11 Best Local Dishes from Barcelona

Fideua is the Catalonian take on the famed paella of Spain. This dish substitutes rice with a type of short, spaghetti-like pasta called fideos. It’s prepared in the same way as paella, though ingredients vary from one restaurant to another.

Fideos are lightly toasted in a pan before being added to the remaining ingredients – generally seafood, tomatoes, and bell peppers, with aromatics like onion and garlic. It's common to finish a fideua with a short blast in the oven, giving the colorful meal a deliciously crispy texture.

Escalivada is a quintessentially Catalan tapas option that remains a firm favorite among locals. Its name is derived from escalivar, which means to 'roast on ashes' – it's this roasting process that gives the dish a deliciously smoky flavor.

The vegetarian-friendly dish mainly consists of finely sliced eggplant and bell peppers, but is often accompanied by onions and tomatoes. The charred vegetable skin is carefully removed to leave behind the succulent flesh. The dish is served with a healthy dose of olive oil and sometimes with garlic for an extra kick. Some restaurants serve escalivada as a relish for meat and fish dishes.

Escudella d’Olla is a wholesome winter stew that’s generally served in the Catalan region between October and May. The hearty dish traditionally has pilota (oblong meatball) and botifarra (white sausage), as well as various vegetables and pasta or rice. Exact ingredients vary depending on the season and what's available to the chef.

Escudella d’Olla is a great example of Catalan comfort food that’s best enjoyed in winter. If you're in Barcelona around Christmas time, look out for the special escudella de Nadal – this festive version contains galet pasta shells instead of the usual rice.

Arròs negre is a traditional dish famous in both Catalonia and the Valencia region. It’s prepared in a similar way to paella, with the main difference being the use of squid ink, which both blackens the rice and adds a distinctive seafood flavor. Along with the ink, rice and squid or cuttlefish, garlic, peppers, olive oil and paprika are carefully cooked in a wide and flat pan.

Due to its distinctive color, arròs negre is sometimes colloquially referred to as paella negra (black paella). Enjoy this dish with a generous helping of aioli for an extra tangy flavor.

Mandonguilles amb sípia is a delicious Catalan specialty combining meatballs and cuttlefish in a rich sauce. Barcelona sits neatly between the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees Mountain, so it should be no surprise that the hugely popular local version of surf and turf combines the best of both worlds in the form of mar i muntanya – literally 'sea and mountain'.

The meatballs are prepared with egg, breadcrumbs, garlic and parsley before being fried in olive oil. The same oil is used to fry the cuttlefish along with onions and a dash of white wine. Mandonguilles amb sípia is a winter favorite in the region, with locals considering it a soul-enriching comfort dish.

Botifarra amb mongetes is a delightfully simple dish combining succulent botifarra (white sausage) with braised haricot beans. This is to the Catalans what bangers and mash is to the English. This traditional Spanish meal is very flavoursome and can be enjoyed any time of the year.

Botifarra amb mongetes is available in many local restaurants throughout Barcelona and the surrounding countryside. In fact, this rustic dish is so popular, there's even a festival honoring it.

Bombas are deep-fried potato balls that usually contain octopus or minced meat. This tapas’ origins have caused plenty of friendly controversy around Spanish tables. Many cities claim this treat as their own creation, including Barcelona.

The primary ingredient is mashed potatos coating a meaty filling. The bombas are then coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden. You can enjoy it with a selection of dipping sauces, along with a glass of cava or 2.

Esquiexada is a light salad that’s usually enjoyed in summer. It generally contains bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and olives, all of which are combined with the key ingredient – bacalao (salted cod).

While bacalao originated in Portugal, it’s also a staple in Spanish cuisine. Esquiexada is served in many restaurants throughout the Catalan region during the warmer months. For added flavor, try adding a drizzle of romesco sauce to your salad.

Pamtomaquet is a classic Catalan example of traditional food that uses readily available ingredients. Instead of discarding stale bread, this dish’s thrifty inventors opted to resurrect it with a little heat and a helping of fresh tomatoes.

Like Italy’s bruschetta, pamtomaquet is prepared by rubbing tomatoes onto lightly toasted bread and topping it with a healthy dose of extra virgin olive oil. Salt is added to taste, but those who want an extra kick can add some fresh garlic to the ensemble.

Canelones Rossini is one of Barcelona’s Christmas specialties that comes from Italy. Celebrated composer Gioachino Rossini was said to have brought the dish to Spain in the middle of the 19^th century. It’s traditionally served on the day of Sant Esteve (26 December) and uses leftover meat from Christmas stews.

Canelones Rossini is closely related to the much-loved cannelloni. The dish comprises oven-baked pasta tubes filled with meat and coated in bechamel sauce. You can find a vegetarian version as some restaurants substitute the meat with mushrooms or spinach.

Crema Catalana is a zesty pudding that’s commonly found in Barcelona. This sweet custard dish has a creamy consistency, with an outer shell made of crispy caramel. While it’s often compared to the famous crème brûlée, its recipe actually appeared around 2 centuries before its French counterpart.

The main difference between the 2 is that crema Catalana is made with milk and thickened with cornflour. The dessert is typically flavored with cinnamon and lemon zest, which results in a light and refreshing flavor.