Asian Restaurants
Some great places to grab sushi, pad thai or bun bo broth
By staff writer
You’re a long way from Mumbai or Toyko, but that doesn’t mean you can’t savour the exotic flavours of the world’s most colourful continent right here in BCN. Unsurprisingly, for a city so cosmopolitan, Barcelona boasts a stellar cast of Asian restaurants, from fashionable 5-star hotel eateries, serving succulent sushi or fresh takes on Beijing duck, to hole-in-the-wall style noodle bars when you dine on a big bucket of Pad Thai for backpacker prices.
Whether you’re a curry freak, Dim Sum connoisseur or simply desperate to chomp on some Chow Mein, you’ll find some great selected recommendations of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Indian restaurants below. Some of the top Asian chefs in the world are shaking their wok right here in Barcelona, so – provided you choose carefully – you won’t go home disappointed with the food.
Bun Bo Vietnam
Bun Bo is a classic Vietnamese dish made from vermicelli noodles and naturally takes pride of place on the menu at this restaurant, decorated with props shipped over all the way from Saigon. Other treats include chicken rice balls, Vietnamese curry and marinated sirloin steak, whilst their wonderful outdoor terrace is a chance to sample the under-rated Vietnamese coffee.
C/Sagristans 3
Koy Shunka
Michelin starred sushi and sashimi is served up at arguably Barcelona’s most famous Japanese restaurant, and purveyors of fine Oriental cuisine should make a reservation in order to dine on the delights of Koy Shunka’s tasting menu. Just check your bank balance first!
C/Copons 7
Mosquito Bar
Delicious Chinese dumplings are the name of the game at this “exotic tapas bar” which doubles as a craft beer specialist. Don’t go expecting to be able to order Beijing duck… Mosquito is a casual place to sit down and munch on some snacks with a young cosmopolitan crowd.
C/Carders 46
Carlota Akaneya Restaurant
Everyone knows about the delights of Japanese sushi and sashimi, but what about ‘sumiyaki’ – ie. food cooked over a charcoal grill. At this upmarket restaurant in Raval you can cook your own meat, fish and vegetable over a grill at your table.
C/Pintor Fortuny 32
Bun Bo Raval
A second string on the bow of the Bun Bo crew, this Raval edition if anything is even more brightly decorated than the original (quite some feat!) but serves up the same menu of lipsmacking Vietnamese cuisine. A set lunch menu for just 9 euros, plus mojitos and caipirinhas for just 3.5 euros, attract plenty of young creative types and there’s a real Boho buzz about the place.
C/Angels 6
Thai Gardens
This upmarket eaterie is situated just off the Passeig de Gracia in Eixampleand serves up a royal menu of curries, soups and seafood in its palatial interior. Lovers might want to choose the Loi Kathrong menu for two.
C/Diputació, 273
Wok To Walk
One of the best low budget Asian joints in town, Wok To Walk – if you haven’t guessed – is a fast food takeaway joint where you can fill up a bucket with a stir-fried noodles or rice and a range of toppings and sauces (including veggies options) and move on. Great if you’re on the run and getting fed up with Spanish-style tapas!
C/Sant Pau 27 and C/ Jaume I 7