Guide Spain | Restaurants in Spain | Costa Brava
The fame and prestige of Catolonian restaurants have risen to dizzy heights over the past few years, to the extent that these days gastronomy now represents one of the reasons tourists choose to spend their holidays in the Costa Brava.
Many of Spain's finest modern chefs (including of course Ferran Adria) have been trained in Catalan schools and restaurants, and many new exciting and unique dishes have been created in one a Catalonian or Costa Brava restaurant. Below are the ones we have been lucky enough to visit, and we hope (very much!) to be able to add to the list soon.
| Costa Brava restaurants | |
| El
Bullí Cala Montjoi, (Girona). Teléfono: 972 15 04 57. |
El Bulli, one of the world's most famous restaurant lies proudly on the Costa Brava, just 6 km from Roses, and is visited by thousands of gourmets each year. We can't add anything new to the countless articles written about this ode to restaurants, except one thing. If you're wondering if it really is worth paying 140 euros for the privilege of a one-off menu de degustación at El Bullí's.... Yes, amazingly enough, it really is. |
| La Xicra Estret, 17 Palafrugell Tel: 972 305 630 |
We were very disappointed with this restaurant which is highly recommended in the Spanish Gourmetour. We found the service to be slow, an obvious distinction between treatment of regular clients and newcomers and the food was well below expectations. |
| Victor Av. La Palma, 17 Tossa de Mar Tel: 972 342 431 |
And we were pleasantly surprised by this one. We arrived in Tossa on our way to Barcelona from the Parador in Begur hot and hungry after a seemingly endless drive along the beautiful and breathtaking coastal road. The service was welcoming and quick, the food was delicious (excellent prawns, clams and rice) and the restaurant small, unassuming and friendly. |
| Empordá Antigua Ctra. de Francia s/n Figueres (Figueras) Tel: 972 500 562 |
One of Girona's most famous and emblematic restaurants, famous excellent dishes based on traditional local recipes. Interesting combination of modern Catalan and French cuisine, and the cheeseboard certainly has a French air about it, both in scope and in varieties. Offers a "water list" as well as a "wine list". Prices moderate to high. |
| Restaurante
Aigua Blava Playa de Fornells s/n Begur Tel: 972 622 058 |
Nice restaurant which mixes traditional Catalan dishes with modern touches. Set in one of the most beautiful parts of the Costa Brava, the fish and seafood dishes are especially good quality. Service can be quite slow but nevertheless it remains one of the area's most popular restaurants so if you are in the area give it a try but book a table first. See also Parador Aigua Blava in Begur. |
| Restaurante
San Pau Sant Pol de Mar Nou, 10 Tel. 932 600 662 |
Carme Ruscadella is one of Spain's top and most international women chefs, her restaurant San Pau is set in a villa overlooking the sea and is a perfect example of how to create unique dishes by combining her imagination with traditional Catalan ingredients. Carme recently opened a second San Pau restaurant in Tokyo. If you are lucky to visit either, order a menú de degustación with storyboard included. |
| Restaurante
Les Petxines Passeig Mn. J. Verdaguer 16 Tel: 972 364 137 |
Les Petxines belongs to another well-respected woman chef, Paula Casanovas. Creative original dishes with some amazing mixtures and flavours and reasonable prices (about 50 euros per person). Paula's sister, Barbara, is in charge of the desserts, some of which are totally irresistable. Service, however, is rather slow for an establishment of this category. |
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