A calçot is a large green vegetable that belongs to the onion family, it looks somewhat like a leek and is not to be messed with during the Spring season here in Catalunya. Typically eaten with a romesco sauce (olive oil, hazel nuts, pine nuts, nora peppers, roasted garlic and roasted tomatoes), they are simply delicious – if you love your veg of course.

They are prepared over a charcoal grill in order to bring out the best flavor, so if you have them grilled or roasted, it isn’t quite the same. Also note that, an element of mess is in the pipeline with these green slithers served right from the charcoal grill and on to your plate. You traditionally dip them in the sauce (no utensils used) and hold them up to be devoured, so i is no surprise then that a bib is given to you at  masias (old stone rural houses) where this feasting is an event.

Calçots are often eaten at a traditional calçotada meal as a starter followed by a selection of meat, that is also cooked on a charcoal grill, this typically includes lamb, rabbit, pork, chicken and Catalan butifarra sausages. Glasses of local wine from the Penedes is usually drafted in to compliment the occasion.

There countless places that you can go to to eat these delicious treats, however ,our favorites include La Parra in the Sants district of Barcelona. A local spot that has proven popular!

If you want to venture outside there is a magnitude of masias, however we have a soft spot for  Can Marti, a cool rural house outside of the city. You can get there via de Peu del Funicular stop on the S1 and S2.