Catalan Gastronomy Tour
A walking food tour of Barcelona
The evolution of Barcelona’s cuisine, from ‘surf and turf’ market ingredients to Adria-inspired creative tapas…
“Food is life,” Ferran Adria.
Come with us as we explore the evolution of Barcelona’s world famous cuisine, tasting the “surf and turf” raw ingredients that first shaped Catalan gastronomy, before savouring the region’s famous traditional delicacies, and then indulging our palates with wonders from the city’s creative tapas scene.
Each dish on the tour is paired with a locally-produced wine, Cava or vermouth, and the tour takes place in the central but still authentic Sant Antoni district, the historic home of Barcelona’s food production and currently the culinary home of the world’s greatest chef, Ferran Adria.
Learn
Understand the evolution of gastronomy in Barcelona, from medieval times to present day, and how ingredients from “mar y muntanya” (sea and mountain) have shaped the region’s cuisine.
Taste
Taste at least 14 different Spanish and Catalan delicacies and dishes, from the simple and sublime to the innovative and imaginative. Also included in the tour are tastings of at least 3 different local drinks.
Experience
Experience the bustle of a local market, make your own pan amb tomaquet, watch chefs at work, visit a traditional artisan’s store, and try drinking from a traditional porron vessel during this interactive tour.
Our Tour Concept & Itinerary
The concept of this tour is to take our guests through the entire evolution of Barcelona cuisine, from the basic ‘surf and turf’ ingredients to favourite regional dishes and then on to avant garde creations of modern Catalan cuisine, pioneered by the Adria brothers and propagated by top chefs throughout the city.
To do so we’ll start by exploring a local market, where (unlike at the Boqueria) you’re likely to be the only tourist, and taste some of the best raw produce farmed in Catalonia and Spain: the very ingredients that have underpinned Barcelona’s food scene for decades. We’ll engage with the market traders and begin to understand the everyday rhythms of eating, and life, in the Catalan capital.
Next we’ll visit one of the city’s authentic bodegas (wine bars) where we’ll partake in the hallowed Barcelonin ritual of aperitif and enjoy two classic tapas dishes with Spanish grown olives and homemade vermouth, as you start to feel like a local in the city.
If you’re feeling brave you’ll also have the chance to drink some wine from the legendary Spanish shared drinking vessel, the porron…
After sampling these classic dishes we will call by an artisan olive oil shop for some tangy and surprising Mediterranean tastes that will whet our appetite further. (Keep shoppers can also pick out confectionery, conserves and naturally-made soaps and toiletries at this temple of eco-produce).
Catalan chefs have been at the forefront of the world’s gastronomic creativity ever since Ferran Adria took over the kitchen at El Bulli in the early 90s, and the legacy of his triple Michelin-starred innovation is to be found everywhere in Barcelona – at least if you know where to look.
During our next stop we’ll visit a a lively modern tapas bar where some of these new taste sensations and innovative ideas live on the menu. These creative tapas, such as calamari croquetas, are best enjoyed with a glass of Cava – the regional sparkling wine made with the Champagne method in the vineyards of the Penedes, just west of Barcelona.
Before we finish they’ll still be time to stop off at an authentic cafe for the classic Spanish refreshment orxata, made with tiger nuts grown in nearby Valencia, with sweet pastries.
All along the way you’ll hear the stories behind the dishes you taste, the venues you visit and the city we love, so that by the end you’ll be left with not only a delighted palate and full belly, but also a fantastic insight into the local food scene.
Tastes, Context and Experiences
Savour 14 local dishes and delicacies, gain amazing insight into Catalan cuisine and enjoy some unforgettable Barcelona experiences
Tastes (food)
- Jamon serrano
- Jamon Iberico, aka the world’s best ham
- Catalan cheese
- Galician cheese
- Manchego cheese
- Membrillo
- Spanish olives
- Pam amb tomaquet (the famous Catalan tomato bread, which you will make yourself!)
- Cantabrian anchovies
- Artichokes with Romesco sauce, a delicious tangy Catalan salsa.
- Calamari croquettes, a delicious twist on the usual ham / cheese croquetas (dish may vary on the day)
- Beans with truffle, avocado and quail eggs (dish may vary on the day)
- Artisan olive oils
- Fartons, a sugary Spanish pastry
Tastes (drink)
- Homemade vermouth
- Cava, aka Catalan champagne
- Orxata
Context
- A brief history of Barcelona’s food supply from medieval times to present
- An understanding of what is meant by surf and turf / mar y muntana and how it shaped local cuisine
- The evolution of Catalan cuisine, from traditional tapas to Adria-inspired creativity and “molecular” cuisine
- Sant Antoni district then and now
- Local stories
Experiences
- Visit to a local market
- Making your own pan amb tomaquet (tomato) bread, a simple dish that is the pride of Catalonia
- Drinking from a traditional porron (be careful not to spill any!)
- Visit to a family owned artisan store
- See the monastery that supplied Barcelona’s fresh produce in medieval times
- Watch cooking from an open kitchen
Vegan, vegetarian or other dietary requirements? We can replace any taste sensation with something appropriate for you! Just let us know in advance.
Tour Practicalities
The cost of the tour is from €98 per person
We run the tour for you at your convenience.
The tour lasts approx. 3 hours
Private tour just for you.
The meeting point is outside La Confiteria cafe, nearby Paral-lel metro station.
You can book and pay online below, or email us on [email protected]
Why Book With Us?
- All inclusive price. Your 98 euros covers all food and drink in the tour description, expert guide, plus all taxes, booking fees etc.
- We are local. Our small team has been living in Barcelona for over 25 years in total. We support local farmers, market traders, bodegas / restaurants, and stores, and everything you taste on the tour has been grown and/or produced in Barcelona, Catalonia or Spain. Our company is registered and pays taxes here in Spain.
- Small group. We prefer exploring in a small group, for a more intimate and authentic experience.
- Sustainability. Because we taste only regional and Spanish products our tour has a low carbon footprint. Furthermore our tour takes part in one of the least touristic districts in the city – Sant Antoni. In recent years this central district has evolved from a purely residential district to home of several gastronomical trends (vermouth renaissance, hipster cafes, and creative tapas – this is where the Adria brothers opened all five of their new Barcelona restaurants) and is the most interesting place to eat and drink in the city today. By avoiding the touristic areas you are avoiding congestion, and are part of a sustainable way of travelling, instead of contributing to the problems of mass tourism in Barcelona.
- New kids on the block. We are the latest food tour to launch in Barcelona… and for that reason we have gone out of way to design what we believe is the very best food experience in the city! Otherwise what would be the point 😉
For more photos and to stay in touch check out our Barcelona Food Tours Facebook page.