9 restaurants in Left Eixample where you can (still) eat Catalan cuisine

BarcelonaThe Esquerra de l'Eixample in Barcelona is a neighborhood with its own life, but whoever walks through it at lunchtime knows that finding a plate of Catalan cuisine among so much brunch, poke and franchises is increasingly difficult. The offer has multiplied, yes, but not always in favor of those looking for a fricandó, some well-made patatas bravas, or a Sunday rice dish.

That's why we have selected nine restaurants where Catalan cuisine is present in very diverse ways: from the bodega with queues in the street to the tavern of a Michelin-starred chef, through cooperatives, traditional bars, and new places that have already earned a spot in the neighborhood. Nine proposals and two extras that are worth considering.

Gelida and Migrat

Six hundred people a day queue at the corner of Urgell with Diputació to eat dishes such as chickpeas with hard-boiled egg, sardines with breaded aubergine, fricandó or capipota. The Gelida bar bodega is an institution with wine barrels on the walls and Barça memorabilia, where Albert Llopart and his son Gerard have fed generations of neighbours at prices that defy logic. In 2024, they also opened Migrat, just across the pedestrian crossing, with the same cuisine and the same soul, but with more space. If you find a queue at Gelida, cross the street.

Bar Thursday

A cooperative of twenty-five partners has opened a bar on Consell de Cent street where 'mongetes del ganxet' (a type of bean), fricandó with mushrooms, and salt cod 'esqueixada' are cooked with the seriousness of those who take their work seriously. Chef Joan Vallès, who previously ran El Gegant in Poblenou, has designed a menu that champions the hearty breakfast ('esmorzar de forquilla') and traditional main courses. You'll find house wine served in half-liter carafes and a mid-day menu formula that allows you to eat very well for a few euros. They are open from Wednesday to Sunday.

Clínic Tavern

The tubular bravas potatoes with their heart filled with brava sauce are the dish everyone orders at Carrer Rosselló 155, but it would be unfair to reduce eighteen years of cooking to just that. Chef Toni Simôes took to the stoves at a young age to help his father and has never left them. The fine cannelloni of roasted duck with mushrooms, the oxtail stewed with Priorat wine, and the tripe with capipota are unmovable classics. For those seeking adventure, the grilled hake cocochas with pil-pil or the surf and turf of langoustines with boneless pig's trotter leave the script with very high marks.

Trü

Artur Martínez, Michelin-starred chef at l'Aürt, has a tavern on Còrsega street that he describes as informal and less academic. Don't trust the word informal: dishes like thyme consommé, green xatonada with sprouts and anchovy, or peasant omelette in cuttlefish ink vindicate regional cuisine with impeccable execution. The desserts, by Mar Ibáñez, include feats like a hot cream xuixo that is worth the whole dinner. They have dinners every day except Sundays, and on Fridays and Saturdays they also open for lunch.

Casa Fiero

well behaved, hides monologues by Pepe Rubianes and jokes by Eugenio in the bathroom.

Glug

Beatrice Casella and Ivan Garcia opened Glug on the corner of Viladomat with París with the idea of cooking together as they are: she Italian, he Catalan. The result is an honest fusion that includes gordal olives stuffed with roast chicken in the Manresa style, large croquettes made with whole macaroni, and mackerel with endive and bagna calda. They were chosen as the best chefs in Catalonia at the Gastronomic Forum Barcelona and they often renew the menu so that regular customers always find something new. The bar with white and red squares is the place to have a good time.

77 Kilos

Gerard Cuartero and Sara Di Bari run this restaurant on Mallorca street where the menu, handwritten by her, changes according to the season. Both worked at La Panxa del Bisbe in Gràcia and have brought the same solvency in the form of small plates to share to the Eixample. The croquettes are iconic and Sara knows a lot about wines, and she likes to recommend them glass by glass. It's a discreet place, with very reasonable prices, designed for going with someone you want to talk with.

Pepa Bar and Wines

At Aribau street 41 there is a small bubble where Camila Espinoza, owner and sommelier, perfectly remembers what you drank the last time you went there. El Pepa works with small plates to share: the classic Russian salad, ensaïmada with Ricotta, sobrassada and honey, eggs with broad beans, and shredded white sausage. It is one of the favorite spots of the Barcelona's show business, as evidenced by the Polaroid photographs hanging on the walls. A tip: go there with a reservation and without a hurry, because at Pepa you know when you enter, but not when you leave.

Bar Alegria

The truffle omelette and the bikini that transports you to childhood are two of the dishes that have made this establishment at 133 Comte Borrell street a meeting point for vermouth lovers. Bar Alegria, which has more than a century of history, is stylishly run by Tomás Abellán. It is a place with a lot of past and a lot of present life.

Two more extra options beyond Catalan cuisine

Maitea Tavern

Basque tavern on Casanova street 155, near the Hospital Clínic, which resolves practically any situation: large groups, impromptu dinners, celebrations or a day when you don't feel like cooking. You will find classic pintxos such as Arbizu's chistorra and cod omelette, but also very Catalan products such as Cal Rovira's 'botifarra del perol'. They have an enviable wine cellar and prepare group menus so you only have to worry about eating.

Yipin Lanzhou Noodles

An authentic Chinese place on Calàbria street 110, between Gran Via and Diputació, where the owner, Xiaomei Gao, prepares handmade Lanzhou noodles with a spiced broth that once you've tried, you'll miss. The grilled lamb and beef skewers are the other specialty. At lunchtime, a queue forms on the street, especially of young people of Chinese origin, which is always a good sign. It's a very economical place, suitable for all budgets, and you order via QR code as they do in China.