11 Nudos Barcelona

There is a certain irony in eating dinner on top of a former bullring. Las Arenas was once a place of blood, sand, and high drama; today, it’s a temple to consumerism, a circular shopping mall where people hunt for fast fashion instead of bulls. But if you take the glass elevator all the way to the top, past the food courts and the sneaker shops, you find 11 Nudos Barcelona. It’s an escape hatch from the mall chaos below, a place that tries—and mostly succeeds—in bringing a bit of the wild Atlantic coast to the heart of the Eixample.

This is a 'Terraza Nordés,' which means the house religion is Galician gin. If you aren’t starting with a gin and tonic garnished with white grapes and sage, you’re doing it wrong. The space is airy, nautical without being kitschy, and designed to make you forget you’re sitting on top of a retail hub. It’s a lounge, a terrace, and a restaurant all smashed into one, catering to a crowd that wants to look good while they eat. You’ll see locals on dates, tourists catching their breath after a day at Montjuïc, and the occasional business group trying to close a deal over plates of seafood.

The menu is an interesting beast—a 'mar y montaña' (sea and mountain) philosophy that leans heavily on Atlantic influences. We’re talking about the kind of food that tastes like the coast: zamburiñas (small scallops) that hit the tongue with a briny sweetness, and octopus prepared with enough respect to let the ingredient speak for itself. The rice dishes are the heavy hitters here. Whether it’s a creamy seafood arroz or something more terrestrial, they arrive with that essential socarrat—the caramelized crust at the bottom of the pan that separates the amateurs from the pros. It’s honest, Mediterranean cooking that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but keeps it spinning smoothly.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the view. You are looking down at Plaça d'Espanya, with the Venetian Towers standing like sentinels and the Palau Nacional glowing in the distance. Even with the Magic Fountain currently silenced by drought restrictions, the perspective across the square is unmatched. You pay for that view, of course. The prices reflect the real estate, and the service can occasionally lag—a bit distracted, perhaps a bit indifferent when the terrace is packed. But that’s the trade-off for eating this high above the street.

Is it a tourist trap? Not quite. It’s too well-executed for that. It’s a polished, professional operation run by the Osborne group—people who know exactly how to pair a drink with a sunset. It’s the kind of place you go when you want the drama of Barcelona’s skyline without the grit of the Raval. It’s clean, it’s chic, and when the breeze hits the terrace just right and the Nordés is cold, you won’t care that there’s a Zara three floors beneath your feet. It’s a reminder that even in a city as old as Barcelona, you can always find a new perspective if you’re willing to climb high enough.

It’s a solid choice for a rooftop meal near the Fira that doesn't sacrifice food for the view. Just don't expect a quiet, hidden corner; this is a place that lives for the buzz of the city.