food & drink

In Barcelona, paella usually comes by the pan and for two. Casa Amàlia, opened in 1950 next to the Mercat de la Concepció, is one of the few central spots where you can order one for yourself – and not just a basic seafood version, but exotic variants like mountain rice with rabbit and butifarra, wagyu beef, cocochas, or the Onyar-Merlès with duck magret, foie and figs.

The restaurant relaunched in 2020 under new ownership as Casa Amàlia 1950. Most ingredients now come from stalls inside the market next door, with the dishes traced back to their producers; a digital menu surfaces who grew what. The short-grain cristal rice – the hollow-centered kind that absorbs broth – ships in from Molí de Pals in the Empordà region.

Before the rice, warm up with croquetas (the spinach "Popeye" is as good as the meat version), a plate of torreznos, or whatever starter the server recommends. Finish with the torrija, caramelized and dense. Service is Catalan old-school: staff who remember the regulars and aim to turn first-timers into regulars. Inside, traditional hydraulic tiles and refurbished wood abound; two private rooms, Sala 1950 and Sala Rovira-Beleta, are good for small groups. Outside, tables spill onto the pedestrianized Passatge del Mercat when the weather cooperates. The feel is more neighborhood trattoria than tourist destination.

Expect to spend €45 a head at dinner, less at lunch. A second Casa Amàlia sits inside the Time Out Market at Port Vell offering sea views and a different experience. But the original is this one. Come alone, come as six – the pans arrive one to a person.