The Tast a la Rambla 2026 is about to begin. It will start this Thursday and last until Sunday. We recommend going on Thursday or Friday, as they are the quieter days. What will we find there? Well, 30 restaurants and 6 pastry shops with small dishes that cost 6 euros each.

Welcome to Mineral. This is undoubtedly one of the openings of the year and, if all goes well, it could become a landmark restaurant in the city of Barcelona, as Gresca is, for example. It has absolutely everything to succeed. Or at least I hope so, for the following reasons.

"Bars are churches and we are parishioners," says Javier de las Muelas, owner of Casa Fernández (carrer Santaló, 46). This was the first restaurant, he opened it in 1989, and today, after a slight renovation, he has called all the press to present us this venue that continues to retain its usual essence. He explains that one of the "brilliant ideas of the interior design people" was to suggest removing the iconic mural from the restaurant on carrer Santaló. Obviously, the restaurateur refused. It is the work of the designer Carlos Rolando. A benchmark who died in 2016. "There's no question of removing the mural, it's a sign of identity. We are in an era where establishments are Port Aventura style, everything is made of papier-mâché. We want to give value to what is already 37 years old," De las Muelas states emphatically. And he recalls that venues must have soul, be welcoming and be part of people's daily lives. For him, they are one of the antidotes to one of the great evils of our society: "I like to insist on this because one of the big problems we have is loneliness".

"They looked like sales", one of the Parada Torres workers tells me. And indeed, we are visiting the new establishment of the Torres brothers, Sergio and Javier, just one day after it opened. The space, located within the Santa Caterina Market, is large and open-plan, measuring 440 m²and can accommodate 160 people. It is a place where a high turnover of diners is expected. The kitchen is located, framed by an immense bar that surrounds it. One side faces directly onto the market. In fact, the windows can be opened, and during the hours when the stalls are open, the bar becomes integrated into the life of the market. In the evening, when there is no longer activity at the stalls, it can be closed and operate independently. "Our parents sold the bar so that we could do fine dining, and we wanted Barcelona to have a bar with our vision," says Sergio Torres, who adds that the food has "a Torres touch." The quality-price ratio has been one of our obsessions from the start. And it's true that you can eat without spending too much. "It's the bar we owed to Barcelona," affirms the chef. With this establishment, the brothers have three restaurants: the crown jewel, Cuina Germans Torres, with three Michelin stars, the gastronomic Eldelmar, and now the popular Parada Torres. "A fun place where the food is good," summarizes the chef.

Can Lluís, in the Raval neighbourhood of Barcelona, is a symbol of the change the city is undergoing. So we visit it to see the state of the establishment, as the series Ravalejar, by Isaki Lacuesta and Pol Rodríguez on HBO Max, has just premiered, and in November it will arrive on 3Cat. It so happens that Can Lluís was the restaurant of Rodríguez's family, a historic venue from 1929 from which Peret spread Catalan rumba, where Vázquez Montalbán used to dine, or where Leo Messi stopped by during his first years in Barcelona.

From June 1, the day of the gala in the Nordic countries, the Michelin Guide has decided to dispense with the Green Stars. It is an award given to restaurants that excelled in sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. In Catalonia, there are 15 restaurants that enjoy this distinction. While it is true that last year the French guide had already begun the withdrawal by eliminating the category filter on the website, it is now that, through a press release, it has finished making it disappear, as it considers that the distinction has already had its run and has already been "amortized", according to the guide's spokesperson in Spain.

I’ve heard that the Massana restaurant in Girona is celebrating three pieces of good news and I want to go there to be able to explain it and, of course, to eat some of its classic dishes again. While I’m there, a woman comes in and says: “Hello, Pere! I’ve come to book a table.” And Pere Massana greets her by name and diligently notes down the customer’s request. This lady could have booked online or by phone. But she preferred to come in person and was served with a smile. This establishment demonstrates once again that the human factor is – and always will be – unbeatable.

Berlin is a city that the more you visit it, the more it enchants you. It is diverse and open-minded. Full of nooks and crannies where it reveals its character, making it a kind of bubble in the middle of Germany. That is why it has been the chosen place for people who came from much more conservative regions to build a home there. This is explained to me by the cook René Frank, chef of the renowned restaurant Coda. A restaurant "that could only be in Berlin". Thanks to his knowledge of the city and that of the people who are part of the Coda team, we are about to visit places to subsequently make a list of the most recommendable ones. From cafes, cocktail bars, pastry shops, and, of course, where to eat a good René Frank, chef of the renowned restaurant Coda. A restaurant "that could only be in Berlin". Thanks to his knowledge of the city and that of the people who are part of the Coda team, we are about to visit places to subsequently make a list of the most recommendable ones. From cafes, cocktail bars, pastry shops, and, of course, where to eat a good currywurst or a kebab, two of the most representative and popular dishes.

What a great discovery. A bar for everyone: recognizable cuisine, popular prices, and a good atmosphere among regular patrons and newcomers alike. Take note because if you go to Tarragona, it's a must-stop for a hearty breakfast or lunch. Welcome to Bar Cortijo.

There was great expectation to know what the scientist Ana Gago-Martínez, professor at the University of Vigo, researcher in analytical and food chemistry, and director of the EU reference laboratory for marine biotoxins, would explain. This is because the increase in cases of ciguatera poisoning, which is contracted by ingesting certain fish, has required significant effort from administrations and the scientific community to manage a potential health problem that, until a few years ago, was not unique to us in Europe. In her presentation at the "Encuentro de los Mares" congress in Tenerife, Gago-Martínez asked for the public to be informed, but without causing alarm. We will try to summarize the key points of a potential risk, to comply with what the scientist requests.

The Romans said that the sea belonged to no one and that fish had no value, but this is not so. At least not in the world we have built. To see the oceanic dimensions of blue natural capital, let's take an X-ray based on figures provided by the scientific community at the Encuentro de los Mares conference held in Tenerife this week.

Carlos Duarte (Lisbon, 1960) is one of the most prestigious oceanographers in the world. He now resides in Mallorca, but has lived in Catalonia, Canada, Australia, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. His lectures always provide revealing data about the sea, some alarming. But he always tries to find an optimistic approach in turbulent times. Duarte, moreover, is the scientific advisor for the congress 'Encuentro de los Mares' (Meeting of the Seas), held in Tenerife, where the scientific community, fishermen, and chefs meet for four days to exchange knowledge.

When I enter people's homes, I always like to look at the family photos they have framed in every corner. I guess it's something we all do. It's nice to see what people's lives were like before we knew them. As children with tanned skin on the beach, at a celebration, or when they graduated from university. It has always seemed to me an act of generosity for someone to let you into their home and be part of their intimacy for a few moments. That's why, when I arrive at the Dvisi restaurant in Palamós, I'm struck by the fact that there's a photo of Jordi Simón and one of Laura Vicente right at the reception. They are individual photos, they are alone. The colors have already faded, it's noticeable that they've been on display for a few years. They correspond to the time when they were studying at the Girona Hotel School, where they met and fell in love. And at this moment, right from the start, it becomes evident that we are in a home, in a clearly family-run restaurant.

Can you imagine a tasting of canned sardines in the same way that a wine tasting is done? In fact, between canned sardines and wine that ages well, there are several common elements that most people do not know. Let's review some curiosities that experts in the field have explained at the eighth edition of the congress Meeting of the Seas, held in Tenerife.

After a series of twists and turns, and enjoying the beauty of Priorat, both humble and exuberant, I arrive at the Clos de l’Obac winery. Carles Pastrana receives us at the entrance. He is an affable and amusing man. We joke, because by profession he was also a journalist, but life had other plans for him: to be part of the revolution that the region would experience. A region that went from misery to creating some of the most valued wines in the world. To achieve this, the blend was as follows: many years of work and doing things according to his criteria, a pinch of recklessness, and two strokes of luck.

“It is very important for me to be here”, said Ferran Adrià. “Today we have become a family again”, affirmed the chef. We are at Can Jubany, at an event in tribute to Santi Santamaria, organized by his son Pau, fifteen years after his death. Everyone has come today. “How nice that we are all here”, said Roser Torres, the woman who has organized the biggest gastronomic events of recent decades. She is known as Mama by many chefs. And like a good mother, she looked happy today that, finally, a battle that was hard and bloody for those who lived it and that time has finally reconciled was being brought to a close – posthumously, of course. has ended up reconciling.

“Have you visited the wine cellar yet?” is the first thing the chef Fran López says to me when I step into Villa Retiro, the hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant in Xerta. He is referring to the Celler Cooperatiu del Pinell de Brai, one of the Cathedrals of Wine, which exemplify López's project very well, a project that transcends the walls of his restaurant and shows the chef's commitment to the territory. Now that Villa Retiro is 20 years old, it is a good time to focus on it and also celebrate it with the menu he has designed for the occasion, which could be nothing else but a tribute to the Terres de l'Ebre.

The Terres de l’Ebre are a natural paradise. A national treasure. But, furthermore, they are also a great gastronomic enclave despite having a very low population density. In Ulldecona alone, we find two Michelin-starred restaurants: l’Antic Molí and Les Moles. Today we visit the first one, where what shines brightest is not precisely the star, but the circular economy project that sustains it, the way it positively impacts the territory, and the fact that it not only establishes itself in haute cuisine but also offers options for all budgets. "We take small steps to grow big," says its chef and owner, Vicent Guimerà. They have already taken many steps, because what they offer from their kitchen is revered and applauded by their neighbors and by those who visit it.

The Boqueria Market has named Carles Gaig alongside other great figures, as it has included him in its Council of Sages. A recognition also received by Juanito Bayén (from Pinotxo), Jean-Louis Neichel, Isidre Gironès, Josep Lladonosa, Jaume Subirós, or Francesc Fortí. The history of the Gaig family and gastronomy began in 1869 in Horta, when his great-grandmother created a "little tavern", in the chef's words, with chairs and a watering trough for horses. People passed by there to avoid entering Barcelona, where they had to pay a few cents to pass. So, to avoid the tax, many people used this route to go from Sant Andreu del Palomar to Esplugues and save themselves the fee. The great-grandmother, with a commercial nose, began to offer simple dishes, and that's how the business started and predestined Carles Gaig's future long before he was born. Today, he receives this tribute with his wife, Fina Navarro, National Gastronomy Award for her work in the dining room, and their daughter Maria, the fifth generation who has already joined the restaurant, seated in the front row.

The Hotel Palace has an undeniable mystique, as it is a historic enclave in the city of Barcelona. For many, it will always remain the Ritz, and in fact, when you enter, you can't help but look around to see if Xavier Cugat's chihuahua is still lurking. If we are not staying there, we can access it to use its gastronomic offerings. We can go