In a city like Barcelona, food trends come and go pretty fast. One of the latest buzzwords in the culinary scene is more than a passing trend: Slow Food, it’s a movement, and one with staying power.
Slow Food principles include local and sustainable production, processing and shipping of ingredients; cultural significance and protection; limited use of plastic and sustainable waste disposal; and of course, creative and tasty dishes. Just over a hundred restaurants in Barcelona carry the Slow Food seal of approval, and each proudly exemplifies many or all of the Slow Food values. Many are open with guests about where their ingredients come from, and maintain personal relationships with local farmers. Cultural significance is also taken into account, because in a city as gastronomically famous as Barcelona, it is important to note restaurants that uphold culinary traditions.
But the main characteristic you’ll find in Slow Food restaurants is effort. Restaurant owners and chefs believe in working to learn, create and maintain practices that protect the local culture and environment. Our short list of just a few of the restaurants featured in the Barcelona Slow Food Guide offers a cross section of the wide variety of options available to you.
At Teóric ingredients are sourced from a small community of local suppliers, with an emphasis on “the sea and mountain.”
Teóric
Don’t let the simple interior of Teóric fool you. Using locally produced meat and fish, the chef crafts colorful dishes full of flavor; each creation looks like a work of art. Ingredients are sourced from a small community of local suppliers, underscoring an emphasis on “the sea and mountain.” But don’t worry, plant-based patrons; the chef is happy to create a menu just for you, full of local produce crafted into a delicious meal.
Carrer de Bailèn, 117 | €€ (€15-€25) | teoric.cat
At El Filete Ruso the veal is sourced from a family farm in the Pyrenees where the livestock grazes on mountain meadows year-round.
El Filete Ruso
El Filete Ruso may be a hamburger joint, but this is far from fast food. Here you’ll find gourmet burgers made with organic, KM0 meat. This means chicken from Torre d’Erbull, lamb from Cal Pauet and pork from Solsones. The veal is sourced from a family farm in the Pyrenees where the livestock grazes on mountain meadows year-round. Its flagship dish, the Russian steak, takes full advantage of this flavorful, local meat and is not to be missed.
Carrer d'Enric Granados, 95 | €€ (€15-€35) | elfileteruso.com
The entire menu at Rasoterra is plant-based with seasonal ingredients from local farmers.
Rasoterra
Rasoterra is a treat for vegans and vegetarians. The entire menu is plant-based with seasonal ingredients from local farmers—but that doesn’t mean you’ll only find salads and veggie burgers. The dishes are so delicious and creative, they regularly attract meat-eaters, too. Think baos with homemade pulled seitan and kale, or grilled baby zucchini with chickpea tartar. And to drink? Rasoterra features natural, sulfate-free wines from small producers, rounding out a fully local, sustainable experience.
Carrer del Palau, 5 | €€€ (€25-€40) | rasoterra.cat
At GatBlau you'll find Mediterranean cuisine with an inventive splash.
GatBlau
In a hip, airy space, you’ll find Mediterranean cuisine with an inventive splash: think market fish with roasted fennel and olives, or leek hearts candied with thai sauce. Since joining the Slow Food movement in 2011, the team at GatBlau has worked to research the origins of the foods it offers and provide as much information as possible about where each ingredient comes from—the website even features an interactive map that pinpoints local farms that provide the goods.
Carrer del Comte Borrell, 122 | €€ (€15-€35) | gatblaurestaurant.com
The team at Slow&Low takes pride in its eclectic cuisine.
Slow&Low
The creators of Slow&Low pride themselves on keeping their food eclectic. They sample from cuisines and cultures all over the world, from street recipes to haute cuisine techniques. Signature cocktails reinforce the creative concept, and an open-style floor plan puts the kitchen on full display. The laid-back setting provides a relaxed atmosphere to try some of the creative, tasty dishes, from Moroccan lamb with honey and orange blossom to Birria dumplings with black bean puree.
Carrer del Comte Borrell, 119 | €€€ (€18-€48) | slowandlowbcn.com
What sets El Mercader de l’Eixample apart from other Catalan restaurants in the city is that the ingredients come straight from local, sustainable farmers
El Mercader de l’Eixample
El Mercader doubles down on tradition. Located in a gorgeous Eixample apartment with the original interior left intact, the team at El Mercader serves Catalan specialties like croquetes, botifarra and bacalao a la llauna. What sets it apart from other Catalan restaurants in the city is that the ingredients come straight from local, sustainable farmers. For a truly magical experience, dine outside on the charming private terrace.
Carrer de Mallorca, 239 | €€ (€12-€30) | elmercaderdeleixample.com
What was once Miss Violeta’s grocery store over 100 years ago is now a rustic wine bar with all natural wines from around Catalunya and beyond.
La Violeta
What was once Miss Violeta’s grocery store over 100 years ago is now a rustic wine bar with all natural wines from around Catalunya and beyond. All natural means that there is no chemical intervention in the winemaking process, as well as no clarifying, filtering or added yeast or sulfates. The result is an experience that will surprise you. The food is not to be swept aside, though—try one of the delicious dishes, like cured bonito with pistachio and sour cream, and the staff will happily help you find the perfect wine to pair it with.
Carrer del Baluard, 58 | €€ (€10-€30) | creacionessomorrostro.com
Located on a quiet side street in Barceloneta, La Peninsular is a traditional bodega featuring all the tapas you know and love.
La Peninsular
In an area rife with kitsch beach bars catering to drunken tourists, La Peninsular pays homage to beach bars of the past. Located on a quiet side street in Barceloneta, this traditional bodega features all the tapas you know and love, hearty Catalan stews, and fresh seafood from the Barcelona fish market. Mouthwatering as the tapas are, don’t overlook the wine list—the owners pride themselves on it—so don’t forget to pair your food with one of their impressive selections.
Carrer de Mar, 29 | €€ (€9-€30) | tabernaycafetin.es
At A Terra Mia you can dine on Italian staples like pastas, risottos, creams and fresh cheeses and meats.
A Terra Mia
Italian food fans, this one's for you. At A Terra Mia, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the living room of someone’s environmentally conscious Nonna. In the cozy, nondescript space you can dine on Italian staples like pastas, risottos, creams and fresh cheeses and meats. A Terra Mia also has excellent Italian wines imported straight from the motherland to pair with its traditional Italian fare.
Carrer d'Enric Granados, 149 | €€ (€10-€30) | a-terra-mia.negocio.site
Pandora Domeyko.
Pandora Domeyko is a freelance photojournalist who left her home country of the United States in 2018 to create a new home in beautiful Barcelona. She loves to explore the city with her camera in tow and to experience its many diverse cultural scenes. She’s always on the lookout for interesting events and initiatives related to art, female empowerment and the environment. When she's not writing or taking photos, she's out getting lost in nature or traveling to a new corner of the world. You can see her work online at pandoradomeyko.com and you can follow her on Instagram at @pandoraexplores.