Today, I would like to share an experience I had in Barcelona: eating at La Boqueria market.
This was on my Barcelona bucket list. I have a couple of bucket lists sorted by categories: must-do trips, must-do experiences, must-visit places, and must-do in Barcelona. With this new culinary experience, I will be able to check a box.
A landmark and a must-visit here in Barcelona, La Boqueria is famous for being “the” location where you can find practically anything in the food department. Are you looking for cassava leaves? La Boqueria. Bull testicles? La Boqueria. Exotic fruits? La Boqueria. The market offers a diverse selection of fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, and local specialities.
The market also has a good number of food stalls that are well known for their product quality and freshness. And this is exactly what I planned to try out. Fortunately for me, my parents went on a first exploration and discovered a place they raved about. So two Saturdays ago, we headed there for lunch.
A fish and seafood stall at La Boqueria
We went to Kiosko Universal. It was mostly a fish and seafood restaurant but it also had veggies and mushroom dishes. There is a counter where you can watch the chefs grill fish and shellfish.
We waited for a table because the counter did not have any available seats. We put down our names on the waiting list. You get a table on a first-come, first-served basis. However, we did not have to wait long. The turnover was quite fast although the place was always busy. But we did have to wait a while before they took our order and before being served.
The entire staff was very nice. So the only drawback was the wait. There were locals and tourists alike enjoying the food. The presence of locals in a touristy area, in my opinion, means that the food is good. Don’t you agree with me? We could observe passers-by, hear the echo of the market’s noise, the happy chatters, and smell the food cooking while seated. The atmosphere was pleasant and upbeat.
Eating at La Boqueria
The menu was simple with some Spanish specialities like pimientos del Padron. But since we came for seafood, that is exactly what we will have! We ordered oysters, a parrillada de mariscos (grilled seafood plate with mussels, cockles, crawfish, calamari, prawns and razor clams) and a mixed mushroom dish.
To go with it all, a bottle of white wine called Afortunado, which I had never heard of before but was excellent. Everything was, in fact, delicious and quite fresh. These were some of the perks of having supplies on hand.
Overall, eating at La Boqueria was a great experience: the food, wine, atmosphere, and, of course, the company were all exceptional. Whether it’s a familiar market stall or a new one to try, this is an event that must be repeated!
Address: Mercat de La Boqueria, Parada 691, 08002 Barcelona