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Fritters conquer Barcelona: the essential pastry shops this Lent
Barcelona surrenders to fritters during Lent, amid century-old recipes, surprising fillings and queues at pastry shops, while the smell of frying fills the city and everyone seeks the most irresistible ones.
With the arrival of Lent, Barcelona revives one of its sweetest traditions: fritters. From classic airy fritters to the most innovative filled versions, the city’s pastry shops compete to offer the most tender, fluffy bite. The atmosphere in the workshops is a real celebration, with queues at the doors and the aroma of freshly fried food filling the streets.
Oriol Carrió, on Bailén Street, stands out for its variety: Empordà fritters, airy fritters and a selection of fillings ranging from burnt cream to pistachio. At Pastisseria Mas, Òscar Hernández opts for traditional recipes and quality ingredients, with light choux-pastry fritters, aniseed versions from Empordà and cream, whipped-cream, truffle, gianduja or Lotus fillings.
Pastisseria Lis, with two premises in the city, is famous for its cream chuchos and airy fritters, always tender and seemingly light. Canal, on Muntaner Street, has spent more than half a century making cream fritters with impeccable frying. Escribà, on Gran Via, makes pastry cream the absolute star of its fritters.
Foix de Sarrià maintains its century-old recipe and makes fritters from before Lent until the end of Holy Week. Forn Roura, on Calaf Street, has remained faithful to tradition since 1920, with airy fritters, Empordà fritters, apple and chocolate fritters, and whipped-cream, truffle and cream-filled versions.
Takashi Ochiai surprises with its Japanese version: fritters filled with matcha-tea ganache, alongside classic airy and cream fritters. Farga, in Sant Gervasi, offers assorted boxes for the most devoted, with traditional and cream-filled fritters.
Mauri, on Rambla de Catalunya, never fails at Lent. Its airy and Empordà fritters are essential, but the whipped-cream-filled ones inspire real devotion. Sacha 1927, in the upper part of the city, makes airy fritters on Wednesdays and Fridays, a fixed appointment for the neighbourhood faithful.
Pastisseria Ideal, in Gràcia, is known for its cream chuchos and fritters faithful to tradition. Pastisseria Mas, in Horta, has maintained its artisan spirit since 1972, with airy, maraschino and highly sought-after filled fritters.
Pastisseria Abril, in Creu Coberta, transports visitors to another era with its vintage aesthetic and guaranteed queues during Lent. Bocí, on Via Augusta, works at full capacity at this time of year, with airy and Empordà fritters as the main stars.