A month later, Bo and I are still dreaming of our time in Barcelona. We fell head over heels for the city, due in part to the incredible food and bar scene. It’s been a long time since we’ve experienced four nights of meals where every, single dish leaves us wishing there were more. Once you decide to go to Barcelona, spend the next evening mapping out your restaurant and bar plan. Many of the spots are closed at least one night a week, and others fill up more than a month in advance. Similar to New York City, the array of restaurants and bars can be overwhelming but if you leverage Yelp and posts such as this, everything will work out just fine!

Restaurants

espai Kru – If you’re a seafood person, the Espai Kru tasting menu is an absolute must. As you know, we grew up right on the coast of Georgia, so we are harsh critics of seafood. This was one of the best meals we’ve had in ages. 

Barraca – This was written up in the most recent 36 hours in Barcelona as a great place to get paella.  While neither of us were crazy about paella, in general, the vibe was nice, and the views of the beach and ocean are great. In addition, we enjoyed a few delicious appetizers, and the quality of their paella seemed better than any that we saw at other restaurants. Our seafood paella was packed with seafood!

Dos Palillos -  This is another can’t miss spot even if you just sit at the bar and enjoy a couple of tapas and a glass of cava.  The chef / proprietor here is an El Bulli alum and received a Michelin star soon after opening this small Japanese influenced small plates restaurant. Little bites like flash-fried avocado were amazingly creative and knocked us out of our seats.  Evidently its hard to get a reservation in the back for the tasting menu, but the bar upfront and terrace area are first-come, first-served. We  so it was great for a relaxing snack at like 7PM before a late dinner.

Tapeo – In between the morning and afternoon portion of our walking tour, we had one hour to grab lunch. Luckily we found this little tapas gem on Yelp. Eight tapas later and a pitcher of white wine sangria,  we left highly impressed.  It’s a perfect spot for a casual dinner or lunch if you are walking around the El Born neighborhood.

 Pepito – We needed to find a place that was open for dinner on Easter and our concierge made us reservations here.  The entire dinner and experience exceeded our expectations. Think perfectly executed Spanish food in an intimate setting. In fact, it reminded us a lot of Gramercy Tavern in New York City.  In another city, this might be a standout but in Barcelona, the food scene is so good that this one kind of fades into the background.  Again, the execution was perfect, service was great, but it doesn’t have the pizzazz that other restaurants in the city have.

Tickets – Mark on your calendar one month out and log-on to the Tickets website to try to get reservations or call your concierge.  This is supposed to be something special.  They were closed for Easter when we were in Barcelona but in her 48 Hours in Barcelona recap, my friend Casey said that dinner at Tickets is “the top restaurant experience of my life.”  

Drinks

La Vinoteca Torres – Our hotel concierge suggested this wine bar as they not only serve wine but they also sell it at a discount! Bodegas Torres is a family winery that has now expanded and has properties in Spain, the US and Chile.  We spent two hours creating our own wine flight and tasting experience. The staff helped teach us about the wine and then guide us towards a dozen or so bottles which we brought back to Geneva! One of the added benefits is that they sell their wine at a discount versus menu prices.

Ultramarinos Hendrick’s Bar – Barcelona started the whole infused gin and tonic craze and Ultramarinos is one of the best.  They probably have 20 different flavor combinations and the staff is very nice.  My favorite drink of the evening was their lime, mint and pineapple gin and tonic. All the fruit an herb ingredients are freshly muddled in front of you at the bar! How’s that for fresh?