Paella – Barcelona, Spain

Paella is regarded as the national dish of Spain and is THE dish to get while in Valencia. I have not had the chance to go to Valencia yet, but I have spent quite a bit of time in Barcelona. On my last trip, I had 5 nights in Barcelona and had paella every single day. To say I love paella is an understatement. Please remember this post will be written from the perspective of a woman who has had the national dish in Barcelona, but not yet in Valencia.

Paella a Spanish dish of rice, saffron, chicken, seafood, etc., cooked and served in a large shallow pan. After my time in Barcelona I’ve learned there are multiple different types of paella. Some have black rice, most have yellow rice, a lot are seafood, some are chicken, quite a few are both. If you walk down La Rambla you will see just about every restaurant there serves paella. Each day I went to a different restaurant to give many of them a try. I tried to stay off of La Rambla however because I feel it’s touristy there, and if I know anything about tourist spots (Time Square) you avoid it because the quality is not great, it’s super busy, quality suffers, and it’s over priced. I did try some along La Rambla and they were fine, but again, try going off the beaten path. You’ll find some with lunch specials, ones that come with free tapas, free wine, lots of great deals, the price point is better, quality is higher, and it’s in a more quiet environment.

Have you tried paella? What kind is your favorite? What is your favorite place to get it?