Calçots in Barcelona (& Why We’re Obsessed With Calçotadas)

Come winter, calçots are the undisputed kings of Catalan cuisine. The calçot, a cross between a spring onion and leek, is by and large one of the region’s most beloved products. For more than a century, they’ve been an integral part of Catalan cuisine every winter.

Person grilling calcots, Catalan onions, over an open flame grill in Barcelona
Calçots are a delicious kind of onion, ubiquitous in Catalonia during the winter. If you’re going to be in Barcelona between December and April, you have got to try them! Read on for more information on where to find calçots in Barcelona.

Sweet, tender and absolutely delicious when dipped in smokey romesco sauce, calçots in Barcelona are wildly popular—and so is the tradition that comes along with them.

What are calçots?

Calçots are a relatively mild-flavored member of the onion family that are traditionally eaten grilled. Just peel off the outer layer of skin, dip the calçot into plenty of romesco sauce, eat, and repeat!

Though considered native to the area surrounding Tarragona (and enjoyed throughout all of Catalonia today), calçots come into season around November and are available until April or so. They’ve become such a beloved staple of local cuisine that they’ve earned a Protected Geographical Indication label from the European Union!

Char-grilled dish of calcots served in a terracotta dish in Barcelona
Did you know? To comply with IGP regulations, each calçot must measure between 15 and 25 centimeters long.

The calçotada

Roughly between the months of December and March, when the calçot is in season, people throughout Catalonia head out to the countryside to enjoy the calçotada.

A calçotada is a winter barbecue where the calçots are packed tight on a grill, charred to perfection, and then dipped in that rich and nutty romesco sauce (but as we said, be sure to remove the charred outer layer first!).

Pelling a calcots grilled to perfection at a catalan calcotada
Wondering how to eat calcots? It’s not as tricky as it seems!

But the feast doesn’t end there. After piles upon piles of these guys come all types of grilled meats—like botifarra, the traditional Catalan sausage, lamb, rabbit, and more. These are all delicious when dipped in romesco sauce as well. And of course, it’s all washed down with plenty of local wine. 

If you’re looking to try calçots in Barcelona, you can’t miss the opportunity to take a day trip to a nearby town for an authentic calçotada. So come with a good appetite, tie a bib around your neck and go to town with the calçots. It’s a messy but worthwhile experience—they only come once a year, after all!

Man dipping a calcot into a jar of romesco sauce at a calcotada in Barcelona
Calçots, or grilled onions, are a staple of Catalan cuisine. Pair them with romesco sauce for the ultimate in spring onion deliciousness.

Calçots: A brief history

So where do the calçot and the calçotada come from?

If you zoom in on a map, about 100 kilometers west of Barcelona, you’ll find a small town called Valls in the province of Tarragona. It was here, in this lost little town, that the calçot was born.

During the late 19th century, a village farmer in Valls decided to try an experiment by planting white onion bulbs in trenches as usual, but then increasing the depth of the soil as they grew. The result was the mild, sweet, and incredibly delicious calçot. The Catalan verb calçar, which literally means “to put on footwear,” became associated with this unique method of growing these onions by adding more soil to the base, and that’s how they got their name.

From that point on, the people of Valls started to host calçotades, or essentially calçot-eating parties, for holidays and special family meals as a way to enjoy this local product with friends and family. However, little by little, word spread.

Today, the calçotada has become a popular tradition all around Catalonia. You can even enjoy calçotades in Barcelona itself – more on that in a bit.

A beautiful winter or spring day is the perfect setting for a calçotada.

Where to eat calçots in Barcelona

If you want to try calçots in Barcelona restaurants, you have a few options, mainly the city center or the countryside.

Barcelona restaurants with calçots

Don’t have a whole morning to spare? There are plenty of places to eat calçots in Barcelona, and you don’t even have to leave the city center. Barcelona is home to a number of restaurants that specialize in calçots. If you can’t make it out to the countryside, let them bring this seasonal delicacy to you.

Plate of traditional catalan food, including beans, butifarra, and pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato)
Another great aspect of eating calçots in Barcelona is the amazing plate of Catalan favorites that comes next.

Restaurants with calçots outside of the city center

Many would argue that in order to authentically experience the calçot, you have to go outside Barcelona for a day trip. Masias, or Catalan countryside houses or farms, are where you will find the rustic atmosphere traditionally associated with calçots. Here are a few of our favorites near Barcelona.

  • Can Cortes (Sant Cugat del Vallès)
  • El Vinyet (Tarragona)
  • El Molí de Cal Dimoni (Camí de la Carrerada, Badalona)
The aftermath of a delicious calcotada in Barcelona
If you’re wondering where to eat calçots in Barcelona, the answer is at a traditional calçotada like this one! If you can’t make it, though, a restaurant or local market is your next best bet.

Markets where you can buy calcots in Barcelona

Mercat de Santa Caterina

Want to try your hand at cooking calçots yourself? Santa Caterina Market is the first place we’d recommend you start your search.

Mercat de la Terra

Every Saturday during calçots season, this slow food market – located by the three chimneys in Poble Sec – is another great option for tracking down Catalan onions of all stripes. 

A group of people standing around a table outdoors eating grilled vegetables
Dig into calçots–a tasty Catalan tradition! If you get the chance to participate in a traditional calçotada like this one, don’t miss it.

This blog post was updated on September 25, 2023.

Want to connect with locals and try essential Catalan dishes in a traditional neighborhood? Join our Taste Barcelona Like a Local: Gracia Neighborhood Food Tour! For the true Catalan experience of hole-in-the-wall gems serving up home-cooked classics, Gracia is the place to be!

2 Comment

  1. Suzy says
    January 14, 2015 at 12:28 pm

    I love these informative posts that you are doing lately.

    Meanwhile…the prices! 37 Euros for the Calcotadas outside Barcelona and one place even has a menu infantil for 16.90. All the more reason to take advantage of our bbq and put it together ourselves I think.

    1. Renée Christensen says
      January 19, 2015 at 4:22 pm

      Thanks Suzy! No, calçotadas are not cheap. And the best I’ve been to have been at friends’ houses in the countryside anyway. So if you have a barbecue and the space, you should definitely do one! A delicious romesco sauce is the perfect challenge for someone like yourself!

Leave a Reply