Mercat de la Boqueria

"A few things to note before we get into it. First, this is a review of the Boqueria on 19th St., not of any of the other locations. Boqueria Soho has a different dynamic and clientele, and works for drinks, casual group meals, or catch-up dinners. Second, let us preface this by saying that we’ve been coming to Boqueria for a while now, and we generally enjoy the place. The only problem is that the food is hit or miss. The best bets on the menu tend to be the more simple items like brussels sprouts, pan con tomate, and anything with chorizo. The wine list is good and reasonably priced (plenty of bottles priced under forty dollars), and the churros are pretty excellent. Maybe even better than the ones that dude sells on the L train platform. At the end of the day, the good at Boqueria is definitely good, and if you stick to the right things, you’ll probably walk away happy. Then again, when we’re craving some Spanish food we’re probably headed to La Vara or Casa Mono instead. For the purposes of this Food Rundown, we’re going to stick (mostly) to the stuff we liked. Food Rundown Pan Con Tomate A simple Spanish classic, bread with smashed tomatoes garlic and some olives. Incredibly flavorful for being so simple. Bacon Wrapped Dates Three dates to an order, these sweet little guys are wrapped in awesome salty bacon. Amazing. Pimientos de Padrón Also known as shoshito peppers, and hopefully by now you know that we love shoshito peppers. Another winner for sure. Buñuelos de Bacalao We’re no stranger to salt cod fritters, but something about the texture on these don’t do it for us. We’d recommend the croquetas jamon instead. Asparagus with Poached Egg A special on a recent visit, these were incredible and the poached egg adds an amazing richness. Vegetables seem to get the right kind of love at Boqueria, which leads us to the brussels sprouts... Coles de Bruselas y Chorizo A good brussels sprouts dish is hard to beat, and this is one of the best we’ve had. Tasty roasted sprouts with chorizo, which makes everything better. Albóndigas Yep, these are awesome. Lamb meatballs with a sheep’s milk cheese sitting in a tomato based sauce. Save some bread to soak that up. Churros Warm donuts with cinnamon and sugar and some dark chocolate, it’s pretty much impossible not to stuff these into your face at high velocity." - Chris Stang

"If you like tapas, then you’ll like Boqueria, which does Spanish food that you could confidently feed to your mate from Barcelona. Except maybe don’t literally do that, as they’ll probably slap you if you try. All of the standard dishes like tortilla and calamari are proper and perfect for a casual hang with a couple of Estrellas, though you can kick it up a notch for an occasion, as they have dishes like suckling pig and killer seafood specials on the menu as well. It’s an excellent neighbourhood restaurant that we could see ourselves visiting often if we lived in the area." - David Paw

"This tapas spot is located in that liminal space between the Seaport and Fort Point. And even though it’s a mini-chain, it’s a really useful place for a group brunch or dinner when you want to drink some good wine by the glass. The $52 chef’s menu is a solid deal where you’ll get a little bit of everything—we’re talking savory bacon-wrapped dates, silky tortilla española with confit potatoes, and a big plate of paella mariscos packed with monkfish, squid, shrimp, mussels, and what feels like everything other species you’d find in the ocean. Hit this spot for a work birthday lunch, a post-work Happy Hour, or just bring some friends who aren’t weird about small plates." - Tanya Edwards

"While strolling through the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, hailed as one of the world’s best public markets, we noshed on jamon Iberico, sliced fresh and served in paper cones, before moving on to heartier potato-and-chorizo empanadas and sweet crepes." - Megha McSwain

"La Boqueria might be Barcelona’s oldest market—it started life in 1217 as a mere huddle of meat stalls on La Rambla—but tradition isn’t staid. More than 200 stands unite like a foodie’s choir: traders’ shouts, the clink of glasses, welcome greetings sung out ("holaaaa"). Though, for all the atmosphere, it’s the smell that gets you: warm, ocean-salty, freshly fried fish: the kind that lines your nostrils, excites your stomach, makes your physician tense, and has to be washed down with a glass of cava. Grab a fruit smoothie from the technicolored stalls as you walk in. Then do a lap: the deeper you venture, the better the value." - Gemma Askham