Barcelona: Where to Eat

Spanish cuisine has not been overwhelmingly well-received by outsiders. Aside from the notable contribution of the term tapas to the North American gastronomical lexicon; several exotic varieties of salty cured ham and that ubiquitous fish stew known as paella, Catalan food has made little impression on the food snobs of the world, who rave about French bread and French cheese and French chocolate (all of which are, of course, phenomenal) while completely ignoring the dishes that the French's neighbours to the South prepare with an equal amount of love and devotion.

In spite of its relative lack of status, Spanish food is wonderful, and there are many great places to experience it in Barcelona. You'll find a list of my favourites below.

When in Barcelona, you must eat at...

Cal Ramon           (M) Hospital Sant Pau

This family-owned restaurant near La Sagrada Familia Cathedral serves authentic Catalan cuisine in a friendly, low-key atmosphere. They have menus printed in at least seven languages but be aware, they aren't always good at guessing which one you'll need- after greeting our server in what I thought was French-accented Spanish, I was handed an Italian menu. Whatever language you order it in, the food is wonderful- it tastes more like you're eating with family than in restaurant, and rightly so, since the kitchen staff are mothers, grandmothers and aunts. Be sure to try the quintessentially Catalan Pa amb tomaquet, bread with tomato and olive oil. It doesn't sound like much, I know, but that's the beauty of Spanish food... it's so much more than the sum of its parts.

Alsur Cafe            (M) Urquinaona

A small Barcelona chain of three internet cafés (one in El Born, one across from the Palau de la Musica Catalana, one in Francesc Macia), Alsur serves coffee, pastries, beverages (both alcoholic and otherwise) along with a limited menu of inexpensive sandwiches and salads geared toward the students who make up the majority of the customer base. In spite of the low price point, taste has not been sacrificed. Sandwiches are served on tender, crusty bread and filled with fresh ingredients. All three cafes are in relatively central locations, so if you're looking for lunch on the go, don't hesitate to stop here.

Origen 99.9%            (M) Entença

If you want to take a little bit of Spanish cuisine home with you, visit Origen 99.9%. This is is a shop/restaurant, and in the shop portion of the establishment you'll find the best food and drink that Catalonia has to offer, from black grape salsa to serrat cheese, not to mention almost forty varieties of cooking oil. You can sample food made with the fabulous ingredients sold in the shop at the Origen 99.9% restaurant (99.9% local, they mean, the .1% being, one can suppose, a margin of error.) I could spend hours talking about the tender meatballs and fragrant cheeses I sampled when I ate there, but it still wouldn't be the same as if you ate there yourself. Do not miss this restaurant, under any circumstances. If you're not sure where to start, go for the cheese and meat samplers to get a feel for what appeals to you. And don't miss the chicken cannelloni.

Copa Café           (M) Sagrada Familia

This cute little café on Avinguda Gaudi has one major advantage... it's open on Sunday mornings, when everything in Barcelona is closed, which makes it an absolute God-send for early rising tourists from countries where sleeping is not of cultural importance. Stop in here for a quick coffee and breakfast on your way to La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, which is just down the street and, incidentally, open on Sunday mornings! The pastries are good, but for a more authentic Spanish breakfast experience, try ordering a toasted ham and cheese baguette to start your day.

More to come on Barcelona cuisine!