Final week I spent 4 days in Barcelona with my household. Technically, we had been there to rejoice my center son’s 18th birthday, however I had my very own agenda. I wished to seek out Barcelona’s greatest ethnic eating places and make my tastebuds joyful once more after a yr of residing in Malaga the place the meals scene is nice, however let’s consider, missing in good ethnic eats.
Spanish Meals is Good, however it’s Missing in Spice
This isn’t a diss on conventional Spanish delicacies, as a result of Spanish meals is scrumptious. It’s additionally extremely numerous and wholesome. Nonetheless, after residing my complete grownup life between New York Metropolis and Philadelphia, I’m accustomed to consuming a a lot bigger number of meals from totally different world cultures. Jamaican, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Thai and Indian had been simply our common take-out choices whereas residing in Philly. If we had been consuming out, the sky was the restrict for ethnic eats.
However right here in my new adopted residence of Malaga, the choices simply aren’t as plentiful, numerous, or genuine. Working example, most Indian eating places are coupled with Mexican eating places for what motive, I can’t surmise. And neither delicacies at these Mexi-Indian joints is superb. So, contemplating the truth that Barcelona is the second largest metropolis in Spain and boasts an extremely numerous inhabitants, I simply knew I’d be capable to discover a good number of ethnic eating places to fulfill my cravings. And I used to be proper!
4 Ethnic Eating places in Barcelona You Ought to Strive on Your Subsequent Journey
That is the record of ethnic eating places we ate at whereas visiting Barcelona for the primary time. Although we actually stumbled upon all 5 locations, all of them turned out to be scrumptious and extremely rated by reviewers.
Manga Rosa – Cuban
How fortunate that we discovered ourselves staying at an AirBnB within the Eixample neighborhood, that was proper subsequent door to a tiny, however tasty Cuban restaurant that served lunch and dinner. With a handful of tables each outdoors and in, Manga Rosa felt like a family-owned spot with comforting, homestyle dishes that had been fantastically plated and got here in beneficiant parts. From aromatic feijoda, to a Brazilian impressed burger that was loaded with toppings together with, avocado and a fried egg, all the things we ordered was scrumptious. I don’t drink alcohol, but when I did, I’d have ordered a mojito to pair with my dish of black beans, rice, yucca and rooster. For our first meal in Barcelona, Manga Rosa didn’t disappoint. Bonus: Should you like music, there was a DJ spinning tunes within the evenings we had been there as properly.
La Pachuca – Mexican
No disrespect to the Mexican eating places in Malaga, however they can not examine to La Pachuca in Barcelona. We ate ourselves foolish at this tiny institution within the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. Clearly, I’m not Mexican, however the meals at La Pachuca managed to style fully genuine, however nonetheless really feel elevated with a contact of caprice and shock. Taking our options from the waiter, we ordered the nachos – which had been a full meal by themselves as they had been loaded with cheese, rooster, black beans, guacamole and pico de gallo – the recent tuna tostadas, and the tacos Cochinita Pibil. My mouth is watering simply writing these phrases. Beneficiant parts, recent flavors, crispy selfmade corn tortillas, and harmonious tastes and textures with all the things. Even the drinks had been divine. I had a selfmade lemonade and el esposo and the children had agua frescas that had been candy and refreshing. La Pachuca proprietor, Jose Luis Garcia, instructed us that though that they had the misfortune of opening in early 2020 (after which being compelled to close down due to the pandemic), they’ve amassed such a scrumptious popularity, that there’s normally a line to get in to eat, so do what we did and go early. It’s undoubtedly well worth the wait!

Ramen Home Barcelona – Japanese with a Twist
My son wished ramen for his birthday dinner and we didn’t should look very far to encounter Ramen Home Barcelona, one other cozy little restaurant simply minutes away from our AirBnB. After testing some critiques on-line, I found it was rated top-of-the-line ramen locations in Barcelona, and that’s excessive reward as a result of there are a whole lot of ramen eating places in Barcelona. Enjoyable reality about Ramen Home Barcelona; though they served genuine Japanese ramen- savory pork and rooster broth- with all of the fixings – boiled egg, pork cutlet, seaweed and sesame seeds – and selfmade noodles, the menu additionally consists of some Filipino dishes as properly. Since we got here for the ramen, that’s what we had, however we ended our meal with a yummy, selfmade, Filipino dessert, which was a heat yuca and coconut cake served with vanilla bean ice cream.
Honorable Point out: Rossini – Italian
Truthfully, Rossini is an Italian restaurant, serving largely pizzas and pastas, and paella, so I barely think about it an ethnic restaurant, however our meals was scrumptious, and the situation is so gorgeous, I figured I’d add it to this record of ethnic eats to attempt in Barcelona. Babygirl and I ordered the brick-oven pizzas and we weren’t dissatisfied. The crust was good, sauce was savory, and the toppings scrumptious. My son had the mushroom pasta with a light-weight cream sauce and el esposo had the black rice with squid. Every part was actually tasty, however the truth that we had been sitting in a shocking palm tree laden plaza – the Plaza Actual – with pewter fountains and pastel-colored buildings throughout us, added an additional aspect of enjoyment to a satisfying meal.
Honorable Point out #2: Manna Gelats

Technically you might argue that gelato is ethnic ice cream, so I’m okay with placing Manna Gelats on my record. Additionally within the Gothic Quarter, Manna Gelats had me crying tears of pleasure after sampling their home speciality, ginger ice cream. I’ve by no means had ginger ice cream earlier than, and was not sure if I would really like it, however it was superb. It tasted of recent ginger and was mild and ethereal but additionally creamy. I paired the ginger ice cream with lemon sorbet and savored each single lick of my cone. My son tried the mojito sorbet -made with actual rum – and he stated it was the very best sorbet he’d ever tried. Was it the rum? Perhaps. Had we found Manna Gelats on our first day, as an alternative of our final, I’d have discovered a motive to return each single day we had been there. It was that good.
Barcelona is the Place for Ethnic Eating places
For sure, a whole lot of my greatest moments in Barcelona had been spent consuming. Sure, the Sagrada Familia was spectacular, however so had been these nachos. 4 days was clearly not sufficient to get all of my ethnic consuming in for the yr, so I undoubtedly should make plans for my subsequent go to. There’s an Ethiopian and a Jamaican restaurant I need to attempt. And, there appears to be an abundance of empanadas in Barcelona. I’ve to determine why, and I must pattern a few of these as properly.
Till we (m)eat once more Barcelona!
Do you may have any options for ethnic eating places I ought to attempt the subsequent time I’m in Barcelona? Please go away them beneath within the feedback.