For a foodie like me, the Barcelona food scene is unmatched. Discovering new restaurants and trying new foods is one of my passions in life and an activity that I have been able to enjoy while studying abroad. I get excited over sharing food recommendations with others and scrolling on restaurant rating apps because of the community that it brings together. Following my friends' food recommendations and talking about places we’ve tried is one of my favorite parts about being a foodie abroad. One of the reasons I love food culture is that it’s a great way to meet new people and strengthen existing relationships. I try to have dinner or grab coffee with a new person each week while studying abroad in Barcelona, and everyone here is very willing to get to know one another and try new restaurants. 

Dinner with roommates at tapas restaurant close to our apartment 

Cooking a stir fry dish at home from a recipe I found online 

Eating at my favorite brunch placed called Bloome by Sasha 

My favorite activity has been finding a new cafe between classes or a sweet treat from one of the many bakeries in Barcelona for a midday pick-me-up. The business school I attend, UPF, is located right near the Gothic Quarter, which is filled with amazing restaurants, cafes, and bakeries. A few of my favorites I have tried so far have been Noor for matcha, Açaí&Me for açaí bowls, MYKA Greek for frozen yogurt, and TKO TACOS for tacos. 

Honorary feature of the amazing mac & cheese I got at Borough Market in London 

Margherita pizza from Parking Pizza with classmates 

Tried an authentic local tapas restaurant 

I have turned trying food in Barcelona into a fun activity by rating all my eats on the app Beli. I use Beli to see other people’s recommendations and share my own favorite dishes with my friends. While there are endless restaurants to try in Barcelona, I have already found some of my favorite restaurants within the first month, and I am excited to keep trying more. Apps like these reinforce the idea that food has the power to bring people together. 

Acai bowl from Acai&Me in between classes 

Dinner with one of my CEA CAPA friends 

One thing I’ve learned is that traveling and eating out every meal definitely can become expensive fast, which is why my roommates and I dedicate at least one night a week to cooking dinner together. We love to try new recipes we find online. We have even made some other CEA CAPA friends in our building that we cook dinner with, which has become something I look forward to each week. One tip related to this that I have is to come into the grocery store with a clear idea of what you need for cooking and how to say the ingredient in Spanish, because a lot of times there is no service in the store to translate, and most items will be labeled in Spanish.