Eat the city: Barcelona

Since chef Ferran Adrià revolutionised modern cuisine with his restaurant El Bulli in the 2000s, the world has been looking to the region of Catalonia, and its capital Barcelona, for culinary inspiration. Today, young Barcelonian chefs have reinvented Catalan cuisine with a focus on the region’s heritage, local producers and the importance of neighbourhood markets, all the while honing their techniques and sense of style.

1. Disfrutar

Meaning “to enjoy” in English, Disfrutar in the district of Eixample occupies the number one spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 list and currently holds three Michelin stars. Founded by El Bulli alumni Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas, the restaurant serves a €290 (HK$2,400) tasting menu of avant-garde creations that exemplify the chefs’ modernist style of cooking. The dishes have a marked Mediterranean influence but are given the trompe l’oeil treatment to surprise and challenge the senses.

2. Estimar

The sea and the extraordinary pantry of the Costa Brava region are the stars of this restaurant , which has an impressive celebrity clientele. Chef Rafa Zafra, who grew up in a family of fishermen, continues to buy produce in the market of Roses, in the neighbouring province of Girona, like his ancestors did. The seafood-centric menu is “subject to seasonality, the skill of the fishermen and the consent of the “Virgen del Carmen” (the patron saint of fishermen) and can feature everything from Norwegian lobster and sea cucumber to red prawn and sea bass – all superbly prepared to highlight their fresh, natural flavours.

3. Mercat de Santa Caterina

Barcelona has 43 markets in its 73 neighbourhoods, which gives you an idea of just how important fresh ingredients are to its inhabitants. But besides the world-famous La Boquería, there are many more options. One of them is Mercat de Santa Caterina near La Rambla pedestrian street, which is unmistakable with its Antoni Gaudí-inspired, multi-coloured roof. The market comprises food stalls, Roman ruins displayed in a museum space and restaurants such as Bar Joan, which claims to serve the cheapest patatas bravas (€2.90/HK$25) in the city.

4. Molino de Pez

Chefs Nino Redruello and Jaime Santianes – another pair who worked together at El Bulli – serve honest, simple food based on the best products at Molino de Pez . On its menu, traditional Spanish recipes co-exist with regional specialities from the Basque Country and Madrid, where its century-old sister restaurant, La Ancha, is located. In just two years since its opening, Molino de Pez has attracted a loyal following thanks to signatures like lentils stewed with Iberico pork knuckle and Madrid-style tripe.

5. Can Travi Nou

It’s been 42 years since Josep Soler and Maria Teresa Ribatallada opened this restaurant in a spectacular 17th-century masía (traditional farmhouse). In a cosy setting, diners can enjoy a range of seasonal dishes, from mushroom stir-fries and artichoke chips to grilled meats and fish. Don’t miss the Catalan speciality of grilled calçots, or tender spring onions that are cooked over charcoal and served with a rich, smoky romesco sauce.

6. Entrepanes Díaz

Almost all recipes in Spanish cuisine can be served as sandwiches, and that’s exactly the concept of this fun restaurant, whose name translates to “between bread”. But Entrepanes Díaz isn’t just any typical fast-food sandwich joint inspired by Spanish snacks. Here, you’ll find elaborate and meticulously prepared fillings such as pickled mackerel and oxtail, not to mention the signature squid sandwich with squid ink and mayonnaise.

7. Mantequerías Pirenaicas

The best potato tortillas, one of the simplest but most delicious dishes in Spanish cuisine, are served at Mantequerías Pirenaicas . In addition to the classic version with just egg, potato and onion, you’ll find more creative renditions with truffles, chorizo or Arzúa-Ulloa cheese from Galicia. The restaurant also serves delicious Mediterranean tapas such as grilled octopus, Russian salad and grilled artichoke flower with egg yolk and truffle, as well as extraordinary paellas and rice dishes.

8. Colmado Múrria

Opened in 1898 as a coffee roastery and wafer factory, Colmado Múrria evolved over the past century into a complete neighbourhood shop, selling everything from cleaning products and fresh food to luxury ingredients like caviar. The Múrria family closed the shop in 2022 and transformed it into a dining-retail hybrid concept which reopened a year later. Curated by the multi-award-winning chef Jordi Vilà, the venue now features an haute cuisine restaurant with only four tables, a speakeasy and one of the best charcuteries in the city that sells exquisitely preserved products, sausages and hundreds of types of cheese.