If we talk about gastronomy in Barcelona, we have to talk about Catalan cuisine. Barcelona is in a privileged position when it comes to food and gastronomy. It is a gastronomic paradise where Catalan cuisine is a tasty blend of heritage, ingredients, territory, tradition, creativity, innovation... All of this, along with an infinite love for the culture of fine dining, makes exploring it through the palate a very attractive option.

The gastronomic heritage dates back to medieval times and is based on the value of local products and the land; locally sourced and seasonal ingredients that reflect the immense richness of the Catalan landscape: the sea, the mountains, the orchards, the forests... Typical Catalan dishes often combine seafood and mountain ingredients, and the products are always of excellent quality.

For us, gastronomy is one of the fundamental elements of a journey. Through local cuisine, you can get to know the culture and traditions of a people, a city, a territory... and therefore, it's very important for us to always try the typical dishes of the places we visit. You can experience new foods, new flavors, unfamiliar products, and also ingredients you already know but are prepared differently in another country.

We believe in being curious and trying, experimenting with everything! Something that may seem like you won't like it, you try it... and surprise! You love it!

Catalan gastronomy is characterized by tradition, and thanks to that, recipes that are very popular today were born.

Below, I'll list 11 typical dishes from our land.

• The typical Pa amb tomàquet, which you will only taste in Catalonia. A more traditional and simpler dish to make, but it cannot be missing among the Catalan population.

• La escalivada. One of the most common typical dishes that can be found everywhere, as a tapa or as an appetizer in restaurants. Prepared with peppers, eggplant, onions, and cooked tomatoes, with anchovies on top. A tasty dish that not everyone likes, but we advise you to try it...

• Calçotswith romesco sauce. This dish is the perfect excuse to gather with friends on a sunny day, outdoors, even though it's a winter product. Calçots are grilled spring onions that are then wrapped in newspaper to keep them warm and brought to the table. Eating calçots can be a bit messy but also a lot of fun: no plates or cutlery are used... you have to eat with your hands!

• Butifarra con mongetes. It can't be said to be a very light dish... but it's definitely delicious! It's a very flavorful sausage that we usually accompany with white beans.

• Escudella i carn d’olla, a typical soup of Catalan gastronomy. It is especially characterized by using a large elongated meatball (called "pilota") that, once cooked, is sliced and served among the diners. It is made with minced meat mixed with bacon, beaten egg, breadcrumbs or grated bread, garlic, and parsley, and it is coated in flour and lightly browned before being cooked in the water that will become the broth. To make the broth, vegetables are used (carrots, turnips, celery, leek, green cabbage, etc.) and eventually other ingredients like chickpeas, potatoes, black or white butifarra sausage, or different types of meat and bones. Finally, we use the famous Galets, large pasta in the shape of snails.

• Black rice, famous in Catalonia, but even more so on the Costa Brava. It's a rice dish prepared with cuttlefish, seafood, onions, garlic, and tomatoes.

• Roast chicken à la Catalan. A typical family dish for Sundays. This chicken is usually cooked with dried fruits like raisins and pine nuts... very tasty! Each household prepares it differently!

• Canelones. Wide rectangular pasta that is often used in both Italian and Catalan cuisine. It contains minced meat, vegetables, cottage cheese, and spinach or even fish inside. It is usually rolled up into a cylinder. You must try them; they are delicious.

• Cargols a la llauna. Baked snails. A typical culinary specialty of Lleida. The dish is made with land snails, which are cooked in a large tin and accompanied by a spicy sauce. Not everyone likes them... but you can't leave without trying them!

• Crema catalana. Crema catalana is a typical and very touristy dessert, but in any case, it remains one of the best delights for Catalans. It is a custard covered with a superficial layer of caramelized sugar that you have to break with a spoon (that's the tradition!). Normally, the top is burnt and toasted! Don't miss it!

• Mel i mató. Fresh cheese, low in fat, typical of Catalan gastronomy. Its origin dates back to medieval times, and traditionally, it was made with goat and sheep milk. We accompany it with honey, and it's a delight for the palate!

These are 11 typical dishes from our land, but we have many more! You should know that our gastronomy is based on the Mediterranean Diet, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. With all this variety of products and heritage, it's no wonder that Catalonia was declared the European Region of Gastronomy in 2016.

So, don't think twice and discover Catalan cuisine for yourself!