Until the 1980s, La Barceloneta was home to makeshift housing where the city’s fisherman and harbour workers lived. Fast forward a few years and these days, locals know that the best seafood restaurants are to be found in this neighbourhood. Here’s our pick of the best.
Perhaps the best known of the seafood restaurants in the neighbourhood, the eponymous Restaurant Barceloneta is located by the water in the harbour. The menu offers a wide selection of fish and seafood dishes, some traditional, like the monkfish ‘suquet‘ or stew, and some more contemporary, such as the tuna tataki. The dinning room overlooks the harbour and is covered ceiling to floor in wood in such a way that you could easily feel like you were on a ship’s deck.
Another reference in the Barceloneta dining scene, Suquet de l’Almirall – ‘The Admiral’s Stew’ – is known for the quality of its seafood paellas and of course, its fish stews or ‘suquet‘ above all else. There’s also a daily selection of locally caught fish as well as fresh seafood and seafood dishes such as cod fritters, squid croquetas and mussels a la plancha.
You can usually trust that when a chef has elBulli on their CV you won’t be disappointed by the food, and La Mar Salada is no exception to the rule. Located on the Passeig Joan de Borbó, the main avenue which runs alongside the Port Vell harbour, the restaurant has been open since the early nineties but has been given new life in recent years with the arrival of Marc Singla. Classic dishes are refreshed or given a modern twist, such as the cockles with ginger and lime or the monkfish with a Spanish ham cream.
One of the oldest restaurants in the Barceloneta, Restaurant Can Solé has been on the go since 1903 and has earned a reputation for its seafood and rice dishes. The prices have hiked quite considerably since the early days, but you’re paying for the atmosphere and the pomp as well as the service and the quality of the produce. However the wine list is rather well-priced with plenty of good bottles for around €25.
This family business has been in operation since 1968 and is now run by the original owners’ children. The menu at Restaurant Can Majó boasts a tremendous selection of fresh seafood such as goose barnacles, clams, mussels, prawns, cockles, razor clams, sea anemones and more. As for the mains, the lobster stew is a classic, or if you fancy something lighter there’s always a choice of fresh fish which can be baked or grilled to taste.
Can Ramonet claims to be housed in the oldest building in La Barceloneta at some 250 years old, but step inside the restaurant and you’ll find a slick interior created by Catalan interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán. On the menu you’ll find classic Catalan and Spanish dishes cooked the old-fashioned way, including stewed snails and tripe for the more adventurous meat eaters. An ample selection of fresh seafood, line-caught fish and paella dishes await those in the mood for fish.
A modern restaurant located on the beach front, Barraca boasts a huge outdoor terrace overlooking the water. The fresh, unfussy décor creates a sense of lightness and space which lends itself well to lazy lunches in the summer. The restaurant is owned by local group Tribu Woki who also run the Michelin-starred Céleri, showing the group are serious about the standard of their locales. On the menu you’ll find a selection of the most popular seafood starters such as Andalusian style calamari, steamed mussels and garlic prawns, as well as flavoursome rice dishes and line-caught fish.
