Typical food of the Costa Brava

Paella, seafood, and fideuà are among the most popular dishes on the Costa Brava, but the tradition also includes many vegetable-based products. It’s no wonder the region is famous for “mar i muntanya” (surf and turf), a delicious mix of seafood, meat, and vegetables, all stewed together until they reach exquisite flavour.

Here are some other typical Costa Brava dishes you should try during your holiday. All are equally delicious!

• Palamós prawns grilled with olive oil and parsley, or red prawns with monkfish and potato stew. Incredible in every variation.
• Cod fritters.
• Any of the rice dishes made with locally grown Pals rice.
• “Recuit de drap” with honey. Recuit is a type of cheese that, during its preparation, is wrapped in a cloth—hence the name (“drap” means “cloth” in Catalan).
• Bread with tomato and anchovies from L’Escala, or cured meats—preferably any variety of butifarra: white, black, or even sweet, a type mostly consumed only in this area of Catalonia.
• Esqueixada de bacallà. A fresh and very refreshing dish made with cod, onion, green and red peppers, and black olives.
• Escalivada with pepper, aubergine, and onion.
• Black rice with mussels in cuttlefish or squid ink. A summer must-try.
• “Espardenyes” or “sea cucumbers”. Delicious however they are cooked, although usually quite expensive (for a long time they were undervalued and eaten almost exclusively by fishermen).
• Sea urchins, served natural or with various sauces. The fresher, the better.

It’s hard to choose just one dish from the list, so we recommend visiting the Costa Brava regularly to try them all.

At Hotel Planamar, you’ll find a wide selection of Mediterranean cuisine featuring some of the Costa Brava’s most iconic dishes.

At Restaurante Aguamarina, enjoy seasonal and locally sourced specialties with views of Platja d’Aro beach, while at Restaurante Magenta on the seafront, you can savour rice dishes, paellas, and tapas overlooking the sea.

Check our restaurant offerings and book your gastronomic experience.