8 family-friendly restaurants on the Costa Brava with history to take advantage of the good weather
On the seashore there are so many options that it's hard to choose, but we offer you a guide to established establishments and two extra options that will not disappoint you
BarcelonaOn the Costa Brava, between secluded coves, fishing villages, and farmhouses near the sea, the gastronomic offering swells every summer until it becomes very difficult to choose where to have a good lunch or dinner. There are restaurants for all tastes and budgets, but not all that glitters is worthwhile: between tourist pressure and summer opportunism, there is a range of establishments where cooking is done with judgment and verve.
The eight restaurants in this guide have in common that they are run by families with generational succession, or by those with great drive and a good track record. In any case, all have a clear connection to the product and the territory. You will find rice dishes from Pals, fresh fish from Port de la Selva, seafood from Cap de Begur, and reinterpreted medieval cuisine. Furthermore, we offer you an extra suggestion that stands out, among other things, for its beauty.
Hostal Sa Tuna (Begur)
In summer, the cove of Sa Tuna in Begur is crazy, it's better to go before high season. The restaurant is run by Rosa Maria Jubany (Nandu's sister), her husband Diego, and their three children, specializing in rice dishes (the senyoret with Palamós prawns, monkfish, and cuttlefish is a benchmark) and grilled fish. Products from the Cape of Begur and rice from Pals. A restaurant rooted in the territory, with a dining room and terrace with views.
The Seagull (Blanes)
Tobias Cabrera went from directing StreetXO in London to taking over from his father, Pedro, who had opened La Gaviota in 1982 on Esplanada Street in the Port of Blanes. Today it is a benchmark for fresh fish at a good price: 80% of the product comes from the local fish market. Mussels, razor clams, grilled sardines, prawns, and crayfish, without frills and with skill. Opposite the port and next to the fishermen's guild.
The Court of Mos (Palamós)
"Audentes fortuna iuvat" [fortune favors the bold]: the neighbors of Palamós gifted this motto to Helena Termes and Jeffrey Ruiz the day they inaugurated La Cort del Mos, on Mal Pas street 3. Catalan cuisine with the Llibre de Sent Soví as its banner: duck royale stuffed with langoustines, cockscombs with asparagus, frog legs with fricandó sauce. High-class technique at honest prices.
El Askata (Port de la Selva)
Cristina Perelló is the daughter of fishermen and her daughter, Anna Paltré, is a granddaughter. Both run L'Askata, in Moll Gros of Port de la Selva, with native fish from the north of the Costa Brava as their banner. The pomada (Figueres onion, tuna, and mayonnaise), rock mussels, anchovies with bread and tomato, or fresh caproig are a safe bet. Unbeatable location, sheltered by the Cap de Creus Natural Park.
Can Ruben (Pals)
Rice dishes reign supreme at Can Ruben, a renovated farmhouse on Carrer Molinet in Pals, run by Ruben Carreras for three generations. The menu always features three or four, plus three or four suggestions; the star is the rice dish topped with Palamós prawn carpaccio. A good portion of the produce comes from the owner's mother's vegetable garden. Weekday set menu and a more ambitious à la carte on weekends. Terrace with a vermouth bar and two outdoor grills.
Vicus (Pals)
Five minutes from the old town of Pals, the former Cafè Barris (a cafe, dance hall, and cinema in the village until a few decades ago) has been converted by Elisabet Barris, her husband Gerard Geli, and chef Damià Rafecas into a free-style cuisine restaurant with local produce. At Enginyer Algarra street 51, you will taste the escalivada leek with smoked eel and Terrós de Masalva cheese, Iberian ham croquettes, or tarts made with a touch of mole. Book ahead.
Bell-lloc (Santa Cristina d'Aro)
In Santa Cristina de Aro, the Bell-lloc farmhouse belongs to Marc Gascons, recognized with the National Award for Author Cuisine from the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy and Nutrition. It never tires: everyone goes there (French retirees, people passing through on a workday, celebrations...) and they eat the grilled rabbit, the black sausage with chickpeas, or the mythical glacé sponge cake with hot chocolate. Cuisine that is above trends, with diligent service and good bread.
Can Pepitu (Port de la Selva)
On Carrer del Mar in El Puerto de la Selva, Can Pepitu is a tapas and small plates bar that Nico Garrido took over in tribute to Pepitu Mallol, a local historian. Stone walls, Pepitu's boat presiding, and a terrace facing the nautical club. We'll go with the octopus salad, the tellinas, the anchovies with fried eggs, or the sea anemones from Cadiz. Well-chosen music and a great vibe.
Extra proposal: the most romantic
Candlelight (S'Agaró)
Inside the Hostal de La Gavina in s'Agaró, Candlelight is the jewel in the crown: a dining room that teleports you back in time, with live piano, impeccable table service, and, from San Juan onwards, a bucolic terrace by candlelight. The young chef Oriol Fernández, trained with Ducasse, Lasarte, and Romain Fornell, creates menus with seasonal produce and Ampurdanese products. Book in advance and let the sommelier Florian David guide you.
And, in case you're still wanting more, 9 more options to cool off: