Where To Get The Best Paella In Barcelona?
Paella is THE dish all visitors want to try when in Spain. However, it’s not so easy to find a good one. Too many places serve a frozen pseudo-paella heated in the microwave. That’s not paella, that’s blasphemy!
If you are new to paella, make sure to learn the basics in our post about what is paella rice. You want to make sure you can tell apart the tourist traps from the real thing, and understand the rituals so that you are not caught by surprise when you order it. And when you are ready, come back to this post to decide where to go eating paella in your next trip to Barcelona (Spain).
The 3 best paella restaurants in Barcelona
1
Cruix
Cruix is the option for high end gourmets. The chef Miquel Pardo studied with some of the best Spanish chefs before opening his gourmet restaurant specialized in creative tapas and rices. Born in Onda (Castellón), in the region of Valencia, paella was an inherent part of his childhood. And of course he knows what he is doing when he achieves those perfect “socarrat” crusts that paella experts know to be the best part of the dish. Actually, “cruix” evokes the “crunch” sound of the rice crust stuck in the pan.
Born in Onda (Castellón), in the region of Valencia, paella was an inherent part of his childhood. And of course he knows what he is doing when he achieves those perfect “socarrat” crusts that paella experts know to be the best part of the dish. Actually, “cruix” evokes the “crunch” sound of the rice crust stuck in the pan. They have 4 paellas in the menu: one of them vegan, another is black rice, one is meat (Iberian pork with eggplant) and the other is shrimp and garlic. Yum!
LOCATION: Nova Esquerra de l’Eixample, close enough to Plaça Espanya and the Montjuic Magic Fountain.
Check reviews and book a table >>
2
El Racó de l'Agüir
“Quatretondeta” is the name of the hamlet where the owners are from, down in Alacant. The dish is a baked rice with chorizo, pig ribs, blood sausage and chickpeas. Is that adventurous enough?
LOCATION: Sant Antoni District.
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3
Minyam
To be honest, the first two choices in this list were chosen because of the outstanding reviews. But my third pick, besides also having consistently amazing testimonials, it’s a personal choice. Here is the story: When Kaiku closed in Barceloneta I was desperate. Where else was I going to find that spectacular smoked rice I loved? Luckily, Minyam stepped up with their unique Vulcanus rice and I only have to go a little bit further – to the Poblenou district.
They have 5 rice dishes, four of them (seafood, pork, duck and veggie) made with Vulcanus rice, plus a black rice. They also have two fideua options (seafood and paella). The rest of their menu includes a gourmet selection of tapas (with many options for your vegetarian friends) and seafood, as well as meats and fish grilled on their Josper oven.
LOCATION: Poblenou District.
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Best paella in Barceloneta district
La Barceloneta is the old fishing district of Barcelona. It is the place to go for seafood, tapas and of course… paella! So in this area is where you find most of our favorite paella restaurants. Since not all of them have a sea view, and I know some of you might be dreaming of having a paella by the Mediterranean, I added a little note to each one to help you choose.
4
7 Portes
Elegant and old School style, with black and white dressed waiters, checker floors and heavy curtains, many seats boast a metal plate indicating what famous people have seated precisely there. Their menu varies a lot depending on the season, since they love featuring the foodie treasures of each time of the year. And while you’ll always find a handful of classic paellas in their menu, depending on the season you can find there up to 12 varieties!
SEE VIEWS? No.
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5
Can Solé
A fishermen restaurant in the Barceloneta quarter with a sailor-style decoration, famous for their rice dishes. Many locals will tell you they make the best paella in town. It’s not cheap, but their are glorious. And it’s away from the tourist traps along the port. Recommended for people who can appreciate good food and don’t mind paying for it. Great paella and great place.
They feature 18 rice specialties, only one of them being technically a paella (seafood or black rice). The rest are 8 varieties of “arroz a banda” – cooked in a deeper pan, with the ingredients separated from the rice, and 10 varieties of “arroz caldoso” – seafood soupy rice.
SEA VIEWS? No.
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6
Maná 75
Paella is their specialty, and they pay a lot of attention to the products they work with, specially their homemade broth that is the base of any good rice. And they are proud of their socarrat – the caramelized almost burnt rice that sticks to the bottom of a pan and that is characteristic of paella. You’ll find here up to 15 different rice dishes, including not just the average seafood, meat or vegetable ones, but also duck, lamb and a calçots one that is only available during the season. They also have two fideuàs: the standard one and a black one made with squid ink.
SEA VIEWS? No.
Check reviews and book a table >>.
7
Can Majó
Back to the Barceloneta district, if you are looking for a great location outdoors you’ll love Can Majó. It’s a family-owned fish and paella restaurant serving fresh local dishes and it’s got one of the most coveted outdoor terraces in the area. They serve 7 rice specialties, from which one is a meat paella, another is a black rice with truffle and another is a vegetarian paella. The rest are other juicy seafood and rice delicacies, plus a seafood fideua noodle paella.
SEA VIEWS? Sort of: if you are eating in the terrace you’ll see the beach from the distance.
Check reviews and book a table >>.
8
Ca la Nuri Platja
They have one more paella restaurant by the beach, Sal Mar, a cocktail and creative food restaurant with several paellas in their menu (Xiroi Ca la Nuri), and a menu restaurant for the workers of the Barcelona Port.
All of their restaurants feature at least half a dozen paellas in their menu, that keep changing depending on what’s in season. I just saw a mushroom, squash, green garlic and artichoke chips rice in the Sal Mar menu that’s making me want to book a table ASAP.
SEA VIEWS? Yes: Ca la Nuri Platja, Sal Mar and Xiroi overlook the beach.
CHECK REVIEWS AND BOOK A TABLE: Eixample (Ca la Nuri Terra) | Somorrostro Beach (Ca la Nuri Platja)| Barceloneta Beach (Sal Mar) | Nova Icària Beach (Xiroi Ca la Nuri)
9
Camping Mar
En Compañía de Lobos is a Barcelona restaurant company that stands out for creating restaurants with their own personality, each different from the next, rather than repeating the same pattern. What I like about Camping Mar is that you feel like you left Barcelona to go have paella in Sitges or another nearby seaside town. The restaurant faces the marina at the foot of the W hotel, away from the city noise, and the greenery around the restaurant makes you forget about the stress of the day.
Their menu features 5 paellas: one black rice, one pork sausage and mushroom paella and three seafood paellas.
SEA VIEWS? Yes: the balcony tables overlook the Marina of the W Hotel.
Check reviews and book a table >>
10
Can Ros
They have 6 paella and rice varieties and one fideuà. One rice is black rice, 3 are seafood rices, and the two meat options are quite unique: “capipota” offal with prawns, and quail with oyster mushrooms. Their sister restaurant La Mar Salada also has 6 paellas and one fideuà in their menu, all of them in a more traditional line.
SEA VIEWS? No, neither of them.
SEE REVIEWS AND BOOK A TABLE: Can Ros | La Mar Salada.
Paella restaurants in Eixample
Eixample is the central area of Barcelona created after the city walls were knocked down in 1854. It’s not the first place where you’d think to go for paella, but you are more likely to find more locals and less tourists in the following restaurants. Plus some of them might be close enough to your hotel to get there by foot. And it’s definitely a great choice on a windy winter day when heading to the beach doesn’t sound like a fun idea…
11
Casa Amalia
You’ll find 4 paella dishes here, all made with Molino Roca Great Reserve rice grains. They have a seafood paella, a black paella, an Iberian pork paella with mushrooms and an option for daring eaters made with rabbit.
LOCATION: Next to the Concepció Market.
Check reviews and book a table >>
12
Bodega Joan
Can you mix paella and soccer and still feel authentic? Definitely! That’s what happens at Bodega Joan, a wine shop turned into neighborhood bar, still run by the same family who opened it back in 1942, and that preserves the original wooden decoration. And since 1999 it’s been the headquarters of the Penya Joan Gamper – a fan club of the FC Barcelona.
The restaurant specializes in classic tapas, charcuterie platters and grilled meats, but paella is also part of their offer with 5 classic choices (mixed paella, seafood, black rice, vegetables and meat) and one fideuà option.
LOCATION: Antiga Esquerra de l’Eixample.
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13
La Bendita
A new place that will soon become crowded with tourists when the videos about their paellas go viral, because it’s just one block away from Sagrada Familia and it’s NOT A TOURIST TRAP. La Bendita is run by a chef trained in Michelin star restaurants but decided to run a fun and informal venue. He uses locally sourced products to cook yummy tapas and what makes this place stand out: paellas served for one person only – no need to be a minimum of 2 to enjoy one of their 4 choices (red shrimp, pork with calamari, meat or veggies with mushrooms).
LOCATION: One block away from Sagrada Familia.
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Paella restaurants in the Old Town
Again, the Old Town is not where one would expect to find decent paella: far from the sea and full of tourists. But I know you are likely to be around there at some point, so I wanted to surprise you with 2 great choices:
14
Paella Bar Boqueria
Their bar had to be fun, but the food had to match the level of quality they served in their other venues. They offer not less than 8 paella varieties and 2 fideuàs. You’ll find there black rice, vegetarian paella, seafood, meat, mixed… even the recipe that Valencians swear to be the original (with chicken, rabbit and beans).
LOCATION: On the porticos around the Boqueria Market.
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15
Arume
Arume is not the place to eat your first paella ever. Arume is a place where you go when you’ve already had your good share of paellas and are ready for adventure, surprises… and great seafood. Adventure because you’ll have to cross the sometimes scary alleys of the Raval district. Surprises because the restaurant is located in the house where the writer and gastronomist Manuel Vazquez Montalban was born. And because this is not a Valencian restaurant: it’s Galician cuisine. And seafood, because the best seafood in Spain comes from Galicia.
They only have one paella, the Galician seafood one. And the great news is that they don’t force you to be 2 people to order it: they also make it for only one person, which is one of the reasons why it makes this list. Plus there’s also another rice dish that will water your mouth even if it isn’t technically a paella: their creamy duck rice with mushrooms, roasted garlic foam and padrón peppers. Yum!
LOCATION: Raval district, just a few blocks from Sant Antoni.
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Paella restaurants in Montjuic
The Hill of Montjuic will be your next stop after you’ve visited all the Gaudi sites in Eixample and explored the alleys of the Old Town. And because it’s an extensive area, you are likely to need to eat at some point while you are there. So I have a couple of options for you here, as well:
16
Martínez (Terraza Martínez)
They source their products from the Boqueria Market, the local fish mongers and farmers from nearby towns. Although paella isn’t their only specialty (tapas and charcoal-grilled dishes also come to the game), their rices are one of their strenghts.
They have 4 permanent rice dishes (shelled seafood, black rice, Valencian paella and vegetarian), plus three more that depend on their availability in the market: red prawns, lobster and… Costa Brava sea cucumbers!
LOCATION: Hill of Montjuic overlooking the cruise piers and the city.
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17
Elche
If you know that paella is actually a dish from the region of Valencia and you want to be a purist, then you’ll have to venture off the beaten path into the Poblesec district, where a family of immigrants opened the first rice restaurant in town in 1959. You won’t find anything more authentic!
Their menu features 5 different paellas (including their unique codfish and porcini mushrooms), 4 more rice specialties and one fideuà.
LOCATION: In the Poble Sec neighborhood, at the foot of the Montjuic Hill.
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Off the beaten path paella restaurants in Barcelona
Because some travelers want to get away from other tourists as possible. Or because you decided to go explore the off the beaten path districts. Or because you found a place to stay further from the city center and you may have a hidden gem near it and not know about it. Here are some other great places to eat paella in Barcelona:
18
Arrosseries Xàtiva
All 3 venues share the same menu, with 18 rice specialties, conveniently classified by type of ingredients (vegetables, meat, seafood and mixed). They also have 6 fideuà options!
CHECK REVIEWS AND BOOK A TABLE: Les Corts | Gracia | Sant Antoni
19
Diània
Now let’s recommend you a lovely venue run by two twins from the Valencian inland called Diània. And that’s the name they chose for their restaurant, because with their cooking they want to bring to you the landscape and flavors of their homeland. Their menu is modest but honest. You’ll find here Valencia tapas, salads and sandwiches that speak of the produce, meats and seafood of Valencia, as well as the original Valencia paella made with chicken, rabbit and beans. If you are not as adventurous, though, you’ll also find here a seafood rice and a vegetarian paella, as well as fideuà.
LOCATION: Promenade over the Bogatell beach, near the Poblenou District.
Check reviews and book a table >>
20
Xiringuito Escribà
Because what can be more fun than eating by the beach? And if the Escribà are behind it, you can be sure the food will be just gorgeous. They have 9 paella varieties, two of them vegetarian paella.
LOCATION: Promenade over the Bogatell beach, near the Poblenou District.
Check reviews and book a table >>
21
El Noi d'Alcoi
And finally, tucked away in a quiet street of the upscale Tres Torres neighborhood in the uptown, you’ll find this small restaurant that distillates the tranquility of a residencial area and the perfums of rice grain. The chef, born in Alcoi (Alacant) also in the Valencia region, has crafted a selection of Mediterranean starters that combine beautifully with 15 different types of paella and rice dishes and three different types of fideuà.
LOCATION: Tres Torres district in Sarria.
Check reviews and book a table >>
TOP TIPS TO ENJOY PAELLA LIKE A LOCAL
- How to spot a bad paella restaurant? If the restaurant has pictures of paella on a big sign outside, it’s likely to be frozen paella by the Paellador brand or similar: AVOID. Same if there’s a waiter outside trying to lure you in: nothing screams more “tourist trap” than this. But that’s a general rule, not just for paella.
- What’s the best cheap but good option to try paella? Many restaurants include paella or some kind of rice dish as part of their daily menu for lunch on Thursdays. That one doesn’t usually require two people ordering it, but it isn’t made on request: the restaurant will have prepared large paella pans and serve you a few scoops of it. But that’s to be expected because speed and simplicity are inherent to the definition of Menu del Dia.
- Is there any rule I need to know when ordering paella? Find out if the restaurant requires at least two people to order the same type of paella. It’s usually written on the menu. Exceptions are commonly made for vegetarians.
- Should I order more food with paella? Do order a light starter (a tapa to share or some salad). The real paella takes around 20 minutes to be prepared – that’s the time the rice takes to cook. You don’t want to wait for 20 minutes devouring bread, just to be too full when your paella finally arrives.
- When is the best time to eat paella? Paella is a heavy meal. That’s why locals order it for lunch rather than dinner, so they have time to digest it and don’t go to sleep with their stomach stuffed.
- What is the most authentic paella? In Valencia, the “real thing” includes chicken, rabbit, fava beans and sometimes snails. But in the rest of Spain we consider the seafood paella as the standard paella.
- What types of paella exist? Other types of paella include the meat or chicken paella, the “paella mixta” (with both some seafood and some meat), the vegetarian one and the paella parellada or del senyoret, which is a seafood paella that comes shelled.
- My paella has very few toppings: are they ripping me off? The toppings are not the main show in paella: don’t expect your rice to be covered in shrimp and mussels. The rice is the star here. A normal portion will have one or two crustaceans of each kind per person only.
- What is the sign of a great paella? Bonus points if the rice at the bottom of the pan has lightly burnt and stuck: that is called a “socarrat“, and it’s a delicious crust!
- What can I drink with paella? White wine and sparkling wine go great with paella. But sangria and beer also go well with it.
TOP PAELLA COOKING CLASSES IN BARCELONA
There’s a lot of cooking schools in Barcelona that offer paella workshops. But if there’s one that specializes in Paella, that is The Paella Club. They organize three different culinary experiences: a 45min crash course, a 2.5 hour class and a 3 hour full menu experience.
Or would you rather go to someone’s house and learn how to make paella? This lady, called like me BTW, Marta, receives people in her apartment and teaches them how to make a paella from scratch in the terrace with city views. And here are a few more great ideas:
MAKE YOUR OWN PAELLA
Making paella from scratch takes several hours: the time it takes to make the broth and prepare the ingredients, then slowly cook the sofrito (base sauce) where you’ll add the rice… The 20 minutes the rice take it’s only the last part of the recipe. And some will also ask you to let the rice rest before it’s served.
So if you are a decent cook, you don’t really need to take a cooking class to learn how to make your paella. You can just order a pack online from “Al Grano“. They have 6 paella dishes to share from. They send you the ingredients, the instructions and even the paella pan! Can there be a more fun bonding activity with your travel mates? You can keep the paella pan as a souvenir, or take it back to their mother restaurant, Teleférico and get €20 back. And you can stay for a great tapas meal, since you are there!
Or you can just order everything you need from Amazon:
Are you planning to eat paella in Barcelona, Spain?
Marta
Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.
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Last update on 2025-03-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Experienced 7 Portes last night – was off the chart! Thoroughly enjoy the "Rich Man's" Paella, preceded by the spinach/raisins/pine nuts.Outstanding evening celebrating with family!