things about Barcelona is that its streets and neighbourhoods are filled up with multiple restaurants that will come in handy when looking where to eat in Barcelona, and will make your trip experience more joyful, once you are done of visiting some of the most interesting places in Barcelona, you should try to enjoy yourself and get into their multiple terraces where to enjoy the nice weather while having some cañas and vinos with tapas.

Here we will cover some of the most common dishes you should try when visiting the Catalan biggest city.

Pa amb tomàquet. Bread with tomato, olive oil, and garlic spread. This is a local delicacy, especially when the bread is from “coca”, traditional sourdough that will be easy to identify since it´s a plain type of bread, with almost no bread crumbs.   

La Esqueixada de Bacalao. Raw Codfish breadcrumbs with tomato, onion, and black olives, but some places will make it a bit different from their own. Delicious bite, that serves as a starter before lunch is served, pair it up with a good beer (Estrella Damn) or Local Wine. 

Arroz Negro. Black rice, with seafood, that uses the squid ink to get that black color. Best always if served with Alioli, which will get your experience to the next level.

Escalivada. One of the most common dishes that you can easily find on any restaurant as a tapa or appetizer. Vegetables like eggplant, peppers, onions, tomatoes roasted, and topped up with anchovies. Very Tasty! 

Calçots con salsa romesco. This is a dish for the spring. These are a type of local onions, that are roasted on the grill, and then peeled just on the exterior part to get you the core of the onion, that you dip into Romesco sauce, this is a very tasty sauce made of tomatoes, peppers, garlic, almonds, bread, and olive oil. The complexity of this dish is that you will require some skills to eat it with your bare hands, but definitely something to try with friends accompanied by a good wine. 

Butifarra con mongetes. Butifarra is a local sausage and mongetes are white beans you can get from local producers. Be ready to eat these with a good piece of bread, and then you can enjoy a traditional siesta, this power 20-min nap will help you getting these digested.

Do not forget about the wonderful desserts, a highly recommended one is Crema Catalana. A soft creme brulee with the first layer of caramel that you have to break with your spoon. A mouth-watering dish that will bring you joy to your life.

With regards to drinks, you have a fabulous selection of local beverages, from where we can highlight notably Cava, Vermouth and Horxata. While the first 2 you would love to pair up with your tapas, the last one will make your evenings refreshing as this is perfect to battle the heat of the city.

So, now you know what to eat and drink in Barcelona, to make the most out of it. Enjoy the experience and get yourself into the local experience.

Looking for an immersive local experience? Try our dine with the local experience where you get to visit a local home and learn about signature Spanish dishes.