Located on the second level of the Hotel Arts, Arola offers diners an opportunity to try chef Sergi Arola’s cuisine in a casual setting. Catalan by birth, Arola travels to Barcelona each week to oversee the kitchen. The patio sits directly beneath Barcelona’s famed Gehry fish sculpture, and the views and sea breeze make this the perfect place for a long, leisurely lunch with a good bottle of wine. There have been some reviews of late, however, stating that the quality of the restaurant has slipped with inconsistent service. The food remains excellent however, if a bit overpriced.

Opened in 1933, this Barcelona institution was a popular meeting place for members of the Govern de la República during the Spanish Civil War. After a recent renovation, the expansive restaurant’s original Art Deco design has been refreshed with lime-green walls, lemon-yellow accents and a grand, red-carpeted staircase leading up to the second floor. The full menu is available all day, but most locals agree that the breakfast offerings are the kitchen’s strong point. At night, this becomes the go-to spot for late-night eats as most of the other nearby restaurants close around midnight. (Bar Velódromo is open until 3am.)

A mainstay along the beachfront Barceloneta neighborhood since 1968, this seafood restaurant is famous for its paella.

Can Pineda is a Barcelona institution specializing in traditional Catalan cuisine. This century-old restaurant boasts a 3,000-bottle wine cellar, and serves home-cooked specialties with an emphasis on truffles, foie gras, oxtail, lobster, crayfish and the freshest ingredients from the market. The delicious dishes, ever-changing menu, warm atmosphere and friendly service are worth taking the trip to the outskirts of Barcelona.

Not far from the famous Mercat Sant Antoni is the quickly gentrifying street Carrer del Parlament, where you will find lots of small design boutiques and hipster coffee shops. Cometa, which is decorated with works by local artists, is one of the best spots in the area to enjoy a light meal (sandwiches, quiches, brownies) any time of day, or to simply relax with a cup of coffee and a book.

This restaurant inside the bustling Mercado de Santa Caterina is a fun spot to enjoy a casual and delicious lunch. The large restaurant (whose name means “kitchens” in Catalan) is almost always crowded and boisterous. Try to arrive before noon to be sure to get a table, or else plan to sidle up to the long tapas bar. The menu features classic Spanish tapas like ham and cheese croquettas as well as Asian, Mediterranean, Italian and vegetarian specialties. The dining space has a Scandinavian design aesthetic with communal tables and massive bookshelves in light wood.

In summer, Els Pescadors’ outdoor tables spill out onto a peaceful plaza in such an out-of-the-way corner of the city that you almost forget you’re in Barcelona. Just a few blocks from the ocean, with white tablecloths, attentive service and nary a car to be heard, the restaurant feels more like an elegant eatery in a seaside village. The ultra-fresh fish, some of the very best in the city, only serves to confirm that impression. Traditional Catalan and other Spanish dishes are what Els Pescadors does best. Start with green gazpacho or some grilled razor clams or shrimp. The main course rice dishes, prepared with lobster, mushrooms or meat, are also excellent. An even better option, though, is to let your server suggest which large fish to order for your party, and have them bake it whole in a layer of coarse sea salt. The presentation is lovely, and the succulent fish is packed with flavor. Once you try the whole fish baked in sea salt at Els Pescadors, you’ll understand why it’s the favored way to prepare fish in this part of the world.

Open for lunch and dinner, Paco Pérez’s contemporary Catalan restaurant has hints of international flavors—from dim sum shrimp to Wagyu Beef Wellington. An airy, white table-clothed dining room, this restaurant gives those not staying on the seafront a good excuse to visit the soaring beachside tower of the Hotel Arts Barcelona.

This desserts-only restaurant in El Born features a chocolate menu and a cheese menu that are equally drool-worthy. Whether it’s the chocolate with vinegar, strawberry, mint and pepper or the goat “cheesecake” with raspberries, red pepper and ginger that strikes your fancy, every sweet tooth is sure to be satisfied here.

This brewery and beer hall was recently renovated by Jean Nouvel and is a fun place to sample the local brew, Moritz. In a nod to the Alsatian roots of the Moritz family (who began brewing beer in Barcelona in 1864), the menu of traditional tapas also features options like Flammkuchen (a thin-crust pizza) and Pfaffenhofen (potatoes covered with bacon and melted cheese.)

Chef Robert Gelonch, who honed his molecular gastronomic skills working at El Bulli, is behind this bi-level restaurant in the removed Eixample Dreta neighborhood. The menu features inventive creations such as carrots with “nitro popcorn,” which arrives at the table still smoking and has a delectable melt-in-your-mouth consistency. The 10-course tasting menu is the best way to sample them all. Not-to-be missed is the sous-vide suckling pig, which, though not on the tasting menu, is definitely worth ordering.

Some of the best frozen treats in Barcelona can be found at this creamery in Eixample. The fig gelato is divine.

This traditional, family-friendly chocolatería is known for its rich and creamy hot chocolate, which pairs well with flakey, buttery pastries and sugary churros.

This wine bar in the charming square facing Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral is the perfect spot to sit alfresco with a glass of wine while taking in the sights and sounds of the Gothic Quarter. If you linger long enough, you’re sure to see at least a bride or two coming out of the church.

While you’re exploring Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, take a break at the Museu Frederic Marés café. There is outdoor seating in one of the city’s most picturesque small squares.

Some locals call Rias de Galicia the best seafood restaurant in town. It was one of Woody Allen’s favorite spots while shooting filming Vicki Cristina Barcelona.