Barcelona Food Tours

Barcelona looks out over the Mediterranean while its roots go deep into the mountains and inland countryside. Thanks to its privileged position and its contact with other cultures, Barcelona boasts a rich gastronomy that includes both sea and land-based recipes.

No visit to Barcelona is complete without tasting its dishes. In short, eating out is one of the 10 things to see and do in Gaudí's city. This article will introduce you to the most important gastronomic routes.

These urban routes usually run between the Born and the Gothic Quarter. Here you'll find traditional restaurants and bodegas known for their tapas and wines. Although the Catalan capital has a different tapas culture from the rest of Spain, some dishes are very typical:

• Pa amb tomàquet, a slice of bread spread with tomato, garlic and olive oil. Good, nice and cheap
• Bomba, a round croquette stuffed with minced meat and covered with potato and a little alioli. It is said to have been born in La Cova Fumada, a bar in Barceloneta.
• Cap i pota, a stew of veal head, leg and tripe with chickpeas. A highly recommended option if you visit the city in winter.
• Butifarra black and whitesausage
• Esqueixada, a cold salad with desalted cod, tomatoes, peppers and olives.

There are also options such as patatas bravas, padrón peppers, olives, salmorejo and much more. As usual, these experiences include the entrance with tasting in three or four restaurants. You can choose between two options: at midday or after 18:00.

• Duration: more or less 3 hours
• Cost: between 70 € and 80 €.

This private gastronomic tour of Barcelona combines the best of two worlds: gastronomic tastings and a visit to must-see monuments and attractions that sometimes go unnoticed.

One of the latter could be Casa Bruno Cuadros. It is a building in the heart of the Rambla that stands out for its oriental-style décor. You'll recognise it by the umbrellas and a beautiful dragon protruding from its walls.

After explanations from an experienced guide, the tour begins with a few sweet options. The first stop is usually Carrer Petritxol, the chocolate street. It is a tiny little street that runs parallel to the Rambla; despite its short length, it is home to some famous chocolate shops such as Xocoa and Granja Dulcinea.

After a sugary indulgence, the usual routes touch on the Mercat de la Boqueria, Carrer del Comte Borrell, the Mercat de Sant Antoni and Carrer de Blai. Meanwhile, you'll see emblematic buildings such as, for example, the Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi, Plaça de Sant Felip Neri or the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

Generally, these routes include 10 tastings and are done in small groups.

• Duration: around 3 hours
• Cost: between 80 € and 90 €.

These experiences are very similar to the ones in the previous point but there is a difference: you will be accompanied the whole time by an expert of the local gastronomy. The private tapas and wine tasting tour usually includes three bars with snacks at each stage. These urban tours usually take place in Sant Antoni and Poble Sec, two neighbourhoods at the foot of Montjuïc.

This part of the city is very fashionable and is home to a number of bars and restaurants. Some possible stops could be the following:

• Mercat de Sant Antoni, a metal structure designed by the architect Antoni Rovira i Trias that houses shops and taverns. On Sundays it hosts a flea market dedicated to collectors' items.
• Avinguda del Paral-lel and its surroundings
• Dona pescadora, a sculpture near Plaça Catalunya. The route ends at a nearby bar

These tours will give you the opportunity to taste local and seasonal specialities. For example, if you visit Barcelona during spring you will find yourself in the season of broad beans, which in Catalonia are cooked with bacon, onions, spices and olive oil.

• Duration: between 2 and 3 hours
• Cost: between 60 € and 80 €.

The best way to combine a bike ride through the old town with a tasting of local products. Before sitting at the table you'll burn a few calories pedalling through the Gothic Quarter, the Born and the Eixample. Afterwards you'll enjoy three or four typical tapas accompanied by a beer or a glass of wine.

• Duration: between 3 and 4 hours
• Cost: between 50 € and 70 €.

Want to learn the classics of the Spanish recipe book or improve your cooking skills? A paella cooking class will give you the chance to do just that, following the advice of an experienced chef. Before getting down to work, you'll need to buy the ingredients and the freshest ones can be found in the city's markets.

The class usually starts at the Mercat de la Boqueria, a must on any trip to Barcelona as it's located in the middle of Las Ramblas. Other experiences start at points in the city such as Mercat Santa Caterina (Avinguda de Francesc Cambó 16) or Mercat de Sant Antoni (Carrer del Comte d'Urgell 1).

Generally, these express courses focus on the most famous dishes of Spanish gastronomy: croquettes, tortilla and patatas bravas. These recipes are usually served as an appetizer before the main course: paella.

This is the longest and most complicated culinary creation but don't worry, thanks to the chef's advice everything becomes easier.

• Duration: between 4 and 5 hours
• Cost: around 100 €.

Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city and you can find any kind of restaurant. Moreover, Catalonia is home to excellent agricultural produce and the region's most famous product - the calçot, a white onion with a sweet flavour and tender texture - proves the theory.

By the way, the season starts in November and if you want to try them I recommend Mussol (it has five restaurants in the city) and Bodega Joan (Carrer del Rosselló 164).

As for the tours, they usually start from a central point in Barcelona, such as the Born or the Gothic Quarter.

The walk takes in traditional and modern establishments specialising in vegan recipes. Generally, the routes stop at four or five restaurants and one of these could be Vegan Junk Food, the first vegan fast food restaurant in Spain.

• Duration: between 3 and 4 hours
• Cost: around €80

Catalan gastronomy benefits from the fresh fish of the Mediterranean and the meats and agricultural products harvested inland.

The result is a complete gastronomy capable of pleasing all palates. If you have booked a couple of days in Barcelona, I recommend you try the following recipes:

• Botifarra amb mongetes, i.e. botifarra with white beans. It is one of the most popular dishes in the region.
• Suquet de Peix, a humble but very tasty recipe. It began as a seafood stew that made use of unsold fish. Today it is somewhat more refined and is a classic of local gastronomy.
• Escalivada, roasted vegetables (peppers, aubergine and tomato) accompanied by a toast.
• Fricandó, a veal stew with seasonal mushrooms
• Esqueixada, a summer dish based on cod, tomato, onion, black olives and extra virgin olive oil.
• Calçots, a variety of long spring onions cooked on the grill and served with the typical romesco sauce.

These tours usually take place at different times: from 10:00 to 18:00. Bear in mind that in Barcelona lunch is usually served between 14:00 and 15:00; therefore, it is preferable to anticipate a little in advance (or postpone) to avoid the busiest hours.

Another option available to get a taste of the Catalan gastronomic world is to make a reservation with a menu at the Hard Rock Cafe in Barcelona- you won't be disappointed!