After an afternoon in a bar, you sympathize with the barons of the Popular Party and the Socialist Workers’ Party: who would want to work if they could always take vacation? But if you’re not lucky enough to have your friends find a place for you, stop by the beaches of Barcelona, where the beach bar season has already begun. These are the best recommendations where you can park your butt and surrender to the pleasures of life.
Shall we start with the classics? You probably already have the Nuri family on your radar, the group behind Ca la Nuri (Somorrostro Beach), Xiroi (Nova Icària), and Sal Mar (Barceloneta). Any of these three is a safe bet: their rice dishes do them justice. Not much of a rice farmer? Their appetizers (salads, croquettes, bravas…) or their traditional dishes (try the cannelloni) get equal stars.
An option for parking addicts: Salt Beach Club. It is the bar of the W Barcelona hotel (Passeig Mare Nostrum, 19-21), which starts the summer by renovating the place and its menu (with Mediterranean dishes, both tapas and paella). Its location, just a short walk from Sant Sebastià Beach, gives it the Instagram stamp of approval as the perfect place for late-night cocktails. This is where good photos come from.
Another way to fit in is with a snack bar. Ask the Repsol Guide, which has recognised several establishments on the Catalan coast with Sols. In Barcelona, its neighbours are Xiringuito Escribà (Avinguda Litoral, 62) and Can Fisher (Avinguda Litoral, 64), on Bogatell beach, which will leave lovers of good food (and good rice) satisfied.
Following the Repsol guide, there are two other key elements. In Badalona: L’Estopindo (Edouard Marestani, 75 years old) and La Donzilla de la Costa (Passig-Maritimes, s/n). Both are historic bars where Catalan cuisine and good wine are worshiped. A recommendation in Badalona for tight pockets: Marbrava (Plaça Pati de Vela, 2), with more than decent dishes and a solid weekday menu at €15.90. In addition, it is located directly on the beach, in one of the most picturesque areas of the Badalone coast. Having a beer here leaves you with plenty of story shots that will be the envy of many.
And if you’re a bar lover, it’s time to eat Renfe. Castelldefels is the hotspot. Here are some of the most popular ones in Catalonia. For example, Chalito (passeig Marítim, s/n), another Sol de Repsol restaurant, with a diverse menu featuring a lot of Latin American food – including giant Milanese. Or Ananda, which is open from 9am to 11pm, and has a schedule of activities throughout the day: from yoga to start off on the right foot, to a cocktail menu to end a day at the beach.
Castelldefels also has the Tibu-Ron beach agglomeration. Of all its offerings, a classic restaurant stands out: Solraig (passeig Marítim, 169), with its excellent seaside rice dishes, and the well-kept secret, Punta Roca (Port Ginesta), tucked away in a small cove away from most beaches. Crowded areas, which wins in TikTok beach recommendations.
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