Catalan gastronomy, deeply rooted in the Mediterranean diet —inscribed by UNESCO in 2013 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity—, remains a global reference. Restaurants awarded the prestigious Michelin Star combine culinary technology with the use of local and seasonal produce.
The most affordable establishment on the list is Villa Retiro, located in Xerta (Baix Ebre), which received its distinction in 2009. This restaurant, which champions traditional market cuisine from the Terres de l'Ebre, offers the "Clàssic" menu for 72 euros, featuring dishes like Delta rice and river fish.
The Mediterranean diet plays an essential role as a factor of social cohesion in cultural spaces, festivals, and celebrations, bringing together people of all ages, conditions, and social classes.
In the city of Barcelona, there are two notable options. Kamikaze, in the Eixample district, led by chef Enric Buendía, fuses Asian cuisine with local culture and proposes a tasting menu for 85 euros. Further north, in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, MAE Barcelona offers a fusion of cultures (Costa Rica, Colombia, and Barcelona) with its "MAE" menu priced at 95 euros.
Other affordable proposals are found in Lleida and Girona. In Gimenells (Segrià), the restaurant Malena, with chefs Xixo Castaño and Llum Oliva, offers the blackboard menu for 90.75 euros, based on their own garden produce. Finally, in Arbúcies (Selva), Les Magnòlies, located in the heart of Montseny Natural Park, presents the "Un passeig pel Montseny" menu for 94 euros, featuring modern and technical cuisine.
