I've already written about Eixample, Gràcia, the old town, tapas and Asian food in Barcelona, but my list of saved places still had plenty of restaurants left over. These are the ones in Ciutat Vella, Poblenou, El Clot, Sant Andreu and Les Corts: South Indian and Thai food, a museum café, pizza in Poblenou, vegetarian soups and Venezuelan food. The Eixample restaurants from the list are in a separate piece. The descriptions are put together from Google Maps reviews, and I'll add my own notes as I visit.
Prices are Google's average spend per person, valid as of 1 October 2026. Rate: 1 € ≈ $1.13.
In short
- Cheap and not Spanish: dosas at Saravanaa Bhavan and Thai at Lamai Thai Tapas in La Barceloneta.
- Pizza: Mammamia in Poblenou, pizza and a cheap lunch menu.
- Lunch in a museum: Norai in El Raval, 1–10 €.
- Vegetarian soups: Sopa Barcelona in Poblenou, weekdays only.
- Late at night: Bella's in Les Corts, until 3:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Ciutat Vella
Saravanaa Bhavan
La Rambla · South Indian vegetarian · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · daily 9:00–22:30, Tue until 17:00
Google Maps · website · La Rambla, 122
According to Google Maps reviews (4.6 from 1,100+): the Barcelona branch of a big international chain of South Indian vegetarian restaurants, and a rare place on the Rambla where the food gets praise. Indian guests say it tastes like home: masala dosa, medu vada with sambar and chutneys, idli in the morning, filter coffee and lassi; a dosa with a lassi comes to about 13 €. Food comes out fast. The morning idli runs out early, and the Indo-Chinese dishes are less loved.
Norai
El Raval · museum café-restaurant · 1–10 € (≈$1–11) · Mon–Fri 8:00–20:00, Sat–Sun 9:00–20:00
Google Maps · website · Avinguda de les Drassanes, 1
According to Google Maps reviews (4.1 from 1,900+): a café in the courtyard of the Museu Marítim, with a garden and fountain, deep shade, big tables and views through huge windows. A good place to escape the crowds or work on a laptop: decent Wi-Fi, self-service. People mostly come for the setting rather than the food: guests say the kitchen closes around 16:00, after which it's cold drinks only, and one reviewer felt cheated by the 25 € set menu.
LAMAI THAI TAPAS
La Barceloneta · Thai · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · Mon–Thu 13:00–16:00 and 20:00–23:00, Fri–Sun 13:00–23:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer de Sant Carles, 12
According to Google Maps reviews (4.8 from 1,000+): a tiny Thai spot in La Barceloneta that even Thai visitors rate highly: authentic flavours, and they'll make it as spicy as in Thailand if you ask. Reviewers recommend the som tam, kor moo yang, pad thai, Thai iced tea and above all the mango sticky rice. The room is small, so many take their food away and walk to the beach.
Poblenou, El Clot, Sant Andreu and Les Corts
Mammamia
Poblenou · pizza and pasta · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · daily 12:30–16:00 and 19:00–23:30, Fri–Sat until 0:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer de Pallars, 230
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 3,100+): a small Italian trattoria with an almost entirely Italian staff, and Italian guests call it very authentic. The Neapolitan pizza is praised as the best outside Italy; at lunch there's a menú del día with big portions and a pizza menu at the same price. Service is quick, and a little bowl of olives arrives with the menus. Lunchtime is busy with people from the nearby offices.
Sopa Barcelona
Poblenou · vegetarian café · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · Mon–Fri 8:00–18:00, closed Sat–Sun
Google Maps · website · Carrer de Roc Boronat, 114
According to Google Maps reviews (4.1 from 880): a vegetarian and vegan café for a quick lunch in the 22@ office district: three soups, two salads and three mains every day, with a two-course menu and water for about 12 €. Also breakfasts, sandwiches, tortilla, dozens of teas and a vegan mango cake. A big terrace and a playground, and lots of people on laptops during the day. The food is simple and healthy but not exciting, and it gets cramped at peak times.
Xatu
El Clot · bar-restaurant · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · Mon–Wed 18:00–0:00, Thu–Sun 12:00–0:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer de Rogent, 50
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 248): a colourful, modern bar-restaurant in Clot with a short menu. Reviewers like the bocatas, especially the calamari one, the fried mozzarella, tapas, cakes and vermouth. It isn't cheap: the small round sandwich at 10 € isn't enough for dinner on its own. Opinions on the service are mixed.
Pan y Pan
Sant Andreu · Venezuelan · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · daily 11:00–22:00
Google Maps · Instagram · Carrer d'Espronceda, 361
According to Google Maps reviews (4.1 from 520): a simple Venezuelan café that people come back to for the empanadas, arepas and mondongo soup. It's very cheap: a pabellón costs under 7 €. The flip side: portions can be small, food sometimes arrives cold, the wait can be long, and there are complaints about rude staff.
Bella's
Les Corts · Italian · 20–30 € (≈$23–34) · daily from 13:00 to 1:00, Thu until 2:30, Fri–Sat until 3:00
Google Maps · website · Avinguda Diagonal, 640
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 6,700+): a stylish Italian restaurant on the Diagonal with moody lighting, cocktails and a garden terrace with heaters. Reviewers praise the thin-crust pizza, risotto, tiramisu and above all the warm, attentive service. The downside is terrace seating: a booked table can end up in a far corner without a heater.
One last thing
Lamai on weekdays and Mammamia close the kitchen between lunch and dinner, roughly 16:00 to 19:00–20:00. If hunger strikes at five in the afternoon, Saravanaa Bhavan, Norai, Pan y Pan and Bella's stay open straight through, though on Tuesdays Saravanaa Bhavan closes at 17:00.
More on Barcelona: Eixample restaurants.