The 23 best paella restaurants in Barcelona

Can Ros is another reason to head to Barceloneta for a meal, with its affordable set lunch menu and the à la carte menu boasting a special section for rice dishes, where you'll find an outstanding rice with ‘capipota’ (calf’s head and foot) and prawns, and a melt-in-your-mouth rice with lobster. The black rice with cuttlefish and artichokes – artichokes are a good litmus test – was everything we’d hoped for and more. To whet our appetite we ordered squid croquettes, which arrived fried to perfection, resting on a lovely cushion of alioli (garlic mayonnaise) and tomato sauce. Simplicity, just what we were after.

One of those timeless places, with a classic, unfussy menu where the watchwords are premium produce and traditional cooking. They do one of the best paella in the city, but we recommend the fillet of beef and the melt-in-your-mouth sardines.

In the Captaincy of Sant Adrià del Besòs, you'll come across Cantina Marina Seca, nestled among hydraulic lifts, yachts, and concrete – a family restaurant catering to truckers and sailors. And the food is fantastic. Toni Vilaró opened it in 2007 and manages the small miracle of serving an excellent crab rice: his Valencian recipe comes with a spicy mayonnaise served inside the head of the spider crab, and it hits the perfect creamy balance, neither too soupy nor too dry. But Vilaró doesn't limit himself to traditional rice dishes; his menu includes creations like rice with scallops and wild asparagus with romesco sauce. They might sound unconventional, but you can trust him.

Both Arturo and Maria José, the owners of this rustic-style seafood restaurant, are children of market vendors. He comes from a fruit and vegetable stall, and she from a fishmonger. In other words, they know a thing or two about fresh produce, which is why they collaborate with fish and seafood suppliers from all over the peninsula. Try the creamy rice with blue crab from the Delta and the black rice with squid, but on Thursdays, El Racó del Peix serves one of the best paellas in Barcelona. Fact!

Valencian chef Miguel Pardo is in charge of this high-quality eatery where you can get imaginative tapas as well as rice dishes that are so gorgeous you’ll want to eat them right out of the pan. We can definitely recommend the baby squid black rice with alioli mousse, and there’s even a vegan rice dish for your friends who aren’t up for eating meat or seafood. If it’s a bit of everything you’re after, the tasting menu features five tapas, a rice dish to share and dessert for around €35

There are some restaurants that, one way or another, always turn up on lists of recommended places to eat, whether you're searching online for where to get a good meal or chatting to friends in the know. Els Pescadors is a good example of such a place: it's got a certain character and charm, and it's in a square with seaside architecture, and what's on the menu is a mix of traditional Catalan, seafood, and market cuisine – all tied up with a dose of modernity. There you go, we've just gone and recommended it again. And the paella is something to shout about; we'd recommend the cuttlefish, sea bass and zucchini.

Envalira is in the heart of Gràcia, proving you don’t have to fight the Barceloneta crowds for a great paella or rice dish. Don’t turn your nose up at the lack of decor, because here they’ve got more important things to think about, like their seafood paella, black rice, and Milanesa rice that you’ll be dreaming about for weeks to come. Be sure to find out what’s in season as you won’t want to skip the wild mushrooms (‘rovellons’), and save room for dessert with the likes of tiramisu ice cream or fresh figs served with fresh cream and chocolate sauce.

The old baths at the train station in Badalona were remodelled with exquisite taste to house L’Estupendu, a restaurant with the flavour of Mediterranean that manages to avoid clichés. So the space has reeled us in, but what about the food? Rest assured the rice-based menu can satisfy even the most demanding of palates. In addition to classic seafood rice dishes and traditional options that are more difficult to find these days, such as rice with vegetables and cod, the menu boasts standout items like the creamy rice with mantis shrimp and octopus that will make your day. Take your time and enjoy the experience.

If what you’re craving is an authentic paella or rice dish in Barceloneta, this is the spot. Not only do they make some of the best in the city, but La Mar Salada also happens to be one of the top seafood restaurants in Barcelona. And it doesn’t get any fresher, as every morning they head out to reel in fresh fish to serve the same day. Their creative and respectful treatment of the products they use shows in their spectacular stews and paellas. We can especially recommend the ‘de senyoret’ rice with the catch of the day, and the black rice with cuttlefish and artichokes. Leave room for dessert here!