Best Restaurants in El Born, Barcelona

El Born is a small neighborhood in Barcelona, it’s close to the old city and Gothic quarter and next to Barceloneta. It’s quite centrally located, but you won’t find an abundance of tourists here. That makes El Born a really pleasant neighborhood to visit. On this page I’m sharing the best restaurants and food spots in El Born, Barcelona.

Alsur Cafe & Backdoor Bar

Alsur Cafe and Backdoor bar is a very nice cafe in El Born, next to the Parc de la Ciutadella and close to the El Born Cultural Center. They’re open from 9am to 9pm and serve all kinds of delicious dishes like pancakes and smoothie bowls. And it’s also a great spot for a cup of coffee or tea with a delicious piece of homemade cake.

Vegan Junk Food Bar

Vegan Junk Food Bar originated in Amsterdam and their restaurant in El Born, Barcelona was the first restaurant abroad. On the menu you can find all kinds of junk food dishes but than in a vegan version. From burgers to loaded fries and from ‘shrimps’ to ‘chicken’ wings. I’ve often had carnivore friends saying that they liked their food at VJFB better than the original meat version.

Cremat 11

Cremat 11 is a brunch and tapas restaurant in Barcelona. They’ve got mouth-watering dishes on their menu like these blueberry pancakes with lemon curd. But they’ve also got good (vegan) burgers, avocado toast and Eggs Bennedict if you prefer a savory brunch. For the afternoons they’ve got a nice cocktailmenu.
Cremat 11 is the sister of Cremat Lounge that you can find in Eixample.

Demasié

The small Demasié bakery in El Born is mostly famous for its cinnamon rolls. They’ve got them in all kinds of flavors, from Oreo cinnamon rolls to Dulce de Leche rolls. Pictured you see their Kinder cinnamon roll. They’ve also got vegan cinnamon rolls in all kinds of flavors. And if sweet, American style, cinnamon rolls aren’t your thing; they’ve also got all kinds of cookies and other sweets.

Bar del Convent

They serve some bar snacks, but the food isn’t the main draw to Bar del Convent in Born. The location however is amazing. They’re located at the Convent of Sant Agustí. So you can enjoy your drink and nachos under the arches of the convent. It’s a quiet oasis in the El Born neighborhood and you can sit in the shade.

König

Even in the winter months you can still have breakfast or lunch in the sun at the Placa Comercial square in El Born. My favorite place for brunch there is König. They’ve got all kinds of bagels, toasts, sandwiches and focaccias that are all very reasonably prized. For around 3 to 6 euros you can get a really tasty lunch dish here.

Click here for more Barcelona on a budget tips.

The Cream BCN

PLEASE NOTE: The Cream is temporarily closed. A few doors down you can find The Cream. It’s a soft ice cream shop where you can choose between organic frozen yogurt or vegan soft serve. And you can choose from all kinds of toppings.
Besides the ice cream they also have quite the selection of vega pastries like brownies and cakes.

Tantarantana

The exact name might be difficult to remember, but I’m sure you’ll remember the food you had at restaurant Tantarantana in El Born. They’ve got delicious tapas on the menu, like beetroot hummus or mushroom croquetas. Their signature side dish is Estrellas con Patatas Caseras, eggs with homemade fries. They’ve also got good main dishes; I love their mascarpone ravioli.

El Set

El Set is a great tapas bar in Born. They only have a few tables, so make sure to reserve your spot. On the menu you’ll find delicious cheese and charcuterie platters to start with. Several kinds of provolone from the oven (my personal favorite). And tasty tapas with something for everyone (meat, fish and vegetarian). And also nice; a few options with vegetables so that you can take in some vitamins even though you’re eating out.

Sophie Gastrobar

Sophie Gastrobar is the sister of another popular restaurant in El Born; Elsa y Fred. But this colorful, newer restaurant (they opened up May 2022) is also definitely worth a visit! They’ve got a stylish interior with 3 areas, that are either completely red, green or blue. And they’ve got a lot of art works on the walls. They have all kinds of shared dining dishes on the menu, with vegetarian, meat and fish options. Their burrata is amazing, and I also recommend the mushroom croquettas.

Golfo de Bizkaia Born

Golfo de Bizkaia is a great pinchos restaurant in El Born. The waiters will come by with trays with all kinds of small bites and you can just take the ones you like. Most of them are slices of bread with a topping like sausage or cheese. You can also walk to the bar with your plate and pick out the ones you like. At the end of the night you pay 2,50 for each toothpick on your plate. I especially like Golfo de Bizkaia in summer, when you can sit outside at this corner-restaurant.

Bastaix

Bastaix is a great tapas restaurant in Born, you can find it right next to the Basilica. They’ve got an extensive tapas menu with something for everyone, from meat to fish and vegetarian. A few of my favorites where the focaccia Caprese and the focaccia with Scamorza smoke cheese and mushrooms, the truffled eggs with potatoes and the baked camembert. Don’t think that they’re full if you don’t see any free tables: they’ve got more seats downstairs. Speaking of downstairs; those seats are also great for a romantic dinner date.

Tap here for all romantic spots in Barcelona.

65 Degrees Barcelona

A great place for brunch in El Born is 65 Degrees. This small eatery has a lovely interior with a big fake tree in the back and several lights hanging from the ceiling. On the menu are classic brunch dishes with an extra touch. Their Eggs Benedict for example is made with a 65 degrees egg and crispy bacon on the brioche toast. And their avocado toast is served with with peas, mint, feta cheese, radishes, seeds and scrambled eggs.
65 Degrees Barcelona is also open in the evenings when they serve very reasonably priced dinner.

Honest Greens

Honest Greens has 3 locations in Barcelona and one of them is in El Born, just East of Gothica. Honest Greens focusses on ‘real foods’, so no artificial preservatives or refined sugars and organic where possible. It’s a great spot for a healthy meal. The entire menu (except for the artisan bread) is gluten-free.

Mescladis del Pou

Mescladis del Pou has a very nice terrace. It’s colorful and unique. On the menu are organic and sustainable dishes. Their menu is inspired by dishes from all over the world. The cafe is also a training center from a community development project. So you support a good cause while eating a nice lunch here.

Cafe Kafka

The broad streets around the El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria (the covered ruins) are great for sun seekers. Here the sun doesn’t hide between the tall buildings in the narrow streets. One of the terraces that have space in the sun is Cafe Kafka where we had this colorful beet hummus.

Dr Stravinsky

Dr Stravinsky is my favorite cocktailbar in El Born, it’s even one of the best cocktailbars in Barcelona! I love the interior a lot, it feels like you’re entering an old pharmacy or science lab. On the menu you can find what kind of cocktail you prefer (like dry or sweet) on a map. The cocktails are imaginative so don’t be surprised if you find cheese on your cocktail.

Monk

Monk is a speakeasy, so it’s a secret bar! It looks like a small supermarket at first, with actual groceries. But if you walk past the curtain you’ll enter a beautiful cocktailbar! On the menu are all kinds of cocktails, including alcohol-free ones, in pretty glasses.

Numero Nueve

Want to go out for a drink in El Born? Bar Numero Nueve is a nice spot for after-dinner drinks. They’ve got a nice cocktail menu. Pictured you see the Mamón with tequila habanero, pineapple, tajin en spices. The small cafe has a nice atmosphere with old brick walls.
Born is a nice neighborhood for going out anyway, with many nice bars.

Click here for all my favorite vegetarian food spots in Barcelona.