From Galicia to Barcelona: quality and legacy in every dish

Josep Dopazo is the third generation of a family that has made us all very happy for years. He runs the Dopazo Seafood Restaurant in Sant Andreu, a business started by his grandparents in Ourense in 1940 and established in Barcelona by his parents in 1969. "First, they set up the business in the Verdun neighborhood, and two years later, we came to Sant Andreu," he says. It was he who, in 1985, gave the establishment its final push. "I decided to renovate, buy the premises next door, expand, and change it up a bit. I put an aquarium at the entrance and focused on providing higher quality products," Josep notes. A quality that has never wavered. "We've always brought fish and seafood from Galicia. It's one of our distinguishing features," he says proudly. With the appetizers, we can already see that the product is of the highest quality: shrimp on the fin; grilled northern crayfish with onion; and grilled shrimp. First, we ordered a seafood platter with a Galician DO, and Clos del Mas, the red wine from Priorat, accompanied us while we savored the dishes: crayfish, squid, razor clams, fresh shrimp, and cockles. Now that we've tried the seafood, it's time for the meat. We shared aged beef in two formats: tataki with Padrón peppers and fries, and entrecote. "The meat is also brought in from Galicia," Josep notes. Dessert, small pastry cream canapés with a Pedro Ximénez touch, and Idiazabal rolls with quince jelly and mascarpone ice cream are the specialty of Verónica, José's daughter and therefore the ambassador of the new (fourth) generation of Dopazo. "The future of the business is secure. I still have years to go, but it's a source of pride that she's here now," says Josep. In fact, Verónica has never left the restaurant's kitchen. "When she was little, she spent hours in her crib here, and when she grew up, she had her high chair. You could say she was born here." Josep's greatest pride is the blend of generations now found in the kitchens at Dopazo, because his mother, Maria Aurèlia, still comes around to lend a hand. "I only let her stay for three hours, but she does everything: peeling potatoes, whatever is needed." The present, the future, and the past continue to cook at Dopazo. With a history so rooted in tradition and a passion passed down from generation to generation, Dopazo is a living legacy that continues to win over palates and hearts in Sant Andreu. With this blend of tradition and innovation, they are sure to remain a benchmark for Galician gastronomy in Barcelona.