The best way to get in the holiday spirit is with a perfect meal! On major holidays like December 25, Barcelona practically shuts down as locals cozy up at home with their loved ones. However, while your choice of where to eat on Christmas in Barcelona may be limited, there are some true culinary gems available.

From a romantic, candlelit dinner with that special someone to a lively and fun lunch with a big crowd, you’ll be able to find the perfect holiday meal that suits your plans.

Where to eat in Barcelona on Christmas Eve

Bodega La Palma

If you’re after a delicious menu inspired by the tastes and traditions of Catalonia, Bodega La Palma is calling your name.

Famous throughout Barcelona for their legendary patatas bravas and crema catalana, this beloved local institution truly pulls out all the stops on Christmas Eve. The set menu includes a selection of dishes that perfectly blend the traditional and the modern sides of Catalan cuisine: salt cod with mushrooms in romesco sauce, Iberian pork tataki with sweet potatoes, and so much more.

This will be one of the most popular spots available on Christmas Eve, so reserve your table as soon as possible via email, phone (+34 933 150 656) or via private message on Facebook or Instagram.

Oria

Want to really go all out for your holiday meal? Look no further than Oria, the signature restaurant of the Monument Hotel.

Oria’s Michelin star is well-deserved, as is evident in their Christmas Eve menu. A Basque-Mediterraean menu designed by renowned chef Martín Berasategui will take you on a culinary journey of the Iberian Peninsula’s most iconic cuisines.

MinE

Tucked away in the residential area of Sants, not too far from the city’s main train station, is one of the most innovative restaurants in Barcelona: MinE.

The dishes are inspired by ingredients from the local market and the different countries head chef Martin Parodi has lived and worked in—Argentina, Italy and Japan, just to name a few.

El Mall

For an elegant holiday meal just steps away from Montjuïc, you can’t go wrong with El Mall at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Head chef Juan Sánchez has outdone himself with this year’s Christmas Eve menu, which draws inspiration from multiple regions of Spain. We’re especially looking forward to the roast suckling pork confit—the only possible way to make cochinillo even better.

Where to eat in Barcelona on Christmas Day

Tragaluz

No matter if you’re a total newbie to Barcelona icon Tragaluz or if you’ve eaten there dozens of times, this lovely Mediterranean locale tucked away in Eixample will surely surprise you.

Their open kitchen gives you a sense for their passion for the craft and shows off the fine seasonal ingredients that make up every dish, and the dining space itself gives the magical feeling of being outdoors. However, the illusion is thanks to the expansive glass ceiling, which will make it seem like you’re dining in a sunny garden or under the stars when really you’re inside the nice, warm restaurant.

Indulge in one of their special Christmas menus, with dishes paired with an excellent selection of wines. We can’t think of a more picturesque option for where to eat on Christmas Day in Barcelona!

El Asador de Aranda

In less than 30 years, El Asador de Aranda has earned its name as a timeless classic in Barcelona.

The beautiful modernist building that houses the restaurant is a worthy photo op itself, but the real treasures lie inside. Their hearty, meaty traditional Spanish dishes make this the perfect option for where to eat on Christmas Day in Barcelona for a soul-warming holiday meal.

Whether you’re in the mood for cochinillo (suckling pig), lechazo asado (grilled lamb) or anything in between, the home-cooked, rustic meals are well worth the trek up Tibidabo hill.