14 Best Restaurants in Sant Pere and Born-Ribera, Barcelona

Specializing in Catalan bar food and local, organic, biodynamic, and natural wine, this sometimes-rowdy bar may not look like much from the outside but the hordes of people waiting to be seated give it away. Top choices include the mushroom carpaccio with wasabi vinaigrette and strawberries, the black squid-ink croquettes and the spicy patatas bravas.

Just down the road from the Picasso Museum, Bodega La Puntual might look like a tourist trap, but it's a classic, specializing in hearty portions of Catalan fare, made from seasonal, locally sourced produce. Top menu choices include the fresh marinated anchovies, the plate of premium hand-cut Iberian jamón, and trinxat: a traditional Catalan dish made with potatoes, cabbage, and pork meat, served with a fried egg. 

It's has been in a permanent feeding frenzy for more than 30 years, intensified by hordes of tourists, but this loud, hectic bar manages to keep delivering the very highest quality tapas, year-in and year-out. Be prepared to wait up to an hour for a place at the counter; reservations for the tables in the tiny back room and on the outdoor terrace are accepted, but the counter is where the action is.

If you're looking to freshen up after a long, sweaty day of sightseeing, this artisanal Italian-owned gelateria is just the ticket. In addition to a broad range of dairy-based flavors, there are plant-based options and fresh-fruit sorbets, plus gluten-free cones. The vegan dark chocolate gelato is a particular favorite. Open every night until midnight. 

Between the buzzing indoor dining room, the breezy outdoor patio, and the strongest Bloody Mary game in town, there's a reason why Picnic has reigned supreme on the Barcelona brunch scene for more than a decade. House specials include the quinoa and potato hash browns, the fried green tomatoes with feta and fresh corn salsa, and, of course, the killer eggs Benedict. Accompany it with a ginger gin lemonade or one of the famous chipotle Bloody Marys and you won't go home disappointed. 

One of the oldest bakeries in the city, Brunells has occupied the same corner in El Born since 1852. Recently remodeled, it now sports a contemporary look worthy of a Wes Anderson movie, while its flakey butter croissants filled with everything from ham and cheese to salted caramel, regularly win awards as some of the best in the city. 

Brunch spots may be ten a penny these days but few can compete with the superb, French-owned Cremat 11, almost hidden down this tiny street behind the Picasso Museum. The dining room is small but cozy, and there is also a shady outdoor patio on what is arguably one of the prettiest squares in the city. The menu is short and to the point: featuring all the brunch staples like pancakes, eggs Benedict, and burgers, although the real show stoppers here are the steak and eggs (served succulent and medium rare) and the mouthwatering foie-gras sausage and fries, not to mention the killer cocktails. 

Hidden away at the end of a narrow unmarked passageway off the Pla del Palau, near the Santa Maria del Mar church, this restaurant is a favorite with well-heeled and well-fed gourmands who tuck in their napkins before devouring some of the city's best traditional seafood dishes. Don't bother asking for a menu—there isn't one (although you can pre-book a set menu in advance online if you prefer), rather, you can either place yourself completely in the hands of the team, or tell your server what your budget is (starting from around €50 per person).

Just down the street from the Museu Picasso, dangling botas (leather wineskins) announce one of Barcelona's liveliest and most visually appealing taverns, with marble-top tables and walls decorated with colorful ceramic tiles, some of which may look like they've been here since the joint opened in 1929. It's usually packed to the rafters with a rollicking mob of local and out-of-town celebrants.

One of the better grazing destinations in El Born (it's part of the Sagardi group of Basque restaurants) the bar here is topped with a colorful array of tapas and pintxos (bite-sized snacks typical of the Basque country, served on a toothpick). The restaurant section (which also houses an art gallery) is usually completely booked, but it's more fun to sip and nibble in the bar anyway.

The cosmopolitan crowd here doesn't just come for hip vibe and stylish decor; Fismuler Barcelona re-creates its Madrid-based mothership's precise, market-based cooking and adds interesting local touches. Star dishes include a translucent, semi-cured carpaccio of gilthead bream with grapes and almonds, and an unctuous, complex cheesecake that tastes more like cheese than cake and is an utterly sinful, gooey delight.

This no-frills, big-flavor southern-Italian restaurant near the Via Laietana is a favorite with locals for its friendly prices, boisterous atmosphere, and generous portions of burrata, lasagne, ragù, carbonara, and so on, featuring authentic ingredients from the in-store deli. Leave room for the excellent tiramisu.

This dapper, friendly space attracts a crowd with its excellent wine list and the well-crafted tapas based on classic Catalan and Asturian recipes. Consider the black pudding with grilled squid and fabada (Asturian bean stew). Year-round late-night hours make it a handy option.

An attractive wood-and-stone cider-house replica, Sagardi piles the counter with a dazzling variety of cold Basque-style pintxos served on toothpicks; even better, though, are the hot offerings from the kitchen. The restaurant in back serves Basque delicacies like codfish omelettes and txuletas de buey (beef steaks) grilled over coals. The other Sagardi branch at Carrer Muntaner 70–72 is equally good. The outdoor patio gets hectic in the high season but is quite lovely if you can find an empty spot.