Catalonia is famous for the wide range of fresh local produce, from the sea, the mountain and the vegetable garden. Catalan cuisine has given the world a whole range of typical regional dishes with such delights as seafood stews like the suquets or the zarzuela (seafood and fish dish), escudella (Catalan stew), calçotada (typical variety of onion), and the salvitxada (typical sauce that accompanies the calçots).

One of the most customary dishes in Catalonia is “Pa amb tomàquet”, toasted bread, fresh tomatoes and olive oil, a wonderful experience with any meat dish or cured meats, and the basic ingredient in the preparation of any sandwich in Catalonia.

Alioli (olive oil and garlic) and romesco (bread, vinegar, almonds, tomatoes, paprika, black pepper and olive oil) are just two of the most emblematic sauces in Catalan cuisine. Catalonia also boasts an outstanding winemaking tradition. The   Penedés, Alella, Priorato and Segre regions are all producers of some of the finest and varied wines. One of the most famous and sought after of these is Cava from the Penedés region, with the family run Freixenet and Codorniu businesses of at the forefront.