El Port de la Selva starts the summer with a very varied gastronomic offer after last August's tragedy

Port de la Selva (Alt Empordà)At the gates of the summer season, bars and restaurants in Port de la Selva (Alt Empordà) are returning to normal. Last August, the course ended abruptly with the suicide of a local business couple who had managed a dozen establishments for decades through an investment group. The venues, which had been suffering from economic problems, closed their doors overnight, leaving a hundred workers jobless. They represented 20% of the town's hospitality businesses, and the offerings along the entire promenade were severely affected.

Now, after months of negotiations and procedures between the owners, the new managers, and the mediation of the City Council, all establishments have reopened. They have done so with renewed images and proposals, under the leadership of restaurateurs with a proven track record in the town, who have brought uniqueness and quality to each of the offerings. The tragedy of last August is now water under the bridge.

Most opened for Easter week, in order to consolidate the business and have everything ready for the summer. The last to reopen has been precisely one of the most emblematic and popular: El Cafè de la Marina, which gives its name to the famous novel of the same name by Josep Maria de Sagarra. It opened the weekend before Sant Joan with a very extensive offering that seeks to capture the attention of locals and tourists with all-day dining and happy hour discounts. The new owner is Santiago Ferreiro, originally from Argentina, who in recent years has worked in restaurants and beach bars in the area. His approach maintains the Mediterranean essence of the space and the menu, but incorporates influences from Argentine cuisine. "The warmth of the people these first few days has been incredible. Little by little, we are recovering a space that is very important for the town," he explains. And he adds: "When the other places were opening and this one remained closed, many people thought it would never open again. But I knew the owners and we reached a long-term agreement. We are very happy with the response."

From L'Askata to L'Espina

A few metres from El Cafè de la Marina, one of the first establishments to reopen, three months ago, was L’Espina, located in the premises formerly known as Ca la Maria, on the seafront promenade. It now presents a completely renovated aesthetic, with a minimalist, modern, and very well-kept design. Those responsible are Cristina Perelló and her daughter, Anna Paltré, also owners of L’Askata, a high-class restaurant located at the tip of the pier and specializing in fresh fish, seafood cuisine, and grilled dishes. At L'Espina, they have conceived a different offering, more informal and affordable, but equally well-crafted.

They are open from eight in the morning to eleven at night. During the morning, they offer breakfasts, sandwiches, and brunches with avocado and salmon toast, ham and brie cheese sandwiches, or natural juices. From midday onwards, the menu includes tapas, cocktails, and dishes made with fresh produce. "Starting up is not easy, but we decided to take on the challenge and offer things that hadn't been done in the town until now," explains Cristina Perelló. "My daughter and my son-in-law are in charge of the day-to-day operations, and we have also hired people who already worked in the previous establishments, along with new additions," she adds. The menu includes options such as brioche with Andalusian-style squid, homemade Russian salad, or homemade patatas bravas. "We don't want to work with frozen products; we try to ensure everything is fresh and of high quality," Perelló concludes.

A new burger joint

Another of the recovered establishments is Can Rubies, a historic venue with over sixty years of history that has been a grocery store and restaurant. The new phase combines breakfasts, lunch service, and an offering specialized in quality meat burgers for the evening, for both consumption in situ to go. Hamburgers made with Galician blonde beef, Basque Country's 'mitjana', chicken, and even fish and vegetarian options. The à la carte menu also features local and sea products, such as anchovies, cuttlefish, or sardines.

"We believed there was a gap for a quality burger joint in Port de la Selva," explains owner Sandra Costart, who in recent years had run Guingueta de Grifeu in Llançà. The furniture and structure of the premises haven't changed, but it has a different feel with cozy decor. However, Costart admits that starting a new business is always a challenge, especially under the conditions Port de la Selva experienced: "We've gone from one extreme to the other, from having many closed establishments to seeing them all open at once. So there aren't enough people yet to fill all the businesses every day, and residents have to share among a much wider offering. It's a positive situation because there's more quality and variety, but we're still waiting for all the visitors of the high season to arrive," she concludes.

Among the new additions is also the chiringuito on Pas beach, which has a new concession. Located by the sea, it offers tapas, drinks, music, and activities in an informal atmosphere. Other establishments have changed their name and concept, such as the former Bàmbola, now reconverted into Blaus, specializing in tapas and small plates. Ca l’Herminda, on the other hand, maintains its usual essence with a traditional menu based on rice dishes, fish, and stews.

For its part, the Port de la Selva City Council, which experienced the entire tragedy of last August with great concern, highly values the current situation. It celebrates that a good part of the new managers are professionals from the same municipality who know the trade perfectly and highlights that they have considerably improved the quality of both the service and the product.