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Home Cooking in El Raval, Barcelona From one idea
to a recipe
of our own.

Behind every dish at Rice to Meet You there's a home kitchen in El Raval that never stops: broths, stocks, sauces and bread, made here every day by two friends who started with an idea and ended up building a business of their own.

Since January 2026 Two friends, one project 100% our own recipes El Raval, Barcelona
Book your spot ★★★★★ 5.0 · 283 reviews on Google
01
How we started

From private paella dinners to a place of our own

Luis had spent a while hosting themed paella dinners in private apartments when he decided the idea deserved something bigger. He asked Leo, one of his closest friends, to help turn it into a real project. Together, the idea took shape: four months of testing — broths, fumet, paellas, rice dishes — until they found a flavour of their own, built on Alicante-style salmorreta as its base for extra depth and character. We opened in January 2026, in El Raval, convinced that handmade cooking still had a place in Barcelona.

Facade of Rice to Meet You at Carrer de la Lleialtat, El Raval, Barcelona
02
Who we are

Luis and Leo, the two friends behind Rice to Meet You

Luis runs the paella workshops and gets the word out about the project. Leo writes the recipes and runs the kitchen: broths, stocks, sauces and bread are all made here every day, dish by dish.

Luis Viva and Leo Pavanetto, co-founders of Rice to Meet You, at the counter of their restaurant in El Raval, Barcelona
03
Our way of doing things

Everything you eat here is cooked here

From day one we decided everything would be homemade — not as a marketing line, but as a way of working. We use quality ingredients because we want it to show in the flavour, not in the price. That slower, more careful way of working is what sets us apart in El Raval.

Fresh ingredients for the paella workshop: DO Valencia Albufera rice, saffron, sofrito and vegetables
Three formats, one spirit

How to get to know Rice to Meet You

Table served with rice dishes and tapas at the Rice to Meet You restaurant, El Raval

Rice restaurant

Come straight in to eat: rice dishes, tapas and tortillas, Wednesday to Sunday.

See the restaurant
Group cooking their paellas around the counter at a team-building event in Barcelona

Team building

Bring the kitchen to your company: the perfect excuse for a team to really connect.

See team building
5.0 ★★★★★ · 283 reviews on Google

283 reviews, 5.0 average

★★★★★
LOVED IT! A friend recommended this place as it's something different than just a normal restaurant and to be honest it exceeded our expectations. It's kind of an experience, the host greeted us nicely, explained each step to cook together, cava and wine and snacks in between.
Michelle Schwarz · Google
★★★★★
Rice to Meet You stands out as one of the most genuine, educational, and delicious paella experiences I've had. Located at Carrer de la Lleialtat 16 in El Raval, the restaurant works with a simple idea: carefully sourced ingredients, a relaxed atmosphere, and an interactive experience that goes far beyond just sitting down to eat.
Kevin Hawkings · Google
★★★★★
Ya había ido al Taller con amigos y fue un 10, así que quise probar las tapas. Sin duda, a la altura. Todo casero, se nota en cada plato.
Alessandra Franceschini · Google
Read all 283 reviews on Google

Questions about us

Who cooks at Rice to Meet You?
Leo, one of the two co-founders, writes the recipes and runs the kitchen. Broths, stocks, sauces and bread are all made here every day.
Is the workshop the same as the restaurant?
No. In the workshop you cook your own paella, guided step by step. In the restaurant, you're served rice dishes, tapas and tortillas straight from the menu.
Since when have you been open?
We opened in January 2026, after four months of testing to find our own paella recipe.
Can I meet Luis or Leo if I come by?
One of them is usually around, either at the workshop or the restaurant — we can't promise it for a specific visit, but it's common.
Do you organize private events or team building?
Yes. Alongside the workshop and the restaurant, we have a team-building format with paella for companies and groups.
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