The most typical dishes in BCN

Barcelona is one of the best cities in the world for its privileged location, its architectural appeal and, undoubtedly, for its excellent gastronomy that combines tradition, sea and mountains to make Catalan cuisine a guaranteed success. The city has more than 7,400 bars and restaurants, which makes it an ideal destination also for foodies .

Eating in Barcelona is a pleasure and can make your stay in the city a unique experience. Below we bring you a selection of the most typical dishes of Catalan cuisine so that, when you find yourself in front of a menu, you know how to choose the most outstanding dishes.

PA AMB TOMÀQUET

Although it is an already widespread accompaniment, there is nothing more representative of Catalan gastronomy than pà amb tomàquet (bread with tomato spread). It is believed that the origin of this delicacy dates back to the end of the 19th century and that the act of spreading the tomato served to soften the crumb and thus be able to take advantage of stale bread. Afterwards, a splash of oil and a pinch of salt were added to finish giving flavor to this ideal accompaniment to any lunch or dinner.

BARCELONETA BOMBS

A bomb is a cooked potato ball with a minced meat filling, battered and topped with aioli and hot sauce. It is one of the most typical tapas in Barcelona, in fact it is said that they were invented in an old winery in the Barceloneta neighborhood, the Cova Fumada.

Source:Secret Barcelona

CALÇOTS WITH ROMESCO SAUCE

Calçots are a variety of elongated and very tender onion that is consumed from November to the end of April in festivals known as “calçotadas”, which are nothing more than meals with friends and/or family where traditional calçots are eaten. These are roasted over a live flame and once ready they are wrapped in newspaper. To eat them, you must first peel them by stretching the end with one hand, once clean, they are dipped in the romesco sauce and from there, straight to the mouth. .

ESCALIVADA

It could be considered the great vegetable dish of Catalan gastronomy, along with calçots it is one of the best known. It is a kind of salad of roasted eggplant, red pepper, onion and tomato cut into strips, dressed with a splash of extra virgin olive oil. The name comes from the Catalan verb escalivar which means to cook over hot coals.

The escalivada also makes us think of the Coca de Recapte, a kind of rectangular or oval-shaped pizza that is normally made with escalivada. You can also add a Catalan sausage similar to the sausage, although, today, there are many versions with different products.

Source: Recipe from Bon Viveur

BACALLÀ ESQUEIXADA

It is a cold vegetable salad with desalted and crumbled cod. Today, there are many variations, but the typical one is made with cod, tomato, onion, black olives and olive oil. It is a dish that is used a lot in summer, since it is served cold and is refreshing.

Source: Recipe from Bon Viveur

ESCUDELLA AMB CARN D'OLLA

In Spain there are many types of stew, the escudella is the typical stew of Catalonia. This dish is normally served at Christmas lunch and is well known for its typical meat piles , which are a type of meatballs. The broth from the escudella is consumed in the form of soup, normally with galets pasta and, separately, on a tray, all the meat and vegetables with which the broth has been prepared are served.

When the cold weather sets in in Barcelona, it is easy to find escudella on the menu of any restaurant, but if you want to try one of the best in Barcelona, head to Ca l' Estevet , a legendary traditional Catalan cuisine restaurant in the city.

Source: Ca l'Estevet Restaurant

FRICANDÓ

The name comes from the French “ fricandeau ” and consists of a stew of filleted beef with mushrooms, usually moixernons, although any other type of mushroom can be used.

Source: Bon Viveur Recipe by @elcocinerocasero

And for those with a sweet tooth, those who always leave room for dessert, in Barcelona you can also find very typical desserts of Catalan gastronomy:

CATALAN CREAM

It is the Catalan dessert par excellence, never missing from the most traditional menus. In France it is known as crème brûlée . It is a kind of custard with a layer of burnt sugar on top. Well prepared, it is a delight for the palates of those with a sweet tooth.

MEL I MATÓ

It is a very simple dessert, it simply consists of a piece of mata (a type of fresh cheese similar to cottage cheese) covered with honey and, normally, accompanied with some walnuts. Simple and delicious. Test it!