Tourists, whatever country they are in, want to taste the national dish. In Spain, it is a paella, the birthplace of which is Valencia. The word “paella” was first used to refer to the frying pan in which the dish was cooked. Now there are three types of traditional paella: Valencian, mixed and made with seafood.
You can eat paella in Barcelona in many places, but the most delicious, according to the residents of the capital and tourists, is in the following places.
Xiringuito Escriba
Several beach cafes, located directly by the sea, usually open only in the summer season. It mostly sells quick snacks for beer and mojitos, but as an exception, the main dish is paella.
The cafes were opened in 1992, and every year it has more and more visitors. The head of the kitchen is Joan Eskriba, a representative of the culinary family.
Among the famous appetizers of these establishments there are Iberian jamon, tartarus, made of shrimps and cod, mussels with citrus dressing and, of course, unsurpassed “pan con tomatoes”- delicious bread with tomatoes.
Gourmets can order paella with lobster, fish and seafood, as well as vegetarian variant with mushrooms and asparagus.
The address of Xiringuito Escriba: Avinguda Litoral, 62.
The cafe can be reached by metro and you should get off at Ciutadella Vila Olimpica station.
Opening times are from 13:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and in the evenings from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Castell de Xàtiva Restaurant
It is a classic restaurant, which for many years has been famous for its rice dishes. It prepares many different types of paella, because of them both local and city guests from different parts of the city come to the restaurant. Restaurant’s pleasant bonus is possibility to eat deliciously and inexpensively.
The most popular variant of paella with meat and seafood: “paella mixta” and “magician y montaña”. For lovers of unusual dishes it will be interesting to taste black rice with squid ink – “arroz negro”. As a first course you can order “arroz caldoso” – it is more like a broth of seafood and rice.
This restaurant is a place where families gather together all the time, but thanks to its fast service nobody is left without attention and does not wait for their ordered dishes for long.
Paella is best served with red wine or sangria. Paella can be ordered for two or more people at a time, and the size of the pan will depend on it.
For those who do not like rice, but want to get acquainted with the national dish is offered a worthy alternative – “fideua”, it is the same paella, only it uses vermicelli. This option is often chosen by children.
The address of the restaurant: Carrer de València, 360.
Use the metro and get to Sagrada Familia station.
On Mondays the restaurant is closed, customer service hours from Tuesday to Saturday: from 13:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and in the evening from 20:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. On Sundays it is open only during the daytime from 13:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
7 Portes
It’s one of the oldest restaurants that serves the best paella in Barcelona. The restaurant was opened in 1836 and still welcomes its visitors without losing popularity. Visiting this place is especially important for those who want to plunge into the rich history of the city and at the same time to taste the traditional dishes of the country. It is worth noting that the restaurant is particularly attentive to the selection of ingredients for dishes.
The address of the restaurant: Pg. Isabel II, 14.
It will be reached by metro if you use the L4 line to Barceloneta station.
The restaurant works without break from 13:00 p.m. to 00:00 a.m.
Rías de Galicia
A trendy restaurant where you can enjoy seafood dishes as well as a great variety of traditional dishes of this country. The restaurant was founded in 1986. Prices are a little high, but they are justified by delicious taste of dishes. According to visitors, the most delicious paella in Barcelona is sold here. And sashimi made of scallop and cucumber with candied fruit are offered as unusual dishes.
The address of the restaurant: Carrer de Lleida, 7.
It is possible to get there by metro using the L3 line to Poble Sec station.
Els Pescadors
This is a famous restaurant that won the Traveler’s Choice Awards in 2012. Its menu features a variety of Spanish dishes, most of which are cooked from seafood, including paella. Here you can choose from a variety of wines, more than 150 kinds of which are served here. In the menu there are permanent dishes and also new ones are regularly introduced. An interesting marketing move is the menu of the day, which depends entirely on the products purchased by the chef in the morning. An open summer terrace is a good solution for this restaurant, where it is so pleasant to relax under the pleasant rays of the sun.
The address of the restaurant: Plaça de Prim, 1.
The restaurant can be reached by metro (L4) to Poblenou station.
Restaurante Pez Vela
This is actually a beach bar, where you can taste amazing food. This is a relatively newly opened place which has already become popular. Here you can enjoy seafood delicacies and paella in different variants. It is better to visit the restaurant in the evening to take the best place and enjoy the sunset near the Mediterranean Sea.
The address of the beach bar: Paseo del Mare Nostrum, 19/21.
The metro stop is called “Barceloneta”, the L4 metro line.
Any type of paella is prepared on the basis of rice, and only with rare exceptions is it replaced by vermicelli, but whatever it is (with meat or seafood), saffron is used as the main spice.
For the best taste of Spanish cuisine, try to visit these places, which offer quality paella.
