Who doesn’t love tapas? Endless sharing plates full of local delicacies glistening in the Spanish sunshine, a communal feast where the meal just keeps getting better the more you order. And while going for tapas used to be the most informal of dining experiences—typically involving mountains of greasy, deep-fried food—the definition of what tapas are has grown to include a broader range of more innovative dishes in recent years. Nowhere more so than in the fine dining mecca of Barcelona, where modern day tapas menus include everything from zingy ceviches to creamy burratas and decadent caviar-topped nigiris, along with all the fried and grilled, garlic-laden classics, of course. So, how do you max out your tapas experience? Our advice is just to go with the flow, enjoy yourself, and not stop until you can’t face another bite. Here is our pick of the best tapas bars in Barcelona right now, from the ultra-avant-garde, to the old-man bars, classic bar counters, new hotspots, and everything in between.
Read our complete Barcelona travel guide here, which includes:
How we choose the best tapas bars in Barcelona
Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors and reviewed by a local contributor who has visited that restaurant. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials. We update this list as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve.
