Neighbourhood restaurants in Barcelona, away from the tourist areas

Barcelona has hundreds of restaurants, but many of the best aren't on La Rambla or in Barceloneta. They're tucked away in bodegas in residential neighbourhoods and in low-key spots in the Eixample, often just a few streets from the monuments but with a completely different atmosphere.

These are some of the places people from here recommend without hesitation.

Why leave the tourist areas

Away from the busiest areas you'll usually find:

• Better value for money
• More authentic cooking
• The chance to experience the real rhythm of the neighbourhood
• Friendly service in family-run businesses

Eixample Esquerra

Although it's right in the centre, much of the neighbourhood is residential and the people eating here are mostly from the area. Among the doorways and corner cafés there are some very good restaurants.

• Gresca: Rafa Peña's restaurant, on Carrer de Provença. Cooking with Catalan roots and fresh ideas, without unnecessary frills.
• Can Boneta: on Carrer Balmes. Catalan market cooking and a lunchtime menu that fills up fast. It's small, so it's best to book.

Sant Antoni

Fashionable, but still full of residents. Sant Antoni mixes tradition and new places around its market.

• Bodega d'en Rafel: on Carrer de Manso, opposite the market. An old-school bodega, with vermouth, home-made dishes such as meatballs or esqueixada (salt cod salad) and a loyal neighbourhood crowd. It changed hands a few years ago and has kept its spirit.
• Federal Café: on Carrer del Parlament. More international, but one of the locals' favourite weekend brunch spots. Be ready to queue.

Sants

A long-established neighbourhood, with an active community and reasonable prices.

• La Deskomunal: a cooperative that combines a concert venue and a restaurant, on Carrer del Tenor Masini. A weekday lunch menu with vegetarian and vegan options at affordable prices.

Poble-sec

At the foot of Montjuïc, Poble-sec has become one of the favourite neighbourhoods for eating out.

• La Chana: an Andalusian-style tavern run by a woman from Cádiz, with southern tapas and a good selection of sherries.
• El Sortidor de Filomena Pagès: on Plaça del Sortidor. Catalan and Mediterranean cooking in premises dating from 1908 that keep their Modernista feel, with marble tables and a century-old icebox.

Tips from the people who live here

• Always ask about the dish of the day: many cooks buy their ingredients at the market that very morning.
• Look for blackboards with the menu written by hand. It's usually a good sign.
• Have dinner late: here people eat from nine o'clock onwards.

More than a place to eat

These restaurants are part of neighbourhood life. They reflect the real Barcelona: a mix of tradition, change and local identity.

Forget polished menus and décor designed for Instagram, and try flavours that have been part of the city for generations. If you'd like to have these neighbourhoods close by, have a look at our apartments.