How 18 Months Without Tourists May Have Revived Barcelona’s Dining Scene
In April 2021, when Barcelona’s esteemed El Barri group shuttered all its upscale restaurants—including Tickets, Pakta, and Bodega 1900—there was shock. The pandemic had been harsh, especially in Spain, but surely acclaimed chef Albert Adrià—brother of El Bulli’s Ferran—and his celebrity restaurateur partners, the Iglesias brothers, could endure. With their wealth, fame, and expertise, one would assume they were prepared. Yet, they declared bankruptcy that spring, facing debts exceeding 8 million euros.
Though COVID-19 restrictions severely impacted Spain’s restaurant scene, the El Barri group stood out as its most notable casualty. Dinners typically averaged around 100 euros ($120) per person, attracting primarily affluent visitors rather than locals who booked tables far in advance. This lifeline vanished overnight with the pandemic. Initial travel bans barred all non-Spanish residents, including other Europeans, while the wealthiest foreign tourists—Americans—were entirely shut out until June 2021.
Central Barcelona has long been characterized by heavy tourist traffic and even higher rents.However, a restaurant scene sustained by endless streams of tourists can become rather monotonous. The Born and Gothic neighborhoods, popular among visitors, have long been populated with mediocre Mytouries serving up uninspired, mass-produced versions of paellas, bravas, and croquetas. As tourists and their vacation budgets vanished, the city witnessed widespread closures of these tourist-oriented establishments, a trend that spread throughout its historic center.
As these tourist-dependent businesses struggled, Barcelona’s culinary landscape turned inward, fostering a renewed appreciation for restaurants dedicated to local clientele. With each slight easing of perplexing regulations, residents eagerly returned to their favorite dining spots. By spring 2021, the Barcelona Restaurant Association reported that nearly 30 percent of its member restaurants had shut their doors for good. While this loss included several cherished institutions, it also cleared out many tourist traps, paving the way for new independent restaurants to thrive—an opportunity that would have been nearly impossible before the pandemic. This shift gave rise to vibrant establishments like Maleducat, founded by three friends known for their irreverent and innovative approach, and Amaica, serving traditional Catalan dishes crafted by Basque chef-owner Carlos Salvador. “Many new opportunities arose during the pandemic,” Salvador notes. “Our chance came when a small space with a terrace opened up, which was perfect for adapting to changing restrictions. We’re very pleased with how it’s turned out.”
—
Young locals flock to Proper for its chef-driven, locally-inspired cuisine.A seasonal dessert featured at Proper.'The prices here have always been outrageously steep,' remarks Manuel Nuñez, the chef and co-owner of pescatarian restaurant Besta, which opened in the Eixample district of central Barcelona in February 2021. In addition to rent, new restaurants in Barcelona must pay a traspaso, or fee, to the outgoing tenant for their cafe license: In central Barcelona, these fees typically range from 100,000 to 400,000 euros ($117,000 to $466,000). Before COVID, the high costs of traspasos and rent were major hurdles for aspiring restaurateurs like Nuñez. However, as the pandemic unfolded, many departing restaurant owners began to lower their asking prices for traspasos, while landlords reduced rents to attract new tenants. By the end of 2020, Nuñez managed to negotiate a significantly lower traspaso than what had previously been offered, giving him and others historically priced out a rare opportunity in the central Barcelona dining scene.
To survive in this challenging economic environment, these new restaurants needed to cultivate a loyal local customer base. The local population of Barcelona includes Catalans, Basques, other Spaniards, and international expats who have made the city their home. At Besta, Nuñez and his partner Carlos Ramón deliberately crafted a menu aimed at these diners, featuring unique ingredients not commonly found on tourist menus, such as fresh scallops from Galicia rather than imported ones from Scotland, along with inventive cocktails made with locally distilled spirits. Residents appreciated the restaurant’s commitment to local flavors and rewarded it with repeat visits.
In the current Gothic and Born neighborhoods, shops catering to tourists are nestled alongside cozy bars and restaurants.Chef Augusto Mayer of the newly opened restaurant Proper in El Born attributes their survival to local diners, calling them 'the only reason we were able to remain open.' Initially envisioned as a Barcelona version of a steakhouse he had previously run in Buenos Aires, Proper opened its doors in July 2020. 'We thought Barcelona was a cosmopolitan city filled with tourists and that we’d attract an international crowd,' Mayer explains. 'But the pandemic shattered that illusion.' He pivoted to focus on what local residents craved instead: comfort food they weren’t preparing at home. With a hand-crafted wood-fired oven at its core, Proper transformed into a pizzeria, winning over a passionate local following with its sourdough crust. 'We’re very grateful that locals appreciated our offerings,' says Mayer.
Before the pandemic, the unassuming Catalan Mytoury Fonda Pepa in the trendy Gràcia neighborhood could easily have gone unnoticed by first-time tourists. While it doesn’t offer flashy dishes and might seem overly traditional (the cap i pota, or head-and-foot stew, is a popular choice), this is exactly the kind of authentic Catalan fare locals sought for comfort in 2020. Owner Pedro Baño Fernández’s warm hospitality and the menu’s emphasis on locally sourced ingredients—such as canyuts (a type of razor clam) from the Delta de l’Ebre, located 110 miles to the south—helped cultivate a community of regulars, a prospect that seemed unlikely for such a place not long ago.
Local ingredients are also the cornerstone of the menu at Fat Barbies barbecue, where smoky pork ribs and Hasselback potatoes cater to Spaniards in search of something beyond pa amb tomàquet. Although the restaurant had been operating for over a year when the pandemic struck, chef-owner Juancho Martini felt as if they were launching a new restaurant every few weeks. He quickly shifted to a delivery model, adjusting the menu to emphasize transport-friendly sandwiches, bottling cocktails, and selling pantry items to neighbors in need. While delivery profits were minimal, the platforms served as effective marketing tools, attracting a new and larger customer base. 'When we were allowed to welcome customers back, many newcomers mentioned they discovered us through our delivery service during the lockdown,' Martini shares. This boost in business, combined with the lower cost of a traspaso, enabled the Fat Barbies team to launch a second venture, the vegan Fat Veggies, in spring 2021.
Delivery apps brought in a whole new crowd to experience the wood-fired dishes at Fat Barbies.The South American barbecue offerings at Fat Barbies attract more locals than tourists.While clever adaptations and a focus on local tastes helped attract patrons, it’s worth noting that Barcelona residents were largely confined during this period. With COVID-related dining restrictions fluctuating—takeaway one day and reduced seating the next—city dwellers were unable to escape beyond the city limits. This meant that urbanites who typically left town on weekends found themselves unable to do so, resulting in bustling business on Saturdays and Sundays that rivaled midweek traffic. Today, despite the return of lengthy reservation lists and high-priced tasting menus, there remains a thriving local scene for ambitious independent chefs who had been waiting for their moment, alongside the dedicated Mytouries that have long catered to their neighborhoods.
Of the El Barri group, only Bodega 1900 continues to operate, now renamed Bodega Lito and under the ownership of former maitre d’, Ángel. It was always the most approachable spot in the collection, a vermuteria where you could drop in without a reservation if you arrived early or late. It’s the kind of establishment that appeals to both locals and tourists, who now dine together at its tables.
Suzy Taher is a writer based in Barcelona and the founder of the blog Foodie in Barcelona. Gerard Moral is a photographer from Barcelona, specializing in portrait, travel, and lifestyle photography.
Evaluation :
5/5