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There's a bounty of gourmet offerings at this popular destination, so after checking out the famous Sagrada Familia, we suggest eating your way through some of the city's celebrated eateries

Barcelona makes eating all day easy, and for many food lovers, a visit to the Catalan capital can be considered a pilgrimage. While the splendid architecture, rich history and golden beaches are enthralling, few cities can rival the its gastronomic delights, which range from humble tapas bars to Michelin champions and everything in between.  

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Above Photo: Courtesy of Cleo von Siebenthal

1. Granja Petitbo

This sunny corner cafe is the perfect place to head to if you wake up feeling peckish, and especially if the nearby Sagrada Familia and Arc de Triomfe are on your agenda for the day. High ceilings, cracked leather armchairs, and vintage reclaimed wood tables invite diners to feel right at home, and it’s just the type of place you can find yourself staying all day. The reasonably priced menu offers a well-rounded selection of all-day dishes, all of which are prepared with locally sourced organic ingredients, and the restaurant’s coffee, homemade cakes, eggs in all shapes and forms, pancakes and sandwiches will not disappoint.

Granja Petitbo | Passeig de Sant Joan, 82, 08009 Barcelona, Spain | +34 932 65 65 03

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Above Photo: Bar La Plata /Facebook

2. Bar La Plata

This corner bar just a block away from the old fishing port has been serving the same four dishes since 1945—salted anchovies on bread, butifarra (a Catalan sausage), tomato salad and their famous floured and fried crispy sardines. Now run by the founder’s grandson, the tiny space packs a ton of atmosphere per square meter with its stunning Spanish-tiled walls and lively crowds. Locals stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their elbows parked on the main bar, and during prime hours it’s not uncommon to see people spilling out onto the streets with glasses in hand. This is the ideal pre-tapas spot, with exceptional vermouth and red, white or rosé from the Penedès region served straight out of the barrel in chupito glasses.

Bar La Plata | Carrer de la Mercè, 28, 08002 Barcelona, Spain | +34 933 15 10 09

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Above Photo: Courtesy of Cleo von Siebenthal

3. Bar Cañete

Despite its regular appearance in Barcelona food guides, Bar Cañete has consistently maintained its reputation as a reliable restaurant among locals. If you play your cards right and show up at or after 9pm (Spanish time for dinner), you’ll be surrounded by diners conversing in Catalan. Ask to be seated at the bar for the best experience, especially if you wish to be entertained by what goes down in the kitchen. The menu consists of classic tapas executed with high attention to detail, and while prices tend to be higher than neighboring tapas bars, the quality and taste of the food justify all.

Bar Cañete | Carrer de la Unió, 17, 08001 Barcelona, Spain | +34 932 70 34 58

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Above Photo: Courtesy of Cleo von Siebenthal

4. Bar del Pla

If you ask any Barcelonian for a list of their favourite tapas restaurants, it’s more than likely that Bar del Pla will come up on top. And rightfully so. The service is warm, the ambience is laid-back, the food is top quality, and the prices are affordable. From the outside, the humble restaurant may not convince you that a standout meal awaits, but little convincing is needed once you’re seated with a glass of wine in hand. The menu covers unique twists on tapas you may already be familiar with, and must-order dishes include squid ink croquettes, octopus bombs and oxtail with foie gras.

Bar del Pla | Carrer de Montcada, 2, 08003 Barcelona, Spain | +34 932 68 30 03

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Above Photo: Courtesy of Tickets

5. Tickets

This is a restaurant you make a reservation at before you book your flight to Barcelona. It’s that good, and it’s that difficult to score a table. Tickets is the brainchild of Albert and Ferran Adrià, the masterminds behind world-renowned elBulli, and is considered by many to be one of the best restaurants in the world. The interior of the restaurant is anything but modest, with its theatrical lights and poppy colours, and the food works in tandem with the decor. The restaurant describes its tapas as, “fun and vanguard,” introducing molecular gastronomy to traditional Spanish tapas. Reservations open up two months in advance, but be prepared to load up the reservations site on every device in your vicinity to increase your chances of landing a golden ticket.

Tickets | Av. del Paraŀlel, 164, 08015 Barcelona, Spain | +34 932 92 42 52

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Above Photo: La Boqueria Mercat/Facebook

6. Mercado de la Boqueria

Fun fact: there are roughly forty markets in Barcelona, with one in almost every neighbourhood. The most famous of all is La Boqueria, situated right off the buzzing La Rambla boulevard. While it’s prime location may make it feel like somewhat of a tourist trap, the market continues to be the respected destination of choice for the city’s renowned chefs, who arrive early to get first dibs on produce. In addition to stalls selling fresh produce and dried goods, the market is teeming with some of the city’s best tapas bars. El Quim de la Boqueria is highly regarded for its signature dish of baby squid with eggs, and Bar Pinotxo’s chickpeas with blood sausage is a dish to write home about.

Mercado de la Boqueria | La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

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