Barcelona’s food scene is never lacking in delicious places to try. This year, following a post-pandemic surge in new openings, it has more to offer than ever. Here are the 15 hottest places to eat in Barcelona in 2022.
Aleia
Already a contender for hottest new restaurant of the year, Aleia overlooks Passeig de Gràcia from its prime position on the first floor of the ultra-swanky Casa Fuster hotel. Helmed by two chefs with serious Michelin-starred pedigrees, you only need to sample one bite of the tasting menu—which includes show stoppers like the white shrimp with horseradish and French parsley, or the surprisingly refreshing avocado, custard and caviar dessert—to sense that this is a spot headed for great things.
Casa Luz
Barcelona may have more rooftop bars than you can count, but finding one with a food menu worth its salt can be tricky. Fortunately, there’s always the exception to the rule and, in this case, it goes by the name Casa Luz. With its Instagram-worthy terrace overlooking Plaça Universitat, this trendy restaurant by Tomás Abellán embodies everything you love about Barcelona: from abundant sunshine to cutting-edge design, flavor-packed dishes made from fresh, seasonal produce, and excellent local wine.
Tamae
Barcelona has a fondness for Japanese food and nowhere is this more evident than at Tamae. This new venture comes from two chefs who both served time at former-best-restaurant-in-the-world El Bulli—and it shows. Albert Raurich and Eugeni de Diego launched the project during the pandemic to focus on upscale takeouts. What few people know is that Tamae also seats eight lucky diners, who get to sample delicacies like crunchy langoustine uramaki and berian pork wontons, straight from the source.
Gala
Since opening in late 2021, Gala has become the place to see and be seen in Barcelona. With a delightfully extravagant design by Quintana Partners, the Alice-in-Wonderland-meets-psychedelic amusement park ambiance is only topped by the killer cocktails and a menu that features everything from seasonal tapas to a mouthwatering selection of raw fish. On sunny days and balmy nights, the interior patio is the place to be—at least until the action moves downstairs to the sultry basement nightclub.
Deliri
Delirious with joy is what you’ll be after a meal at David Morera Simon superb Deliri on the left side of Eixample. This neighborhood is becoming something of a new foodie epicenter, with the likes of Besta, Gresca, and Nairod all within a block or two. Morera’s new joint is more than deserving of a spot in this distinguished lineup. The strictly seasonal menu may include standouts like the artichoke salad with parmesan cheese and bottarga, or the rather moreish cheese-covered "grandma-style" macaroni.
Adobo/Adobar
This new venture by chef Enrique Valenti attracts a well-heeled crowd to a posh uptown address that comprises the sleek Adobo dining room and the fairy-lit Adobar patio. The design may be on point, but the food is even better. Using marinades and sauces to accentuate the flavors of the ingredients, Valenti shows us that produce is king and the chef’s role is to let it shine. And shine it does, in standout dishes like the tangy avocado "Michelada" or the melt-in the-mouth veal cheek with anchovy.
Le Grand Café Rouge
Barcelona’s favorite French Michelin-starred chef Romain Fornell doesn’t do things by halves. The most recent addition to his burgeoning culinary empire is a superb French bistro-style restaurant in the chicest of settings near the beach in Diagonal Mar. Le Grand Café Rouge serves classics from steak tartare to mussels and fries, as well as to-die-for dishes of rockfish bouillabaisse and Iberian pork Bourguignon, all elevated by Fornell’s magic touch.
Hardware Société
When it comes to brunch, Australians do it better, as evidenced by brand-new Hardware Société. This is the third outpost by Di and Will Keser, the Australian couple who started out in Melbourne and have since expanded to Paris and Barcelona. In a city where brunch had become a rather formulaic affair, Hardware Société is setting a new standard with creative dishes like tiger prawn Benedict or duck confit with Pedro Ximénez reduction and puy lentils, not to mention some seriously strong Bloody Marys.
Savia
The plant-forward menu in this uptown eatery does an excellent job of placing local, seasonal produce front and center, and making it taste delicious too. Not a veggie restaurant per se, Savia serves just enough meat and fish to keep your carnivorous friends happy. Meanwhile, dishes like the seasonal artichokes smothered in truffle or the oyster mushroom with citrus and mushroom romesco will have the vegetarians crying with joy (and not just because of the wasabi and horseradish in the tomato tartare).
Cecconi’s
Recently reopened post pandemic, Cecconi’s has all the buzz of a trendy new hot spot, but without the kinks. Set within the Soho House private members’ club, Cecconi’s is the only space in the building open to the public. Come here for some rather excellent Italian food (the vitello tonnato is a winner, as is the decadent truffle agnolotti) with a side of celebrity spotting. Members of Soho House and the new Soho Friends membership format enjoy discounts from Sunday night through Wednesday.
GoXo
Spanish superstar chef David Muñoz, better known as "Dabiz", doesn’t do subtlety. His dishes are unapologetic and unorthodox, regardless of whether you’re at his celebrated three-star Michelin DiverXo or here, at his newest venture. GoXo is an Asian-inspired street food joint in residential Les Corts. The music is loud, the décor is in your face, and the food—from the extra-crunchy fried chicken to the addictive Hong Kong-Madrid chicken dumpling—is packed with intense flavors and bright colors.
YUBI
Franco-Japanese chef, Yoaké San was a French TV celebrity before giving it all up to move to Barcelona. She opened YUBI in December last year and is already causing quite a stir with an elegant style of food that conveys the richness of her cultural heritage in every bite. The raw fish is out of this world but it’s in dishes like the sublime bœuf bourguignon dumplings, or the blood sausage spring rolls with caramelized pear and red onion marmalade, that Yoaké San’s creativity truly runs free.
Coming soon: AMAR at El Palace Barcelona
This grand dame may be turning 103 this year, but El Palace Barcelona has never felt fresher. This spring, the elegant building that once housed The Ritz is launching a brand-new restaurant under the leadership of Rafa Zafra, a former El Bulli Head Chef best known for his Estimar restaurants in Barcelona and Madrid. AMAR means "love" and this new project will reflect Zafra’s love of the Mediterranean and Catalan culture, through fresh products like oysters, caviar, and a range of traditional Catalan dishes.
Coming soon: Doppietta
From the team behind the popular Benzina comes Doppietta: a salumeria and cocktail bar by British restaurateur Badr Bennis and Brescian chef Nicola Valle that promises to sate your desire for all things Italian. Opening soon, Doppietta pays tribute to Brescia’s legendary open-road endurance race la Mille Miglia, showcasing top-notch Italian produce in its regional dishes, curated Italian wine list and Italian-inspired cocktails, all combined with the upbeat ambiance that has already made Benzina a classic.
Coming soon: Compartir Barcelona
When the chefs behind the current number five in The World's 50 Best Restaurants announce a new venture, the culinary world sits up and takes notice. This spring, Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas, better known as the iconic trio from Disfrutar, are teaming up with Nil Dulcet to open Compartir Barcelona. The new restaurant will follow the philosophy of Compartir Cadaqués on the Costa Brava, serving a modern, product-based menu, inspired by traditional Catalan cuisine.
