Barcelona Food Recommendations

This is a website preferred by low-budget travellers. This demographic prefers fast food and cheap cafes.

Look at Yelp, the app, or Condé Nast Traveller, the website of the magazine, for dining recommendations.

• http://www.cntraveller.com

This is a website preferred by low-budget travellers.>

It used to be like that, but I'm not sure this is still the case. I think it's more like because of the low number of active forum members.

When looking for advice on food at such an overhyped place as Barcelona I'd avoid the mainstream sources like tripadvisor, yelp and mainsteram travel mags. At best these will guide you to the hippest joints full of people at worst to the tourist traps.

I'd take my time to investigate truly independent local or at least expat foodie sources.

This is what I was thinking as well, which is why I was seeking travelers input. If I happen to find any good places during my travel, I'll make sure report back just in case someone may have the same questions.

Low and middle budget travellers I would think emmeff !

The best way is to get out of the city center - definitely eat away as far from the ramblas as possible. There are nice bars and restaurants in other, relatively still local, neighbourhoods such as el Poble Sec (carrer de blai and surroundings). But many people live in the (large) Eixample, where there are plenty of restaurants, many of them mid-class and several upscale ones.

Fideua is the Catalan answer to the Valencian Paella. You ll need to head to the seafront for that. Even if it is super touristy, there are few tourist traps for this plate. Try it. As the ubiquitous pan con tomata - the real one you have to make yourself. Very simple, very tasty. You are way to early in the year for that other catalan specialty, calçots, a pity.

Because of massive tourism, sites such as tripadvisor are unfortunately very unreliable.

This well-regarded blog has been around awhile and the author appears very acute. It's low-tech so not searchable, unfortunately:
http://www.maribelsguides.com/mg_barcelonadining.pdf

agree that "This is a website preferred by low-budget travellers.>" is not the case - also agree Thorntree seems to have shrunk over the years as far as the number of active members (whatever country forum you look at), a shame really.

my recommendation would be to go to the Gracia area - especially along Verdi street (Carrer de Verdi). Also for a different experience there is the Fabra Observatory for dinner under the stars http://www.fabra.cat/visites/index.html

The following thread has some info too https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/europe-western-europe/spain/barcelona-fancy-restaurants utm_campaign=subscriptioninstant&utm_medium=email&utm_source=forum

This link may help too
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/barcelona/restaurants/a/poi-eat/360761

Personally, I always like to do a lot of research before visiting a place, and that also includes research for restaurants / food markets / places to eat. I read guide books, I look up interesting looking places that I see on Tripadvisor (I dont use Tripadvisor for recommendations, but rather to get ideas of places I like the look at), I ask friends who have been there and I do research online. I usually get a long list of "potential eating places". And 99% of the time, I end up eating in another places anyway..... Because I walk up on a good looking place, because I am very hungry and cant be bothered to travel all across town to visit a particular restaurant etc. And thats usually turns out totally fine. What I am trying to say: I enjoy doing research (I get even more excited about visiting a place the more research I do), but I also enjoy to walk around, look at different places and select the one that appeals most to me. And Barcelona is full of amazing options for food.

For me food in Barcelona is mostly about Sea Food and Tapas, and for both you can find plenty of amazing options. Besides the traditional Tapas, I also enjoy trying "new / fushion style" Tapas. So restaurants that serve small plates (so that you can order several small dishes to share), but not offer the traditional Tapas, but rather Asian or Italian or Fushion etc. style small plates.

One must visit place in my opinion is the Mercad de la Boqueria, to sample some food from the different stalls and from the small bars / restaurants and kiosques there. A favorite place is kiosque Universal. Nothing fancy, but fresh and really tasty sea food and grilled vegetables and mushrooms and a very busy and lively place.

I also like to eat in one of the small outdoor places in La Barceloneta. Not fancy places, but with simple tasty stuff like Gambas al Ajillo, and outdoor seating, a lively atmosphere and very cheap. Maybe not so much suited for a evening meal, but for a snack and sGome great people watching.

Finally, I like the Food Blog Migrationology a lot, and there are a few good vlog on Barcelona on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mark+wiens+barcelona