Marina from Allergychef shares her top 5 gluten-free restaurants in Barcelona.

Whether you’re among the increasing number of people with celiac disease or food allergies or simply prefer to avoid gluten or other allergens for health reasons, finding good restaurants in Barcelona is quite challenging.

There are a bunch of restaurants in Barcelona that offer gluten-free options but you have to be careful about choosing the right one. Some places are fully aware of cross-contamination, some think they know about it but believe gluten and dairy are the same. That’s why it is so important to find the right place.

Because I love food just as much as you do and I want you to be able to experience the pleasure of Catalan cuisine, I’ve compiled a list of the best gluten-free and allergy-friendly restaurants in Barcelona. Read the rest of this article…

UPDATE – 17th July 2013: We Pop is back for one weekend only. July 20th & 21st 2013. For further details check out their website.

UPDATE – 19th April 2013: Although this particular event was during March 2013, We Pop assure us they will be back.

If these photos don’t get you salivating then this place isn’t for you. I can only suggest you read something else, about the cactus park on Montjuïc maybe.

Hickory smoked ribs

This is about meat. But not just any meat. This is locally sourced (from nearby Vic), locally smoked (in hickory wood ovens) meat of the highest quality. Succulent, full of flavour, this is the kind of meat you should be eating. This is the kind of meat on offer at We Pop!

We Pop is a new pop-up restaurant in Barcelona. You’ve heard of these places right? Clandestine affairs, temporary restaurants that are only open for a short period of time. Ventures that offer something new and exciting, that create a buzz for the short time they’re around. Well, We Pop is one of those. Read the rest of this article…

Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria

He doesn’t sound Spanish, he doesn’t even look Spanish, but second-generation Catalan, Joel Serra Bevin certainly knows Spanish food. Papa Serra was his grandfather and after living in New Zealand, Australia, London and New York, Joel has come back to his roots and started his Barcelona Culinary Adventures.

Barcelona cooking classes

His Spanish cooking classes and food market tours in Barcelona are a fantastic introduction to this fascinating cuisine in the city that Anthony Bourdain of No Reservations fame described as “the most exciting place to eat in the Western world”.

The Boqueria Market Tour

Joel was kind enough to invite me along, so I met him, and the rest of the group, at 9am one morning at the entrance to the Boqueria market. Joel furnished us with glasses of cava and explained a bit about the history of the market and how it had developed over the years. I’d never been to the market at such an early hour and it was such a joy to see it a lot less crowded than I’m used to. Read the rest of this article…

An article from the cava lady, Anna Wallner, on the delights of drinking cava in Barcelona.

Cava tasting in Barcelona

The first time I visited Barcelona, I had already fallen in love with cava during my sommelier studies. It was in the beginning of April and it was still very cold in Sweden, but when we stepped out of BCN Airport the sun was on my face and the warmth was in the air (at least if you compare it to Sweden). Since that first visit I have come back as often as I can, usually 2-4 times a year. But even so I miss Barcelona when I’m at home in Sweden and especially now during winter when the snow builds high outside my door and the darkness is so thick it feels like you can cut it with a knife. But a glass of really nice cava on a Friday when I come home from work, really lights up even the darkest November day.

Barcelona makes me happy because the city embodies everything I love about life, fantastic food, great weather, the sea, wonderful architecture and history, great and friendly people and of course Cava. When visiting the city I feel free, and my husband and I can use our days for exactly what we want. Read the rest of this article…

Visit the EatWith website

I had an interesting email the other day from Joel who runs Papa Serra Jr. He is involved with the new Barcelona branch of EatWith whose mission it is “to bring the world together one meal at a time”. Their goal is to make it easier for people to organise dinners at home for tourists and locals while earning an income from doing it. It started in Israel and has now expanded to Spain although for now all the hosts are in and around Barcelona.

This sounds like a pretty cool idea to me. There are lots of budding chefs out there that are more than capable of putting together an amazing dinner party. I can think of a few myself! And whether it be for a group of tourists or a special occasion for someone who lives locally I think EatWith Barcelona could be onto something here, providing guests with an innovative dining experience and cooks with an alternative income. Read the rest of this article…

Quim at the bar of El Quim de la Boqueria

El Quim de la Boqueria is a tapas bar in the famous Boqueria market in Barcelona. Most places in the Boqueria are good to eat. But El Quim de la Boqueria and Bar Pinotxo I’d heard were the stand outs.

I was reminded of Quim’s place by Rachel. She did a stint there as a chef and it sounded like hard work. And you see why. All of the eateries in the Boqueria are small cramped affairs for the staff. They comprise a central area where all the staff work and serve the customers sitting at the bar around the outside. You’re separated by the counter which houses all the good things to eat in cabinets. Read the rest of this article…

An article from David Leigh about the wonders of the winter calçotadas in Valls.

Calçots roasting during a calçotada

If you stop for a moment and think about food and Spain I bet you get no further than paella and tapas. However, while both of these can be good the quality, particularly of paella, can be quite variable as many of those served in fixed menu restaurants at lunchtime are pre-made.

And Spanish cooking doesn’t start and end with just those. In Barcelona these days you can find cuisine from all over the world. However, if you’re just visiting for a weekend or a few days then why eat what you can get at home when you can try something new.

One of my favourite times of the year in Catalonia, at least as far as food goes, is winter. While temperatures can really plunge, which takes many visitors by surprise, the food can make up for it. Boiled chicken with vegetables and chickpeas might not sound particularly interesting but it certainly warms you up in winter and makes a great tasting soup base when there is snow on the ground. Good as it is, its something you’ll find in the Catalan home rather than in a restaurant and so unlikely to be on the menu anyway. Read the rest of this article…