From Mexico to China: 5 Barcelona restaurants you can't miss this summer
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A selection of establishments to travel without leaving the city
Amei, holding one of the dishes from her establishment in Horta-Guinardó
Proximity cooking excites us, but sometimes we feel like stepping out of our comfort zone and experimenting through different pantries and culinary cultures that help us travel even if it's just mentally.
We have selected some of the restaurants you can't miss if you want a culinary adventure this summer. And undoubtedly, Barcelona is a great city to be a foodie and explore flavors from other latitudes.
Jiribilla
We start the route in Central America with chef Gerard Bellver, who left Barcelona at the age of twelve to live in Mexico, a country where he trained in gastronomy during his youth. Jiribilla (85 Comte Borrell) is the result of his life between two cultures, Catalonia and Mexico. It is the genuine commitment of a chef who has returned home to bring together the culture of his roots and the acquired one. He does this through a menu that the diner can decide on or customize with the help of the team, at an average price of 60 euros.
Sichuan
Don't forget to visit Sichuan (147 St. Antoni Maria Claret) if you want to experience authentic Chinese flavors in a great neighborhood restaurant next to the modernist Sant Pau complex. Their traditional dishes from the Sichuan province are known for their intense and delicate flavors. We recommend trying the Chinese eggplant casserole, fried sweet potato noodles, or the Peking duck, which is served here with all its ceremony. For less than 20 euros, you can taste the flavors of China.
Benditto
Caterina Mirenda, the owner of this Italo-Catalan vermouth bar on Bailén Street, and her partner, chef Victor Ferrer, present a gastronomic proposal consisting of delicious cold dishes with rustic cured meats from a town near Florence. Do not hesitate to try the restaurant Benditto (158 Bailèn) if you want Italian creations beyond pasta, pizza, or tiramisù.
Casa Pince
Without neglecting the local pantry, we recommend Casa Pince (21 Ferran), where Silma Ayres cooks traditional tapas and dishes with a nod to Brazil, her home country. At 32 years old, this is the first project of the Brazilian chef who has trained at the Basque Culinary Center, DiverXo, El Celler de Can Roca, Direkte Boqueria, or Moments, offering a menu for €18.5.
Dos Palillos
And we finish strong with the haute cuisine proposal from Dos Palillos (9 Elisabets). Sensitive palates will enjoy the brilliant reinterpretation of Oriental cuisine, especially from Japan, which is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year under the direction of chef Albert Raurich and Japanese sommelier Tamae Imachi with a €140 tasting menu. The chef, who was head of cuisine at El Bulli for a decade, uses the concept of tapas as a way to understand gastronomy due to their simplicity within the complexity of Asian cuisine.