EatWith in Spain!

Posted on September 01, 2014


Ready to gulp down some spicy Gazpacho!

One of the perks of being curious is you get to stumble upon hidden gems when you least expect it...actually while you're looking for something else!

That's exactly how I came across EatWith. This website is basically a directory of listings of locals in different cities of the world who are willing to cook for and host people in their houses for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! So what happens is, you log on to the site, choose the city you are traveling to and you get a list of locals in that city and what they are willing to host you for. The cuisine varieties are endless! The best part is that you have plenty of reviews and photos that can help you decide where to go and what to eat. This is not a free service, but what you pay is honestly nothing compared to the authentic experience that you get being able to be hosted by locals and getting a real taste of their culture through food (which is not the case of most restaurants that tend to turn into tourist traps)!

Alejandro preparing the yummy Paella!

My first EatWith was in Barcelona. Very eager to try a home made Paella, I chose a paella lunch hosted by two friends, Alex and Alejandro.
The modernly decorated and stylishly furnished house was in the beautiful Gracia neighbourhood. It was great to actually go into a local's house and see how some of them live...how similar or different it is from how we live in our home towns!

Our hosts were fond of antiques
Our hosts were wonderful and the cooking was a delight! There were about 10 other travelers who chose to have the same lunch and it was a fantastic opportunity to meet other people from all over the world and chat over a tasty meal about where we all come from. It was my first time to meet someone from Chile and another from Peru. Of course we didn't spare the opportunity of exchanging contacts and staying in touch!

Me and my Gazpacho (tomatoe soup mixed with spices)
Such experiences are what gives us a deeper insight into how others live, into foreign cultures and how similar we are as human beings. It opens a door of understanding, tolerance and a whole new perspective on keeping an open mind and an accepting soul.
Unfortunately, I forgot all my camera gear that day and couldn't snap a single picture! I'm very grateful that my travel partner had his gear ready and was able to capture a few shots of this very pleasant experience which I would love to share here.

Alex and Alejandro - EatWith hosts in Barcelona

All photos and timelapse video are courtesy of Amr Tahtawi.