Barcelona City

Enjoying Barcelona is like enjoying a good meal. Catalan gastronomy is one of the highlights of the culture of the region, which has a varied range of cuisine that is famed the world over. Barcelona has gained a truly international profile thanks to its restaurants and highly acclaimed chefs. The choice of dining options is so wide that you will find it difficult to make a decision. Enter and discover a rich variety of cuisine to suit every taste.

Catalonia food revolution is happening now, this time with Barcelona as its powerhouse. The catalyst for change has been a chef, this time Ferran Adria and his legendary restaurant El Bulli on the Costa Brava. While his kitchens have spawned many notable alumni, such as Carles Abellan at Comerç 24, the trickle-down effect of Adria’s global success – in April 2006 El Bulli was voted ‘Best Restaurant in the World’ – has also had a huge impact on the gastronomy of the region.

However at the other end of the scale, there's still a great deal of joy to be had from eating at local restaurants, providing you do your research and don't just turn up anywhere expecting the meal of your life. A stroll through Barcelona’s markets is an unmissable experience in every sense: the aromas, colours, the bustle of the crowds and extremely fresh top-quality produce. Barcelona traditional produce is sold at colmados, old-style grocer’s shops which have become a symbol of the city and fine food.

Jamonisimo, Barcelona City - Ham is one of the best things about Spain, and Jamonisimo (C/Provença 85, 0034 93 439 08 47) is its temple. You have to eat ham with your fingers and you have to like the fat; if you don't like the fat, don't eat the ham. It's also crucial to eat it at the right temperature. Don't eat ham in ...

Rias de Galicia, Barcelona City - Rias de Galicia (C/Lleida 7, 0034 93 424 81 52) is the best place in Barcelona for seafood. The prices are high, but not unreasonably so - in Spain, fish is more expensive than anywhere in the world, even more than Japan. It's a relaxed, rustic atmosphere. I feel at home ...

Quimet y Quimet, Barcelona City - Another placewe recommend is Quimet y Quimet (C/Poeta Cabanyes 25, 0034 93 442 31 42). The enjoyment of conservas - tinned shellfish, asparagus, and so on - isn't properly understood outside Spain. Top-class conservas are really expensive. Cockles and clams in jars, I love all that stuff. This is ...

Boqueria Market, Barcelona City - The best time to go to La Boqueria market (La Rambla 89) is at the very end of the day, around 8pm, when it's almost closed, because it's a different feeling from the daytime. You can still walk around it and along the little streets at the side, and there's something artistic about it; it's like a ...

Vincon, Barcelona City - Vincon (Passeig de Gracia 96, 0034 93 215 60 50) is a Barcelona classic, inside and out, selling homeware and kitchen stuff. The personality of the owners shines through and you can feel immediately it's not a chain - that's what makes it different from the other design shops. You see things and ...

Casa Gispert, Barcelona City - Another shop I find magical is Casa Gispert (C/Sombrerers 23, 0034 93 319 75 35) in the Born. The best roast nuts anywhere, and a beautiful ...

Cocktails in Barcelona - Barcelona is an amazing city for cocktails, although it's not a well-known fact. We have several world-class cocktail bars, such as Boadas (C/Tallers 1, +93 318 95 92), Gimlet (C/Santaló 46, +93 201 53 06), Ideal (C/Aribau 89), Dry Martini (C/Aribau 162, 0034 93 217 50 72) and the terrace ...

Bar Inopia, Barcelona City - Albert Adria (Ferran Adria brother) ins the chef of the Bar Inopia (C/Tamarit 104, 0034 93 424 5231). I love the little fried fish, the croquettes, all those traditional tapas. It was a whim of his to set up a bar that we would actually like to go to, and it's become something unique in Barcelona ...