Paella: How to Eat Spain's Famous Rice in Barcelona
A guide to paella in Barcelona, from seafood paella and fideuà to how to spot a good version, what to avoid and where to eat it.
Paella: Spain's Great Rice Dish
Paella is a rice dish cooked in a wide, shallow pan, and it is one of the best-known foods of Spain. It originated in Valencia, where the traditional version is made with rabbit, chicken, green beans and snails, and cooked over an open fire, but it has spread across the country and every region has its variations. In Barcelona, seafood paella is the most popular, with prawns, mussels, squid and sometimes monkfish, cooked with saffron and a tomato-based sofrito, and the best versions have a crisp, caramelized layer of rice at the bottom called socarrat.
A closely related Catalan dish is fideuà, which is made with short, thin noodles instead of rice, cooked in the same way with seafood and served with aioli. It is a good alternative if you want something different, and it has a slightly toasty, concentrated flavor. Arròs negre, or black rice, is cooked with squid ink and seafood, and is another local favorite, and arròs a banda is rice cooked in a seafood stock and served with the seafood on the side.
How to Spot a Good Paella
| Sign | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Made to order | A good paella takes 30 to 40 minutes to cook, so places that serve it instantly are using pre-made rice |
| Socarrat | A thin, crisp layer of toasted rice at the base of the pan is the sign of a well-made paella |
| Minimum two portions | Most authentic paella is cooked for at least two people, so single-serving paella is often a shortcut |
| Lunchtime serving | Paella is traditionally a lunch dish, and many good restaurants serve it only at midday |
Where to Try Paella in Barcelona
Barceloneta, the old fishermen's quarter beside the beach, is the traditional place for seafood paella, with restaurants along the waterfront and in the back streets. Many of the beachfront places are touristy and overpriced, so look for the places a street or two inland, with local customers and a shorter menu. Expect to pay roughly €18 to €30 per person for a good paella, and always check whether it is served for a minimum of two people. Some restaurants in the Eixample and Gràcia also serve excellent rice dishes.
Avoid any restaurant with a paella pictured on the menu or one that advertises it on Las Ramblas. A good paella takes time, so order it at the start of your meal and enjoy a starter while you wait.
