The Best Catalan Restaurants In La Barceloneta

This former fishing neighbourhood in Barcelona is considered the best place in the city for fresh fish and seafood – this is where you’ll find some of the best paella in town. Despite its popularity with tourists, the area has managed to preserve some of its most authentic eateries and locals still like to eat out here. Here’s our pick of the best Catalan restaurants around.

1. Restaurant Can Solé

Restaurant, Spanish

One of the oldest seafood restaurants in La Barceloneta, Can Solé has been on the go since 1903. The restaurant is best known for its quality paella dishes, and is regarded as one of the best places in the city for the iconic rice dish. It also serves the Catalan variant of paella cooked using noodles instead of rice and known as fideuà.

2. Restaurant 7 Portes

Restaurant, Spanish

Restaurant 7 Portes is one of Barcelona‘s oldest and most well-known restaurants. The grand dining room has kept many of its original features such as the black and white checkered floor tiles, and altogether it oozes old-fashioned elegance. Most diners come here for the paella, which has been cooked to the same recipe for decades. There are other classic Catalan dishes on the menu too, such as stuffed canelones and local white beans.

3. La Cova Fumada

Restaurant, Spanish

Most people walk straight past the Cova Fumada, and if it weren’t for the queue, there’d be little to suggest from the outside that this one of La Barceloneta‘s most popular local eateries. A humble affair with a a selection of dishes scribbled on a white board, La Cova Fumada serves unfussy home-cooking at local prices. The venue is small, tables tend to be cramped and dishes go on a first come first served basis, so get there early if you want to bag a spot.

5. La Mar Salada

Restaurant, Seafood, Spanish

One of the many restaurants overlooking La Barceloneta’s marina, La Mar Salada is a contemporary Catalan seafood restaurant. The bright, modern dining room is like a blank canvas against which the rather elegant dishes stand out. Many classic Catalan dishes have been updated and given a contemporary twist: among other delicious variations, chickpeas get whisked up into a light hummus, and the crema Catalana – a type of local creme brûlée – becomes a mousse.

6. Jai-Ca

Restaurant, Spanish, Tapas, Seafood

This cheap and cheerful seafood tapas restaurant has been around since the 1950s. Jai-Ca is popular with locals for its affordable dishes and buzzing atmosphere, especially at weekends when friends gather for a vermouth and a few tapas. Fried sardines, grilled squid, steamed clams and vegetables topped with romesco sauce – a red pepper and nut dip – are just some of the dishes to watch out for.

7. Restaurante Barceloneta

Restaurant, Spanish, Seafood

The Restaurante Barceloneta is located on the edge of La Barceloneta’s harbour, overlooking the dozens of luxurious yachts that are gathered there. The restaurant is well-known for its quality seafood dishes, including traditional paella and suquet de peix – a rich fish stew made with shellfish and saffron. The dining room offers views of the marina and boasts wood-panelled walls and a subtle nautical theme.

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