Local delicacies and desserts

Olive oil, Spanish cheeses, sobrasada, membrillo, Marcona almonds and the essential Catalan desserts.

🫒 Olive oil

Spain is the world’s largest producer of olive oil. In Catalonia you’ll often be served local first cold-pressed oil (Extra Virgen), which is a gastronomic highlight in its own right.

🧀 Spanish cheeses

Spain produces more than 150 kinds of cheese. The best known:

Manchego — Spain’s most famous sheep’s-milk cheese. It comes young, aged and very aged.
Idiazábal — a smoked sheep’s-milk cheese from the Basque Country.
Mahón — a cheese from the island of Menorca with a light saltiness.
Garrotxa — a delicate Catalan goat’s-milk cheese.
Tupí — an unusual aged Catalan cheese, sometimes made with a dash of liqueur.

🍖 Sobrasada

A soft, spreadable sausage made with paprika. It comes from Mallorca but is easy to find all over Spain. Delicious on fresh bread or toast.

🍑 Membrillo

Spanish quince paste. Despite the name, its texture is closer to a firm jelly. It’s traditionally served with Manchego cheese — a classic Spanish pairing.

🌰 Marcona

If you see Marcona almonds for sale, be sure to try them. They’re called the “king of almonds” for their sweet flavour and tender texture.

🍮 Desserts

Crema Catalana ⭐ — Catalonia’s most famous dessert. It’s similar to crème brûlée but made with lemon and orange zest and cinnamon. On top is a thin caramel crust that you crack with a spoon.

Mel i Mató — a very simple Catalan dessert: fresh soft mató cheese with honey. Light, fresh and not too sweet.

Churros con Chocolate — although this dish comes from central Spain, it’s loved all over the country. Crispy sticks of choux pastry served with thick hot chocolate.

Carquinyolis — a traditional Catalan almond biscuit, similar to Italian biscotti. Wonderful with coffee.

Turrón — if you’re visiting at Christmas, be sure to try turrón, the famous Spanish almond nougat. There are many kinds: soft, hard, chocolate, with pistachios and other nuts.

💡 If I had to name just five foods that best capture the cuisine of Catalonia, I’d say: 🧅 calçots with romesco sauce (in season); 🥖 pa amb tomàquet; 🐖 Jamón Ibérico; 🧀 Manchego with membrillo; 🍮 Crema Catalana. These are the flavours most travellers end up associating with Spain and Catalonia.

🌐 Translated from Russian; the translation hasn't been proofread yet.