Location: Barcelona, Spain Cuisine: Catalan Tucked away near Barcelona’s Estació de França, Restaurant Estrella is the kind of place that feels both traditional and quietly inventive. Its menu is rooted in Mediterranean and Catalan cooking, with a strong focus on seasonal produce, fresh fish…
Winter began in motion but quickly settled into something more introspective. After nearly a month travelling through Southeast Asia, we returned to London in the early hours of December 8th, stepping out into damp, cold air that felt almost theatrical in its greyness. Winter…
Barcelona did not always have good coffee. For years, much of the city ran on torrefacto, the dark, sugar-coated roasting method that produces a bitter flavour and masks the quality of the bean. Café con leche culture dominated, and few places paid serious attention…
Location: Barcelona, Spain Cuisine: Galician Some restaurants feel like good recommendations, while others feel like discoveries that stay with you long after the meal ends. We first went to O Retorno in summer 2025 with friends who were visiting Barcelona, following a recommendation from…
Autumn 2025 unfolded as a season of return and departure, of unpacking and repacking, of settling in and setting off again. It began on a volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic and ended somewhere between Bangkok traffic and London frost. In between,…
Location: Barcelona, Spain Cuisine: Catalan / Spanish (Tapas) Carrer de Ribes is one of those streets that makes you feel like you are slightly outside the Barcelona most visitors see. It runs between Sagrada Familia and Clot, pedestrian-friendly, lined with neighbourhood bars and restaurants,…
Location: Barcelona, Spain Cuisine: Japanese Japanese food is everywhere in Barcelona. Walk a few blocks in almost any neighbourhood, and you will pass a ramen bar, a sushi counter, or a minimalist dining room serving donburi and tempura. The city has developed a genuine…
Location: Barcelona, Spain Cuisine: Catalan / Spanish We first went to Norte in April 2025, almost by accident. It was one of those easy Barcelona lunches that begins with a couple of cañas and the vague intention of ordering something small. Instead, we stayed.…
Barcelona is a city of barrios, each with its own rhythm, flavour and story. From beachy stretches in the east to hillside hideaways in the west, the city unfolds across ten districts, home to dozens of distinctive neighbourhoods with overlapping borders and unique identities.…
This post is part of my Barcelona Neighbourhood Guides series. Fancy visiting another area of Barcelona? Check out my other guides here, including information regarding the sites, history, charm, food and drinks of the area you’re curious about. Tucked away from the tourist-heavy bustle of…