Are you travelling to Spain but don’t know what street food in Barcelona to try during your trip? Fear not, as we are about to cover some of the tasty staples you can find throughout the city. Barcelona city centre is only a 30-minute Barcelona airport transfer and is a wonderful place for a day trip if you are visiting a different Spanish city nearby such as Girona or Tarragona.

If you would like to see this beautiful city while on your holiday you can organise a private Girona transfer or a private Tarragona transfer with us to ensure it is a stress-free trip. While visiting you can experience some of the tapas, which are small Spanish snacks and meals, available throughout the streets of Barcelona.

Patatas Bravas Barcelona Street Food

Originating in Madrid, patatas bravas or ‘bold potatoes,’ are a popular street food in Barcelona that consists of fried potatoes with a spicy sauce and sometimes an aioli.

The distinctive flavours of this dish are paprika and garlic, as well as a savoury tomato flavour in the sauce. To best experience this dish, it is recommended to ask about what is in the sauce, not only to check for the spice level, but to ensure an authentic sauce is being served instead of usual condiments such as ketchup and mayo.

One recommendation we have for you is Bar Tomas, located in the Sarria district, which is reported to be a favourite by locals to get this delicious snack. Here the dish consists of hand-cut potatoes topped with a thick garlic aioli sauce and a secret spicy oil.

Fabrica Moritz is another recommendation, where two versions of this dish are served. This consists of bravas d’alla which is served with mayonnaise, a mild spicy tomato sauce, and is dressed with a spicy olive oil. It also consists of bravas d’aqui which is also dressed in a spicy olive oil but is only served with a red spicy aioli. This brewery is in the San Antoni neighbourhood between El Raval and Eixample.

The last recommendation we have for you is Elsa y Fred, who use a larger array of potato wedges to make their patatas bravas. These are then topped with a sauce made from a combination of spicy oil, creamy aioli, and roasted garlic. Only a 5-minute walk from the Arco de Triunfo de Barcelona this cozy restaurant is the perfect place to get a much-needed snack.

Iconic Street Food Sandwiches in Barcelona

Barcelona has a fascination with a variety of sandwiches including the Bikini sandwich, as well as Entrepa and Bocadillo on a broader spectrum.

The bikini sandwich is a Catalan adaptation of the croque monsieur that gets its name from the Sala Bikini nightclub where it was developed back in the 50s. Ham and toasted cheese, along with truffle oil in some locations, are what makes this sandwich such a big hit with the locals. The consensus is that Tapas 24, located in the Exiample quarter, is the best place to get this sandwich in Barcelona.

Both Bocadillo and Entrepa, which literally means ‘between bread,’ allow for customisation of the fillings, ranging from a combination of ham, cheese, and tomatoes to more unique ingredients such as smoked salmon and black beans. The difference between these though is that Entrepa can be between any kind of bread, but Bocadillo is specifically made with a sliced loaf.

Bo de Be is a popular sandwich shop to stop by, which includes a wide variety of ingredients to customise your sandwich to your heart’s content. This shop is in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona along Carrer de la Merce within the heart of Barcelona, making it the perfect place to get a bite while exploring the city.

Tortilla de Patatas Barcelona Street Food

This simple omelette is made with potatoes, eggs, salt, oil, and the ever-debated onions. It is one of the most famous foods in Barcelona, and the entirety of Spain. While this dish is typically served as a breakfast food, as it is eaten both in triangles and in sandwiches, it can be eaten all day long and is a tapas staple.

A recommended location to try this dish is El Xampanyet, which is a Tapas bar next to the Picasso Museum. The proximity to this museum makes this an easy stop to get brunch after a trip through the museum.

If you venture into the Gracia neighbourhood you can find Flash Flash, which has over 50 tortilla options, and a few different options of tortilla de patatas. This includes but is not limited to classic, onion, and Spanish ham options. During your trip to Barcelona, you can try this dish and see for yourself which side of the onions or no-onions debate you find yourself to be on.

Empanada Street Food in Barcelona

While this pastry is usually filled with potatoes in Barcelona in street stalls, there are a variety of fillings that you can choose from during your time in Barcelona. Included are meat, seafood, cheese, and vegetable options.

The city has two kinds of empanadas to offer. There are both Galician and Argentinian empanadas, Galician usually being large and shallow pie squares that are cut into pieces while Argentinian empanadas are fatter individual pastries.

The difference between these two types is not only the shape but the typical fillings as well. Galician empanadas more commonly have a filling of tuna and olives, but also include other meat and seafood options, as well as a spinach and cheese option. The Argentinian empanadas allow for a wider variety of filling options.

La Fabrica is one location where you can get some Argentinian empanadas and is in the centre of the Gothic Quarter. However, if you would rather have a relaxed day at your hotel, they also have a delivery option, so you won’t miss out on this iconic Barcelonian street food.

If you would rather try a Galician empanada, El Club de la Empanada is the place to go. They are also located in the Gothic Quarter and sell the entire large empanada, or single-serving portions if you are not feeling quite that hungry.

Barcelona Jamon

Jamon is another Spanish staple to try during your trip to Barcelona.

This cured ham is found in most markets and food stalls and is served both alone in a paper cone, and either on top of bread or in one of the city’s many different sandwiches. There are multiple different Jamon cuts you can get in Barcelona. The main three include Serrano, Iberico, and Iberico de Bellota.

Available in bars, restaurants, markets, and cafeterias, this dish is perfect for any meat-eater visiting Barcelona. While it is easily available and not difficult to find, going to the Jamon Jamon cured ham bar in the Poble Nou District allows for a variety of different Spanish meats to be tried. If you would rather eat on the go you can pick up some of this staple in the La Boqueria market. This market has over 300 stalls for you to peruse while enjoying some tasty Jamon tapas.

Street Food Markets in Barcelona

In addition to this popular food market within the city centre, there are several other food markets to visit in Barcelona.

Eat Street

This market in Nau Bostik takes place in late winter and spring and is unique in how there is always a certain topic being focused on, with a whole experience being created around each topic. Although there is free entry to this street food market, getting there early will ensure you are able to get a taste of the creative foods available, as there is limited capacity.

Palo Alto Market

Taking place on either the first or second weekend of each month, Palo Alto Market offers both organic and fast-food options to visitors. Held in an old factory building in the Poblenou neighbourhood this market does have a small entry fee. However, in addition to having food stalls, there are also art stands and live music as the district this market is in is a favourite location for emerging artists.