Situated in the north east of Spain, the energetic city of Barcelona is famous for its food. Self-service restaurants, cafes, shacks, dhabas and roadside joints rub shoulders with gourmet eateries and Michelin star restaurants in the city. But if you are a newcomer and pondering over the question of the duration of restaurants’ working time and meals, then a series of articles will be useful for orienting in the dining culture of this city.

1. Normal Operating Timings of the Restaurant

One peculiar feature of restaurants in Barcelona is that they differ from restaurants in other cities, in terms of working schedule. Unlike many western countries where citizens consume their meal in the evening, Spaniards have dinner later in the evening. Here’s a breakdown of the usual opening hours:

Meal Opening Hours

Breakfast 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Lunch 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Afternoon Snack 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Dinner 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Please remember that these are the approximate durations, and some of the restaurants might actually have the differences in the opening times. That is why it is always recommended to look up these details online or better if one gets to book a table/room beforehand.

2. Cocktail Bars and After-Hours Eating

Tapas are a specialty of the region, and for good reason – Barcelona is a very social dining city. Tapas bars are preferable to have the dinner in the evening, however many Spaniards prefer to have a tapas as a supper or a second dinner.

Tapas bars are occasionally open very late, which means you can feel the Spanish night in its full. Others may even shut down way after midnight or even earlier mornings if it is a weekend night. If you in need of night meal you will find it very interesting to explore the tapas bars.

3. Sunday and Monday Restaurant Hour

However, to clarify the readership, the hours for restaurants found in Barcelona demands especially during Sunday and Monday are different from those in the remaining days of the week. Some restaurants, especially the local and small ones, are likely to close, or work on these days with limited operations. One should also double check the hours of operation of the outstanding restaurants you wish to visit beforehand.

4. Tourist-Focused Areas

This means that in most of the placesplit för tourists like La Ramblas, Barcelonetta and the gothic quarter you can find so many restaurants serving both citizens and foreigners. They are more often opened at later hours to meet different needs of tourists moving across the city.

If you are in doubt of how to come across a restaurant during the off business hours or certain days of the week, then considering the areas, which focuses on attracting tourists would be a good bet as these areas are likely to have a restaurant that you prefer to dine from than none at all.

5. Advise to Restaurant goers in Barcelona

Here are a few additional tips to enhance your dining experience in Barcelona:

Book a table if you can avoid it and if you want to have a meal in those restaurants or during weekends.

You may order the so called “menu del día”, which is the daily set menu usually for lunch time.

Search for restaurant recommendations online to prove our theory that there are actually great restaurants not well known to everyone.

Do not eat hastily when you are in a restaurant. Take your time and relax with the Spanish American mood and enjoy your food.

Barcelona expects tips, but the expectation is not as high as in other countries, especially those in America. But it is good to leave a little tip in appreciation of good services which have been accorded to you.

Conclusion

Commonly available types of food to be eaten in Barcelona’s restaurants are diverse and predicting the opening hours of the restaurants will allow organizing the time spent in the city effectively. Following the tradition of Spanish cuisine, the choice could be divided into tapas bars and quieter venues, as well as places that have really become a rabid tourist attraction. Always make sure to inquire about the operating hours before going in especially Sundays and Mondays and where necessary, ensure that you book for a table in order to avoid a lot of hassles while dining.