xerta

Xerta does something few restaurants in Barcelona attempt: it takes the cuisine of the Ebro Delta — rice fields, river, sea — and translates it into a refined tasting experience in the heart of Eixample. Located inside the Ohla Eixample hotel, the dining room is sleek and contemporary, with views into the kitchen that add a quiet theatricality to the meal. The restaurant held a Michelin star from 2016 to 2024, and while it no longer holds the distinction, the cooking remains seriously good. Chef José Guadalupe, who trained in the kitchen for eight years before taking over in 2024, brings a steady hand and a respect for product that keeps the menus grounded.

The tasting menus are the way to go. The Delta Menu (around €80) and the more extensive Product Menu both evolve with the seasons, but you can expect Ebro Delta rice dishes, pristine seafood, and seasonal vegetables treated with precision. The kosher option — certified by Rabbi David Libersohn of Chabad Lubavitch — is genuinely unique: it's the only Michelin-level kosher dining experience in Europe, offered on specific dates by reservation. Pair with wines from their well-curated list, which leans Catalan and Mediterranean.

Service is polished without being stiff, and the pacing of the tasting menus is relaxed enough that you don't feel rushed. At around €85 average per person, it's not cheap, but for the level of technique and product, it's one of the better fine-dining values in Barcelona. Book ahead — especially for weekend service and kosher dinners, which fill up quickly.