Spain’s Most Famous Chefs Have Just Opened An Affordable Tapas Bar in Girona

Inspired by Bar Roca as it was in the 1970s and by traditional Catalan classics, this new Girona tapas spot from the Roca brothers is designed to be far more affordable and accessible than El Celler de Can Roca while promising food that’s just as delicious. The menu, created with natural wine in mind, ranges from confits and pickles to hearty Catalan stews, flatbreads and sandwiches, with most dishes given a signature twist that lifts them above what you’d find in a standard tapas bar. Vegetables come from the gardens of Mas Marroch, El Celler de Can Roca’s event venue, and among the standout options are a mollette (an Andalusian roll) filled with sherry-doused kidneys and a coca de pan (Catalan flatbread) topped with black pepper bacon and Idiazábal cheese. With direction from Audrey Doré, head sommelier at El Celler de Can Roca, and a kitchen led by David Freijomil, the price of around €20 per person excluding wine makes it an exceptionally good-value way to experience the Roca brothers’ cooking. - Ricard Martín