Beaches, cliffs, incredible landscapes, climate, vegetation… The Costa Brava stands out in many aspects, and one of its strengths is, undoubtedly, its gastronomy. Although it may seem that paella is one of the traditional dishes, we are sorry to inform you that this is not the case: despite being commonly available, it is actually typical from Valencia. This is why today we want to suggest six traditional dishes of the Costa Brava that you must try if you visit this area.

1. “Pa amb tomata” (Bread with tomato). This is the typical traditional dish of the Costa Brava that is almost always part of people’s meals in this area. It doesn’t matter if you combine it with catalan cold meats, cheese, or maybe even anchovies… Whatever you choose, it will be great! Even more if you pair it with a bottle of wine from Empordà (the most northern region of the Costa Brava). This experience will satisfy your five senses. Special mention should be made of the anchovies of L’Escala and escalivada (baked vegetables), which combined with the “pa amb tomata” come close to perfection.

2. Snails. Although it might seem adventurous, snails are also a typical dish of the Costa Brava. When you dare to try them you will understand why they are so successful.

3. Fuet. The fuet is one of the cheapest but most precious cold meats of the Catalan coast. Made fom mince and marinated meat with spices, it has an incredible taste that blends perfectly with bread and tomato. Don’t miss it! (the picture below you can see fuet and pa amb tomata)

4. Stuffed squids. This dish combines two opposites: meat and seafood, to form the perfect equation in the form of a stuffed squid.

5. Calçots. The perfect dish for everyone, even for vegans and vegetarians! Even though these are only typically available between winter and spring, these vegetables (similar to onions) are usually accompanied by the popular Romesco sauce and will make fall you complety in love with them. You can not imagine the taste of this onions and nutty sauce until you try it!

6. Catalan cream. We finish with desserts and, when in the Costa Brava, you can’t go wrong with a Catalan cream (a type of crème brûlée). Its thin layer of caramelized sugar and the cream will be a sweet treat to end any meal.

Do you dare to try them all?

Image source: Pa amb tomata (dpotera), Fuet (César), Stuffed Squid (dpotera), Calçots (Txapulín), Catalan Cream (Katherine Price)