Spain is a top global destination. Charming towns, beautiful beaches, vibrant cities and delicious cuisine draw record crowds. While regions specialize in different cuisines major cities unify it all. With more than 1.7 million residents, Barcelona, is the 2nd largest city in Spain and ideal for exploring its incredible food & wine scene. More details are in my previous blog. https://foodwinetravelguys.com/barcelona-the-moxy-the-allure-why-you-need-to-go/
Let’s Start with the Wine
Barcelona is a wine city. Full stop. This is a place with endless options and the perfect opportunity to fall in love with wine. More than 15 different wine regions lie within a 2-hour drive from the city. This proximity allows you to easily visit the wineries. Or if you prefer, you can stay local. There are thousands of restaurants and tapa bars featuring a wealth of Spanish wines.
Spain produces wines that rival the best in the world–all at a fraction of the price. Whether you’re savoring a velvety Rioja tempranillo, a delicate Mencia or a crisp, dry Cava, Spanish wines deliver exceptional taste and craftsmanship. And the price will have you ordering by the bottle. You will find good quality wines at many local restaurants in the $20 Euro range per bottle.
True story: Everywhere we went in Spain, we couldn’t order one bottle of wine without the server looking at us asking “just one bottle”? It became a running joke but it still surprised us every time. I have to grin when I think about it. As I sit here and type, that’s never happened to us in the States. Wine is such a cultural staple to meals and social gatherings in Spain that’s it’s not uncommon for each person to order a bottle! I love it, it’s my kind of place.
Why I’m Addicted to Spain: The Food
Spain’s culinary philosophy centers around the use of fresh, seasonal, local ingredients with an emphasis on minimal processing and cooking methods. Olive oil, fresh seasonal vegetables, and seafood are readily available and frequently used in this Mediterranean driven cuisine. Simple preparation highlights the natural flavors of the ingredients.
Eating is also a social event in Spain. Tapa bars are everywhere. We’d call them appetizers or small bites here in the States. They are smaller portions meant to be shared with family and friends. Have you ever said I could eat a whole meal from the appetizers? Where are our Tapa bars? Maybe it’s just me but this cultural staple in Spain makes me think I’m secretly Spanish!
Zarautz Restaurant & Pintxo Bar
On our first day we visited a local restaurant and pintxo bar, Zarautz. https://www.zarautzbcn.es/ They specialize in a Basque-Catalan fusion menu. Zarautz is a local tapa/pintxo bar and restaurant that has been in business for 22 years. It’s located near the Moxy hotel and the Tarragona subway station.
Our first visit got off to a rocky start when I tried to order my first pintxo. I said I’d like one of the sausage ones and pointed to it. The dude behind the counter just stopped and said “that’s no sausage, that’s chistorra”. Of course he fully rolled the R’s to further my immediate humiliation. You could’ve heard a pin drop at that point at the bar, dead silence. He continued “they’ll kill you up north if you call that sausage”. The good news is that I survived this encounter and lived to tell about it!
The best news is that this started a full conversation. I learned about the history and pride of this Basque Country specialty and got some great recommendations on what to try. We even ordered that 2nd bottle of wine and made dinner reservations for later in the week. At the end of the meal we were given 2 free shots on the house. Getting free shots happened several times while in Spain. What is that saying exactly?? hmmmmm
La Boqueria
Another item to add to your list is a visit to Mercat de Sant Josep de La Boqueria. It’s full of fresh produce, seafood and local seasonal favorites. It is believed that the market first opened in the 13th century. Today the market is covered and features more than 200 different vendors. It’s conveniently located on La Rambla directly across from the Liceu subway stop on the green line.
I can’t finish this article without mentioning olives. Most meals and bar visits start with complementary Spanish olives. Spain produces more olives than any country in the world. More than 45% of global olive output is from Spain alone. They even claim that Italy will buy Spanish olives, make olive oil from it and claim it’s all Italian! While I can’t confirm or deny this I will say that Spanish olives are undeniably delicious.
Spanish food is craveable. In fact, I love it so much that it inspired our restaurant. Before this chapter in life, we owned a small restaurant and wine shop in California. My signature dish was paella and we regularly featured tapas and pintxos for starters–quick escapes to paradise. Food & wine are central to Spain, its culture and my soul. Perhaps that’s why I love it so. If you haven’t been, put it at the top of the list and let me know what you think when you get back!