30 restaurants worth the trip across Spain, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Spain guides.
Disfrutar ★ 4.9 · Barcelona
eixample · Carrer de Villarroel 163, 08036 Barcelona
Disfrutar in Barcelona's Eixample is the elBulli successor by Adria's old chefs Castro, Casanas and Xatruch. Voted World's Best Restaurant in 2024.
Tip: Reservations open 2 months ahead and burn within hours. Their easier sister room is Compartir BCN, walking distance away.
La Cuchara de San Telmo ★ 4.8 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle 31 de Agosto 28, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian opened in 1999 from chefs trained at Lasarte and El Bulli, cooking made-to-order modern pintxos off a blackboard menu.
Tip: No display counter; read the blackboard. Queue early before 13:00 or after 21:00, the bar gets four deep at peak.
Ganbara ★ 4.8 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · San Jeronimo Kalea 21, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Ganbara on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town has run the Martinez-Ortuzar family kitchen since 1984, anchored by an autumn mushroom counter and a downstairs dining room.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. The bar counter is walk-in; the basement dining room takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
Tickets ★ 4.7 · Barcelona
poble-sec · Avinguda del Paral·lel 164, 08015 Barcelona
Tickets in Barcelona's Poble-sec is Albert Adria's modernist tapas-bar tribute to elBulli. Reservations open three months ahead at 24-hour windows.
Tip: The window opens at midnight three months out; book the calendar reminder. Lunch is easier than dinner.
Quimet i Quimet ★ 4.7 · Barcelona
poble-sec · Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes 25, 08004 Barcelona
Quimet i Quimet in Barcelona's Poble-sec is the four-generations standing bar where bottles line the wall and the cook builds montaditos on demand.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat lunch and early dinner only; closed Sunday. Arrive before 19:30 for a hope of a corner.
Sacha ★ 4.7 · Madrid
chamberi · Calle de Juan Hurtado de Mendoza 11, 28036 Madrid
Sacha in Madrid's Chamartin is the bistro by Sacha Hormaechea, whose lazy-tortilla and lasana de boletus are reference dishes for half the country's modern Spanish kitchens.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead; tables of two are easier than four. The dining room is intimate, the chef circulates between courses.
Galerna Jan Edan ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
gros · Paseo Colon 46, 20002 Donostia-San Sebastian
Galerna Jan Edan in San Sebastian's Gros, run since 2016 by Jorge Asenjo and Rebeca Barainca, cooks a short modern-Basque tasting menu in a 30-cover room across from Zurriola beach.
Tip: Two services, lunch and dinner, both menu-only. Book a fortnight ahead in season; the dining room is small and full.
Borda Berri ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 12, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks hot made-to-order pintxos with bold Basque flavours, no counter display, just a tight list of plates from a chalkboard.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Cash and card both. Stand outside if the bar is full; food comes out fast.
Bar Nestor ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Pescaderia Kalea 11, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Nestor on Pescaderia in San Sebastian's Old Town has cooked exactly four things since 1981: txuleta of old-cow ribeye, tomato salad, pimientos de Padron and one tortilla per service.
Tip: Tortilla is two per day, twelve to seventeen slices; show up an hour before service. Txuleta needs a list-name on arrival.
La Vina ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle 31 de Agosto 3, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
La Vina on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian invented the burnt Basque cheesecake in 1990, when Santiago Rivera blasted a crustless cheesecake in a wood-paper-lined tin until the top caramelised.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Get the cheesecake at the counter; the dining room behind serves a sit-down lunch with the same wedge for dessert.
Cal Pep ★ 4.6 · Barcelona
born · Plaça de les Olles 8, 08003 Barcelona
Cal Pep in Barcelona's Born has run the same standing counter since 1977: tortilla del bacallà, baby clams with ham, fried gambes, all called out by Pep at the bar.
Tip: No reservations. Be at the door at 13:00 or 19:30 if you want a counter seat in the first turn.
Bar Mut ★ 4.6 · Barcelona
eixample · Carrer de Pau Claris 192, 08037 Barcelona
Bar Mut in Barcelona's Eixample is the marble-counter standard for natural-wine-and-market-produce dining. The Iberico steak tartare is the dish.
Tip: Mid-week dinner is easier than weekend; bar seats walk-up only.
Dos Palillos ★ 4.6 · Barcelona
raval · Carrer d'Elisabets 9, 08001 Barcelona
Dos Palillos in Barcelona's Raval is Albert Raurich's Asian-tapas counter behind a black curtain inside Casa Camper. Dim sum, yakitori, sushi-bar service.
Tip: Closed Sun-Tue. Counter seats book up two weeks ahead; the back dining room is easier.
Koy Shunka ★ 4.6 · Barcelona
gotic · Carrer d'En Copons 7, 08002 Barcelona
Koy Shunka in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is Hideki Matsuhisa's one-star Japanese counter where the sashimi and nigiri arrive piece by piece from a U-shaped bar.
Tip: Counter seats face the chef; book those over the back tables. Closed Sunday.
Mont Bar ★ 4.6 · Barcelona
eixample · Carrer de la Diputació 220, 08011 Barcelona
Mont Bar in Barcelona's Eixample is Iván Castro's tapas-counter-with-a-Michelin-star: tasting plates over a wooden bar with an obsessive natural-wine list.
Tip: Counter seats book 4 weeks ahead. Tue-Sat dinner only. Closed Sun-Mon.
Sobrino de Botin ★ 4.6 · Madrid
centro · Calle de los Cuchilleros 17, 28005 Madrid
Sobrino de Botin near Plaza Mayor in Madrid is the Guinness-certified oldest restaurant in the world, in business since 1725. The wood-fired oven roasts cochinillo segoviano daily.
Tip: Book the cave dining room downstairs three weeks ahead. Lunch is calmer than dinner; the 14:00 service is the working-day local hour.
Casa Dani ★ 4.6 · Madrid
salamanca · Calle Ayala 28, 28001 Madrid
Casa Dani inside Mercado de la Paz in Madrid's Salamanca has cooked the tortilla de patatas (sliced thick, runny in the centre) for 40 years; locals call it Madrid's best slice of egg-and-potato.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 13:30 or expect a queue. Cash preferred at the bar; card accepted in the dining room.
Casa Urola ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 20, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Casa Urola on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian has cooked Basque market food since 1956, with pintxos downstairs and the dining room upstairs. Chef Pablo Loureiro runs both.
Tip: Eat pintxos at the ground-floor counter or book upstairs for a full meal. The kokotxas are the surest order in the city.
Antonio Bar ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
centro · Bergara Kalea 3, 20005 Donostia-San Sebastian
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro is the locals' tortilla room, with a 28-egg, deep-caramelised tortilla and a gilda built on two anchovies and the double-olive Donostian standard.
Tip: Tortilla is finished by 14:30 most days; arrive before then. Cash-friendly; the counter is small and stand-only.
Bar Txepetxa ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Pescaderia Kalea 5, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian has cured white anchovies since 1972 by a guarded family recipe, served on toasted baguette with a dozen toppings from pepper-onion to spider crab.
Tip: Walk in only, stand at the bar. The blackboard lists 12 toppings; pick three and shout your order to the barman.
El Xampanyet ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
born · Carrer de Montcada 22, 08003 Barcelona
El Xampanyet in Barcelona's Born has poured house cava out of a marble bar since 1929. Anchovies, conserves and that is it; standing only at the counter.
Tip: Open Tue-Sat lunch only. Pile into the bar at 13:00 or wait outside on Carrer de Montcada.
Bar del Pla ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
born · Carrer de Montcada 2, 08003 Barcelona
Bar del Pla in Barcelona's Born is the locals' counter on Montcada that draws the chef trade for the modernised tapas and natural-wine pours.
Tip: Open daily lunch and dinner; book the bar over the back room. Walk-up after 22:30 is the easier slot.
Dos Pebrots ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
raval · Carrer del Doctor Dou 19, 08001 Barcelona
Dos Pebrots in Barcelona's Raval is Albert Raurich's Mediterranean-historical bistro: dishes researched from Roman and Phoenician cooking, plated for now.
Tip: Closed Mon-Tue. Lunch is the easier seating; the wine list is short and Catalan.
Pakta ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
poble-sec · Carrer de Lleida 5, 08004 Barcelona
Pakta in Barcelona's Poble-sec is the Adria brothers' Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei tasting room behind a sliding door near Tickets. Counter seating.
Tip: Reservations open 2 months out at midnight. Closed Sun-Mon. Counter is the only seating.
Lhardy ★ 4.5 · Madrid
centro · Carrera de San Jeronimo 8, 28014 Madrid
Lhardy on Carrera de San Jeronimo in Madrid has run the wood-panelled dining rooms above its Parisian-style charcuterie counter since 1839, serving the city's canonical cocido madrileno.
Tip: The downstairs counter pours consome from the silver urn for 4 euros standing up; the cocido is upstairs by reservation.
Taberna La Bola ★ 4.5 · Madrid
centro · Calle de la Bola 5, 28013 Madrid
Taberna La Bola near the Teatro Real in Madrid has cooked the cocido madrileno in individual clay pots over charcoal since 1870. The dining room is painted vermilion since the 19th century.
Tip: Cocido served at lunch only; book three days ahead for weekday lunch. Cash strongly preferred. No card terminal until late 2024.
Casa Julio ★ 4.5 · Madrid
malasana · Calle de la Madera 37, 28004 Madrid
Casa Julio in Madrid's Malasana has fried the city's most-talked-about croquetas since 1921, with rotating fillings (jamon, boletus, espinacas con queso) and a queue that snakes onto Calle de la Madera.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 13:00 or after 16:00 to skip the queue. Cash strongly preferred at the bar.
Casa Labra ★ 4.5 · Madrid
centro · Calle de Tetuan 12, 28013 Madrid
Casa Labra near Puerta del Sol in Madrid has fried the bacalao rebozado in iron pans since 1860; the PSOE was founded upstairs in 1879. The cod is still the headline counter order.
Tip: Walk-in only at the bar; the inside dining room takes reservations for lunch. Cash strongly preferred.
Bodegon Alejandro ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 4, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bodegon Alejandro on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian is the underground Old Town room where Martin Berasategui won his first Michelin star in 1986. Now Inaxio Valverde runs the kitchen.
Tip: Book the 14:00 lunch slot for the calmer service. The staircase entry is easy to miss; the door is set below street level.
A Fuego Negro ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle 31 de Agosto 31, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
A Fuego Negro on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian, chef Edorta Lamo's avant-garde pintxo room, runs dark walls, indie music and inventive plates pulled from travel and comic-book ideas.
Tip: Closed Mondays. The counter is small; arrive before 21:00 or after 22:30 to skip the wait.