Barcelona is at the very forefront of exciting and innovative European cuisine. Visitors flock to the city in their masses to sample the many eating and drinking gems that the city has to offer. According to the 2016 Michelin guide, Catalonia boasts fifty restaurants with a star, compared to twenty-one in the Basque country and sixteen in Madrid. Here are some of Barcelona’s most spectacular restaurants with a Michelin star that are well worth a visit if your budget allows:
Table of Contents
Enoteca
Where? Hotel Arts, Carrer de Marina, 19-21
Chef Paco Pérez earned two Michelin stars for Enoteca for its imaginative take on contemporary Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on fish and seafood. Pérez trained with Michel Guerard and at the renowned El Bulli before taking over Mirimar in Llançà which was also awarded two Michelin stars. High quality local ingredients are used at Enoteca to bring the flavours of the sea alive. What’s more, the restaurant has a phenomenal wine cellar with over 700 wines from all over the world.
Enoteca is best enjoyed in the summer months when the terrace is open, offering an al fresco dining experience with glorious views of Barcelona’s Port Olympic.
Moments
Where? Mandarin Oriental, Passeig de Gràcia, 38
Moments, headed by Catalan female chef Carme Ruscalleda and her son Raül Balam also has two Michelin stars. Ruscadella is famous for her innovative ideas having gained seven Michelin stars for her restaurants in Spain and Japan. The restaurant offers a fresh and creative gastronomic experience inspired by Catalan culture with the choice of the à la carte or tasting menu. The decor is elegant, the atmosphere relaxed and understated and the food is incredibly refined and sophisticated. While it’s not cheap by any measure, an evening at Moments will be most definitely be unforgettable.
Dos Palillos
Where? Carrer d’Elisabets, 9
Dos Palillos, run by Albert Raurich and wife Tamae Imachi, former chef de cuisine at El Bulli, received its first Michelin star in 2012 for its exciting and innovative fusion of Spanish and Asian tapas. A visit to Dos Palillos offers a truly unique dining experience as the restaurant replicates a Toyko food bar which you can sit around and watch the chefs prepare your food. Unlike many other Michelin star restaurants, the atmosphere is informal, however the main draw is the phenomenal quality of its tapas. Think steamed prawn dumplings, iberian pork and thai razor clams.
The tasting menus cost €45 and €60 euros per head.
Cinc Sentits
Where? Carrer de Aribau, 58
Cinc Sentits, meaning five senses, is one of Barcelona’s most reputable Michelin star restaurants buried in the heart of Barcelona’s charming Eixample district. The restaurant received its Michelin star in 2008 for its impressive range of creative and original dishes which offer a contemporary twist to traditional Catalan cuisine. Chef Jordi Artal uses locally sourced ingredients and experimental techniques to provide the diner with an explosion of different flavours and sensations. On the menu, you will find dishes such as caramelised foie gras, crispy pork chops and white asparagus.
The restaurant itself is stylish and intimate and the wine list is extensive and not too pricey. The tasting menu at Cinc Sentits will set you back €79 euros per person.
Leave a Comment