Eat in the best healthy places in Barcelona, whatever your diet
If you are looking for healthy restaurants and cafés to eat in Barcelona, because you follow a special diet, have a food intolerance or allergy, or simply care about your health generally and that of the environment, read on!
In my previous article “How to choose a restaurant when you are on a special diet”, I gave you some hints and tips on how to easily spot these kinds of places, no matter where you are.
I have now decided to focus on the best healthy restaurants and cafés in Barcelona, my home city.
I asked the expat community of Barcelona for their opinions and then added their suggestions to my own to provide you with a varied list that will hopefully meet all your dietary requirements.
Wide range of restaurants and cafés in Barcelona
Barcelona offers many options!
Actually, I have a post already about the best restaurants in Barcelona, which I wrote a while back, when I interviewed a friend who has been settled here for almost 10 years, like me, and who is a real foodie!
But this article is different: I want to focus only on restaurants that give a damn about healthy food!
I also want to take this opportunity to spotlight some local businesses in my community like cafés and restaurants and support them in the great job they’re doing to integrate different diets. So by going there, not only will you find food suitable for your special needs, but you will also help those great places thrive!
Why is it so difficult to find health-conscious restaurants and cafés in Barcelona?
Barcelona relies a lot on tourism, which means that clients are mostly just passing, and so it is not so important to encourage loyalty.
But with the Covid crisis, we are realizing how important it is to rely on local restaurants, and, in turn, restaurants are realizing how important it is to rely on their local community.
The Mediterranean diet is recognised as one of the healthiest in the world.
Yet because many businesses care more about money than service, some restaurants prefer to serve quick and cheap food to keep their overheads down, and offer food that is far from the typical Catalan or Spanish cuisine.
In reality, I think it’s easy to find healthy food restaurants in Barcelona.
Catalan food is ideal as we have all the ingredients to eat healthily all year round: olive oil, herbs, a great variety of fruits and vegetables, a nearby countryside with farmers willing to grow quality produce.
As Nino explained in his interview, you need to steer clear of the tourist traps and instead explore your “barrio” (neighbourhood) and discover what menus they have to offer.
A list of healthy restaurants and cafes to eat in Barcelona
Here are some great places to eat that I have selected for you:
- Debby’s Good Veggie Food
- Obrador La Nena
- Le Pty’Mon Crêperie
- Copasetic
- Café Cometa
- Doble Zer00
- Ca Germans
- Via Granados
- 3 Focs
- Pizzeria Eden
- En Ville 100% Gluten free restaurant
Check them out below and find out which are suitable for you.
I have put together different options that are suitable both for people interested in eating seasonal and local (km.0) produce, and for people who follow special diets, like FODMAP, gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan, low fat or low sugar diets.
I hope this guide will help you find a restaurant that matches your dietary needs!
Debby’s good veggie food
The first thing you will notice when you go to Debby’s are the people who work there, their enormous smiles and their willingness to make you smile, too!
Debora, their owner, is a friend of mine who I have met while I was working on my project.
She and I are on the same page when it comes to the protection of the environment.
On Debby’s website, you will see that she collaborates with suppliers of ecological products. For eco-friendly containers for takeaways, she works with Bionatic; the work clothes come from Circoolar, who help reduce waste through the circular economy. She also offers ecological drinks with Chica, and works with ethical providers who help ensure workers are paid fairly.
What healthy food can you eat at Debby’s?
Debby’s focuses on vegetarian and vegan food. It is so delicious you will realize that you don’t have to eat dairy to enjoy mouth-watering cakes, desserts and sweets.
She’s also very conscious about health and always works very hard to use less sugar, exploring alternative ways to sweeten her recipes, and thus avoid the bad effects of refined sugars.
Most recipes are made with the fruits’ own sugar so that she only needs to add a small quantity of whole brown sugar.
We also love her healthy juices that vary with the seasons, as well as her tasty lunches!
If you have a lactose intolerance, you will be delighted to find many recipes that are perfect for vegans. You can also order coffee with plant-based drinks like oats, almond, cashew, coconut, nuts or soy instead of milk.
And finally, she has even started to offer recipes for people with gluten or wheat intolerances, my favourite being the vegetarian crepioca, a dish based on tapioca.
Other gluten-free options which are also vegan are her truffles, cakes, brownies, muffins and madeleines.
Continue
Obrador La Nena
This place gives you the chance to discover new sweet and savoury flavours!
They are doing their best to cook in a “slow” way, with raw seasonal products.
Obrador de La Nena has a lunch menu, usually displayed on their Facebook page every week.
They love to make all types of cakes, sweet and savoury, for any occasion.
Some examples: muffins, cookies, gingerbreads, quiches, cocas, dumplings.
Their trademark is their artisan bread made with alternative flours*
*they may contain traces of gluten, so not suitable for coeliacs, but healthy for FODMAP diets, or people having an intolerance to gluten
And recently they introduced signature French patisserie (patisserie fine).
I asked them a few questions to find out more about those things that are important to us, i.e. environmental and personal well-being.
Can you explain to us how you integrate various different diets to cater for everyone?
Our daily menus consist of dishes that use alternatives for any food characteristic (vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free and for everyone!).
In our shop we have vegan and gluten-free muffins, gluten-free artisan breads, gluten-free cakes, vegan sugar-free cookies…
We also make vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free cakes on request.
We are developing a range of sugar-free confectionery.
And of course, our gluten-free breads – a house speciality – which we make with alternative flours to wheat. They can be plain or with walnuts, olives, or Provencal dried tomato!
Our breads keep perfectly in the fridge for up to a week. You just need to toast them and they are ready to be savoured! And if you are not going to consume them all in one sitting, you can slice and freeze them, and like this you’ll have bread readily available when you need it!
We also offer organic, vegan and/or sugar-free products, such as marmalades and vegetable patés.
Is your food seasonal and local?
Yes, we adapt our menus according to what’s available in the local markets, and we have local suppliers.
ContinueLe Pty Mon
If you love authentic French crêpes, (i.e. the ones from Brittany) you will simply love this place!
Le Pty Mon means ‘the small world’ (in a mix of French, Breton and Catalan), ‘world’ probably referring to their wide choice of galettes (that’s how we call buckwheat crêpes in French); but also ‘small’ because of its warm family atmosphere.
Made with traditional buckwheat flour, you can enjoy tasty gluten-free crêpes.
As for fresh produce, Le Pty Mon always works with locally sourced ingredients and always tries to support ecological food coming from sustainable productions.
Le Pty Mon also takes pride in using the best ingredients that are typical of Brittany to provide you with a taste of the true flavours of France’s food and drinks. Because a crepe is best accompanied by a glass of cider.
And if you are worried about your special dietary needs or a food intolerance, you can relax here! This restaurant makes every effort to cater for you, offering options for different types of diets like the vegetarian, the vegan, or any type of food intolerance, as long as you let them know in advance.
ContinueDoble ZerOO
I interviewed Claire, who explained to us what her restaurant is about and how it can help people like us feel integrated, no matter if we have a special diet or a food intolerance.
What is your speciality?
Doble Zer00 is an Asian fusion restaurant, with a speciality for sushi and exotic tapas.
What sorts of diets does your establishment cater for?
We can accommodate gluten-free, low-salt, and vegetarian diets.
Can you give us some examples of the dishes in these special diets?
- Vegetarian: uramaki rolls, soups (miso soup), woks (yakisoba, muay thai, yakimeshi, tapas (algae salad, gyosas)
- Gluten-free: uramaki rolls, soups (miso soup), woks (yakisoba, muay thai, yakimeshi, tapas (seaweed salad)
How do you use seasonal products in your menu?
We have a lot of dishes that are always on the menu because their ingredients are based on spices that are available all year round, like the muay thai (made with green curry).
We tend to offer more soups and woks during the winter months, like the Thom yum soup.
As for desserts, we are now starting to use more seasonal fruits in the elaboration of our fruit coulis.
Do you buy your food locally (km 0)?
We buy everything in the neighbourhood where the restaurant is located: the Born.
ContinueCopacetic
The Copasetic project was born 7 years ago, from a Catalan-Greek couple – a beautiful mix that translates into delicious Mediterranean style!
But it’s so much more than that!
They have reconciled people with special dietary requirements, food intolerances and even allergies with eating out again!
It can be so difficult to find adequate food when we have those limitations.
But you’ll change your mind when you enter Copasetic!
Healthy food at Copasetic for all types of diets
You’ll find gluten-free* crepes, pancakes and carrot cakes, and more, made with rice flour. And be ready for a gluten-free taste that exceeds your expectations, thanks to the owner, Therry, who has also eliminated gluten from his diet.
*may contain traces of gluten, please advise them if you have this allergy.
Having this limitation herself, she understands the importance of artisanal elaboration, versus the industrial and processed food that many coffee shops and restaurants offer as the only alternative to people with gluten intolerance.
There are also many lactose-free, vegetarian and vegan options.
So for those who are suffering from IBS and follow a low fodmap diet, you’ll find options there too.
What we also love is that they are really integrating the ecological side of things, from offering lots of ecological food and drinks, to the way they have decorated their place, to their ethics.
A good example is their collaboration with the ethical and sustainable takeaway cooperative La Mensajería Les Mercedes.
They also understand the importance of staying local, the true way to sustainability!
ContinueCa Germans
This is a typical Catalan restaurant, situated in the heart of Poblenou, one of my favourite barrios of Barcelona, close to the sea and the Rambla del Poblenou.
Ca Germans serves delicious food, and their service is like no other! This family business has really understood how to keep a loyal clientele, treating their clients like royalty! And you don’t encounter that very often in Barcelona!
The kind of healthy food you find at Ca Germans
If you like seafood, I highly recommend it. They always do a ‘special of the day’ depending on what is available but if you happen to get rice with octopus, you won’t be disappointed!
If you are looking for quality, this is definitely a place you should try!
With lockdown, they were forced to close, but they are open again now, and it’s one of the restaurants I am looking forward to going back to!
Contrary to a lot of Spanish restaurants that go heavy on the oil, in Ca Germans they don’t. Everything is healthy and simply delicious!
They also offer a great variety of tapas at very affordable prices.
Fish burger
Also, my husband loves to have a glass of cava there because the champagne flute is covered with a mist of ice. The glasses are stored in a fridge, and we appreciate it greatly, especially during the hot months!
Cafe Cometa
Cafe Cometa is situated on the beautiful Carrer Parlament, one of the most emblematic streets of the barrio of Sant Antoni.
Cafe Cometa is a nice place to go for a break, breakfast or brunch.
What we love about Cafe Cometa is that they offer delicious food that is ‘kilometre zero’, meaning it has a low carbon footprint, as they get their products locally.
We know how important it is to go local, as it helps the local economy and also reduces the impact of transport. They also embrace the concept of slow food (as opposed to fast food), and foment regional dishes and traditional ways of preparing the food.
What kind of food and drinks to expect in Cafe Cometa?
It offers a wide range of coffees, a forte of theirs. They also offer healthy drinks, like natural juices, and healthy snacks. With my FODMAP diet, I enjoy having a nice lemonade there in the summer! And as I love herbal or traditional teas, I always find something I want to drink there.
What I also appreciate is that you can easily enjoy a hot drink even if you are lactose intolerant. They offer different plant-based milk options by ecological brands, and vegan and vegetarian snacks too.
ContinueVia Granados and 3 Focs
Via Granados gets its name from the charming Carrer Enric Granados, one of my favourite streets of the city center.
I went to Via Granados many years ago for a private party in their VIP room, and I remember enjoying delicious food, and a great atmosphere too.
I remember going in and being very impressed by the entrance, which has a huge wall completely covered in plants.
What kind of healthy food to expect in Via Granados restaurant?
This restaurant specializes in serving food “a la brasa”, i.e.grilled food.
If you haven’t seen my blog post about the FODMAP diet yet, I am actually explaining that the way your food is cooked is as important as what you eat.
A meal cooked on the grill doesn’t need oil to be added.
For people following this type of diet, trying to avoid greasy food due to poor digestion or intolerance to fatty food, then this method is definitely helpful, and Via Granados uses the latest technology to grill it the best possible way!
Continue
Pizzeria Eden Barcelona
If you haven’t read my article yet about how to find a great restaurant when you have specific dietary requirements, then I suggest you have a look at it and then you will understand why Pîzzeria Eden is on the list of my suggested places!
Their menu indicates the allergens so that it makes it easy for anyone with a food intolerance, allergy or simply who doesn’t want certain products, to decide what to order.
You will also notice a wide range of options which makes it really easy to integrate anyone’s preferences.
What healthy food can we eat at Pizzeria Eden?
You will find gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan options available.
I have also heard from them through the expat community who gave me really good feedback. Here too there are food intolerances and there was consensus on the great service and how they always accommodate everyone’s needs.
I have also talked to them personally, and they told me how important it is for them to ensure that everyone feels welcome, no matter their diet, and nobody has to worry or feel weird about this.
ContinueRestaurant En Ville
En Ville offers traditional Mediterranean lunches that change daily. They are 100% gluten-free, without traces and/or risk of cross-contamination (gluten does NOT enter the restaurant, so there are no mistakes in the kitchen).
What kind of healthy food can you eat at En Ville Restaurant?
All dishes are gluten-free, 80% are lactose-free and we also have vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Some typical gluten-free dishes are:
- The roasted chicken cannelloni with béchamel sauce and parmesan, baked in the oven.
- Cod “a la llauna” with beans from Santa Pau.
They even have the chocolate coulant dessert that won the 2020 distinction for best dessert, awarded by the Celiac Association of Catalonia.
Some lactose-free options include their crema catalana dessert.
As for vegetarian dishes, an example would be their basmati rice with basil, sautéed with seasonal vegetables.
En Ville uses seasonal products and their dishes are based on what they find at the market.
Most of the products they buy come from the famous Boquería market in Barcelona.
ContinueI will keep adding places as I discover them so keep an eye on this page and follow us on Facebook and Instagram, as I will let you know there when I add a new cafe or restaurant!
Do you also know great restaurants or cafés in Barcelona, who offer the flexibility of various diets, and/or who have a focus on local and seasonal food, with an eco-friendly philosophy? If so, let us know either in comments below or directly on our recommendation page!
Bon appétit! or as we say in Catalan: ¡Bon Profit!
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