<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-07-01</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001323468</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GLOBAL PARTNERS LP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GLP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001578668</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Foster Daphne H.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GLOBAL PARTNERS LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>800 SOUTH STREET, SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WALTHAM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02453</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common units representing limited partner interests</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7297</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9697</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common units representing limited partner interests</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2366</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>18.05</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7331</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7297</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common units representing limited partner interests</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7297</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14592</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each phantom unit representing the right to receive one Common Unit upon vesting (&quot;Phantom Unit&quot;) converts into a common unit representing a limited partner interest in the Issuer (&quot;Common Unit&quot;) on a one for one basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each Common Unit was withheld at the request of the Reporting Person to satisfy the tax withholding obligations of the Reporting Person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Issuer's closing market price on June 30, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Each Phantom Unit is the economic equivalent of one Common Unit.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Pursuant to a Grant Agreement dated June 27, 2013, the Reporting Person was granted 21,889 Phantom Units.  Upon satisfying the vesting conditions set forth in said Grant Agreement, the Phantom Units vest as follows: 33 1/3% on July 1, 2017, 66 2/3% on July 1, 2018 and 100% on July 1, 2019.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Remarks: Ms. Daphne H. Foster is a Director and the Chief Financial Officer of Global GP LLC, the general partner of Global Partners LP, the Issuer.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Edward J. Faneuil, Attorney-in-Fact for Daphne H. Foster</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-07-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
