COME

There are plenty of Mexican joints in Barcelona but there's nothing like COME, which was awarded a well-deserved Michelin star within a year of opening. This Mexican fine-dining joint pops with bright colors on its walls and mosaic tabletops, and the refined elements are strictly reserved for the food. The rest of the ambiance is all about that famously warm and easy Mexican hospitality.

For years, dining in the Sant Antoni district was synonymous with the Adrià brothers and their El Barri group that included Tickets, Hoja Santa and Pakta. When the group fell foul of the pandemic, it left a vacuum that has quickly been filled by a string of high-profile new openings. Pakta’s old space has been taken over by Alapar, a delightful Mediterrean-Japanese gastrobar, while Mexican chef Paco Méndez is back in what was Hoja Santa with a new concept called COME.

If you are a lover of Mexican food and live in Barcelona, ​​I have excellent news: eat by Paco Méndez is waiting for you with open arms (and dishes). This restaurant offers a unique culinary experience, which combines the tradition of Mexican cuisine with a touch of exclusivity. Here you can enjoy dishes such as Pibil cochineal tacos or black corn tamales, reinvented by the talented chef Paco Méndez.

Named after an herb widely used in Mexican cooking, this contemporary restaurant is a joint effort between Mexican chef Paco Méndez and renowned Catalan chef Albert Adrià. Picture this: you’re sitting in a bright, cheerful dining room, completely devoid of clichéd sombreros, cacti or Mexican flags, while dish after dish appears, presented in clever and unusual ways. Sea urchin toast on a leaf.

There are plenty of Mexican joints in Barcelona but there's nothing like COME, which was awarded a well-deserved Michelin star within a year of opening. This Mexican fine-dining joint pops with bright colours on its walls and mosaic tabletops, and the refined elements are strictly reserved for the food. The rest of the ambiance is all about that famously warm and easy Mexican hospitality.

€€ | Area: Eixample |Carrer d’Aribau 137 | Metro: Hospital Clinic (L5) | Website. One of the best new restaurants in Barcelona, this spot for Mexican haute cuisine is run by Michelin star chef Paco Méndez – the ex head chef of el Barri (Albert Adrià) who has teamed up with his wife Erinna Mariciano for this unique dining experience. Call it a chef’s menu on the fly.

Mexican cuisine has become really popular throughout the world in recent years, and its exotic flavors are a real vice. At Come you can enjoy menus designed to perfectly share the Mexican culture. In addition, they have delicious Mexican liquors such as Rompope, an alcoholic beverage reminiscent of the well-known eggnog with vanilla.

COME by Paco Méndez is a tribute to Mexican culture and the result of the personal vision of chef Paco Méndez and his way of understanding Mexican gastronomy together with Mediterranean cuisine and the legacy of elBulli. In their gastronomic proposal they offer a festival menu for 160€ per person and a lunch menu at 110€ per person.

Michelin Star restaurants in Barcelona serve up otherworldly culinary experiences, and Mexican Michelin restaurant “Eat” by Paco Mendez stands out even in this elite group. I didn’t require Chris’s endorsement to recognize it as Barcelona’s premier Mexican venue. Its tasting menu delivers exceptional value for a luxury restaurant.

Paco Méndez became a local legend for his Mexican restaurant Hoja Santa. COME is a reinvention of the original outpost, offering new dishes created by Paco and his pastry-chef wife Erinna. There are welcome drinks and snacks before guests are shown to seats in the main dining room to try classic Central American dishes.

Come received a Michelin star in 2015, a big freaking culinary deal. They definitely have the most creative Mexican dishes and is most unlike the joints listed above. If you want to step out of your comfort zone and try a different take on Mexican cuisine in Barcelona, you should definitely check out Come (Hoja Santa).

Come - Chef Paco Mendez has created a new high-level Mexican restaurant (cue Hoja Santa) that looks like a lovely treat for a special occasion. Avenida Mistral 54 (Sant Antoni). Instagram: @comerestaurant.