Gresca is one of Barcelona’s most esteemed restaurants. Chef Rafa Pena’s passion for nose-to-tail cooking can be seen in dishes like roast chicken with fine herbs or calf’s brains with pan-fried sweetbreads. Have the Best information about todos los restaurantes en barcelona.
Mushrooms are in season all year in Catalonia, and you can find them prepared in many ways, from redcap ‘roll-on’ at Pinotxo (Boqueria Market), Bar Universal, and El Quim to being stuffed into Ensaimada rolls.
Gazpacho
An ice-cold gazpacho is the ideal remedy to beat Barcelona’s summer heat. A staple on many restaurant menus, this cold soup consists of various vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers combined with garlic and sherry vinegar. It is often thickened by adding bits of stale bread that have been ground into fine crumbs before being blended into the soup for added texture and thickening power.
Jamon Iberico de Bellota is an essential staple in Barcelona. Look for its finest-grade varieties, typically labeled “Jamon Iberico de Bellota,” at market vendors or restaurants serving Spanish cuisine.
Fideua, which resembles paella but replaces rice with noodles, is a popular dish in Catalonia. The best versions are at waterfront restaurants, where you can take in the warm Mediterranean breeze while dining. Fideua features ingredients such as tomato, garlic, bell peppers, fish stock, paprika, and various shellfish such as squid, shrimp, clams, or mussels. Can Vilaro offer one such authentic third-generation family restaurant near Sant Antoni market (Google Maps)?
Canelones Rossini
Catalonian dishes traditionally served on Christmas Eve include pasta tubes stuffed with meat and covered in bechamel sauce, while some restaurants also provide vegetarian versions that substitute mushrooms or spinach instead of meat as fillers.
Gioachino Rossini was an influential composer from Italy. This dish became one of the most beloved dishes in Barcelona thanks to renowned chef Jaume Fabregas, who popularized it here with his unique spin and made it one of the city’s signature dishes. Although its roots lie within Italian cuisine, over 100 years ago, it became part of Catalan cuisine on Sant Esteve Day (Boxing Day).
To prepare this dish, fill canelones with a mix of minced and cubed beef, cover the remainder with bechamel sauce, and spread shredded cheese along the oven’s perimeters to create a golden-brown hue. When finished, bake for 20 minutes or until they appear golden and bubbling. Serve alongside fresh seasonal salad and Spanish red wine (Vino Tinto).
Jamon
Barcelona abounds with incredible architecture, world-renowned art and culture, and an exceptional food scene—its foodie scene includes hole-in-the-wall style joints serving cava and light bites as well as Michelin-starred venues offering Catalan fine dining experiences.
Jamon (ham) is an integral part of Barcelona life, and one of its finest varieties can be found here – jamon iberico! This variety comes from black Iberian pigs fed bellota (Spanish acorns) for maximum richness and distinctive flavor in their meat.
Other classic dishes in Catalonia include the deliciously fragrant and colorful Catalan sausage known as Txangua (Catalan Sausage) made of pork lard with reddish hue due to paprika. It can also be found as an ingredient in various cured meats and cheeses as well as in sweet treats like Ensaimada from Mallorca, an irresistibly juicy pastry filled with apple, raisins, and lemon zest filling that’s served at bars and restaurants across Mallorca with slices of jamon on top as an irresistible indulgence snack or dessert! Or try Txuxo from Girona, which looks similar to croissant dough and is deep-fried before being covered in a sugar coating for maximum delicious indulgence!
Potato Bombas
Salt cod is combined with summertime-friendly vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, and black olives in this dish from the Catalonian region of Spain, Esqueixar, which means “to shred.” You’ll find this dish served cold tapas style in restaurants in Barcelona.
Other popular Catalan dishes include el rabo de toro (bull’s head ragu), botifarra d’ou (twice-cooked pork sausage), pa amb tomaquet (toasted bread with tomato slices, basil leaves, and drizzles of oil), and cargoes a la luna (raspberry snails). And no visit to Barcelona would be complete without sampling its iconic dessert crema catalana!
Barcelona is an exquisite foodie paradise—from cozy cafes in the La Gracia neighborhood to seafood restaurants by the water to Michelin-star eateries, so plan to spend plenty of time eating on your trip to Barcelona—it will certainly pay off! Additionally, why not join one of our Barcelona food tours to gain more insight into this culinary scene?
Calcots
Catalans mark winter’s arrival with calcotadas, culinary festivals dedicated to the delicious and tender king of vegetables: onions. As part of this festive event – an icon from Valls, Tarragona province, Spain; also a specialty from Catalonia – huge onions are roasted over fire until their outer layers turn black before being served on plates for diners to twist away at and reach the tender core. Some diners wear protective attire like bibs and napkins (these barbecues can become messy!), while others twirl their way around to match tender interiors.
Calcotadas typically feature a second course consisting of traditional Catalan meats such as lamb and traditional sausages such as morcilla and longaniza, along with local beans seasoned with mint or parsley and drizzled with oil. These are served alongside wines poured from a “porro,” which is designed specifically for Catalonia.
To truly elevate your calcotada experience, book a night at Masia Can Borrell near Sant Cugat – an idyllic farmhouse and inn offering top-of-the-line calcotadas served in an idyllic forest environment. And save room for dessert!
