The pharmacy in Palafrugell from 1789 that has been turned into a cafe with good cups and sweets

PalafrugellCan Mascort Pharmacy (23 Raval Inferior Street) is located in the heart of Palafrugell, on the way to or from the Church of Sant Martí and, further on, the Fraternal Center in Plaça Nova, just a few meters from the market and the legendary Carrer Estrecha de Josep Pla. From the doorway, when you see the pharmacy at street level, it will seem as if time has stood still. Everything is just as it was at the turn of the 19th century, when the Mascort family opened it in 1789. The image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which adorns the wooden shelves and is a favorite among fishermen, is still present. "We know that for a time, during the Civil War, it was hidden under crates, so I restored it myself, so it could shine again," explains Lourdes Gaude, who, along with her partner, Alfred Villagrasa, are the current owners of the café-pharmacy.

Once inside, seated at a table beneath a Catalan brick vault, with cups and delicious sweets, you might feel like you're eating medicine for your body, which you can enjoy all morning from Friday to Sunday (during the winter) and also for an afternoon snack (every day during the summer). What's more, there's another unique feature: the pharmacy sells locally sourced products, from Fontclara chocolate and extra virgin olive oil to candles and cork items, all made in the region.

The café-pharmacy is the brainchild of two entrepreneurs who bought a house in Palafrugell over twenty years ago, dreaming of one day opening a hotel. At the time, they each held other jobs: Lourdes in Barcelona hotels, and Alfred as a telecommunications engineer in Andorra. Palafrugell and the surrounding area were their summer vacation spots, and they dreamed of one day living there and having a job.

Pharmacy with hotel

Today they've achieved it. The town's residents remember when the pharmacy was open. "It closed in 2014, and back then the property belonged to the Cid family," says Lourdes, which is why you'll find that people still remember it as Farmacia Cid. The reopening of the pharmacy also includes the hotel, which bases its philosophy on sustainability and, above all, on attention to detail. Spa lovers should know that it features a caldarium.

But let's get down to business. The breakfast offered at Botica Can Mascort consists of Empordà-style sandwiches, which they've named in different ways. The "zueco" (clog) is filled with egg, caramelized onion, and chiitakes (a type of mushroom). The "alpargata de mar" (sea espadrille) has bonito tuna and sun-dried tomato. The "alpargata de vetas" (veined espadrille) is filled with melted cheese and arugula. And the "alpargata de esparto" (esparto grass espadrille) is filled with blond bean pâté and arugula. If you'd like a full breakfast menu, like the one they serve to guests, it starts with slices of xaja flour bread, which they buy from an artisan bakery, with either an omelet or fried eggs with caramelized onion. The eggs are from La Dotzena, an organic egg cooperative. To drink, there's fresh juice, apple or orange juice, freshly cut fruit, or apple compote made in Torroella de Montgrí. Then comes the sweet part: chocolate muffins, chrysoletas (a type of almond cookie), and corones (a type of pastry). And here we have to make a point because all the sweet things are prepared in the cafeteria, which is its hallmark.

They use organic flours and locally sourced ingredients, and above all, they reclaim words to describe dishes we often use in English. "Crysoletes are buckwheat crepes, which in English are called pancakes"But in this region it's always been called 'crisoleta,' which is why we want to reclaim it," Lourdes explains. They'll arrive at your table with three options: chocolate and jams. And to continue, the corks. These are corks from Palafrugell, which the owners have designed inspired by the region's cork-making tradition, and which might make you think of the corks from CadaquésBut they're not exactly the same. "We use less sugar, for example, and they're not shaped like the Cadaqués bottle caps either; ours are elongated." All of this was done with the advice of chef Lola Puig, whom they consulted to create the dishes.

Finally, two essential details for a good breakfast and afternoon snack: yogurt and coffee. The yogurts are made in Cruïlles, by Mas Casas de Cruïlles. They're made with sheep's milk, and you might have seen the flocks grazing in the fields on the way to Palafrugell. And lastly: the coffee. You can make it yourself in a Incaptio brand coffee maker, which grinds the coffee on demand.Medicine for the soul, served in small cups and accompanied by delicious sweets, which you can enjoy in the heart of Palafrugell, where you can also visit The Josep Pla Foundation; always a great recommendation.