Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain Barcelona La Pubilla
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

La Pubilla

Open since 1912, this restaurant is one of the few left that serves chicken with lobster and other Catalan-style surf and turf staples.

Barcelona, Spain

Added By
Austin Bush
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
For dessert, try the flan mel i matĂł, made with a type of Catalan cheese.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
Octopus makes for a surprising garnish for this pig face terrine.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
La Pubilla has been in business since 1912.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
Offal and various off-cuts of meat feature prominently on the menu.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
A terrine of pig face and foot is seared until crispy, and served on a bed of mashed potatoes, garnished with chunks of tender octopus.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
Menu items are listed up at the front of the restaurant.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
Welcome to one of the few places in Barcelona to find these rare surf and turf specialties.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Chicken paired with lobster; veal meatballs braised with cuttlefish; rice dishes that blend shellfish and chicken: these are some of the most classic examples of mar i muntanya, a style of Catalan cooking that blends proteins from the sea and the land. Although a hallmark of Catalan cuisine, these dishes are getting increasingly harder to find, especially in Barcelona. But at La Pubilla, a restaurant in the city’s Gràcia neighborhood, the tradition lives on.

Originally opened in 1912, nearly a century later La Pubilla was taken over by chef Alexis Peñalver and today is considered a reference for modern Catalan cuisine. The restaurant’s lunchtime menu includes a mar i muntanya de la setmana, “surf and turf of the week,” typically a dish rooted in this Catalan tradition but with a contemporary tweak or two. 

Recent examples include terrina de peu i morro amb pop i parmentier, a terrine of pig face and foot—a Catalan specialty—seared until crispy, and served on a bed of mashed potatoes, garnished with chunks of tender octopus; and panxeta rostida amb calmars i ceba confitada, roast bacon with squid and confit onions.

The mar i muntanya is always present on La Pubilla’s excellent value set lunch, along with other dishes that tend to revolve around offal or other off-cuts—the emphasis being on cuina catalana & de mercat, “Catalan & market cuisine,” convenient given that it’s located directly across from Mercat de la Llibertat. It’s also one of a dwindling number of places in Barcelona that continues to serve esmorzar de forquilla, “fork breakfast,” essentially a hearty, meaty way to start the day.

Related Tags

Seafood Restaurants Food

Know Before You Go

Mar i muntanya dishes are not always part of La Pubilla’s breakfast and dinner menus.

Community Contributors

Added By

Austin Bush

Published

December 11, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
La Pubilla
Plaça de la Llibertat, 23
Barcelona, 08012
Spain
41.399561, 2.153749
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Pinullet

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Festa Major de GrĂ cia

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Casa Vicens

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Barcelona

Barcelona

Spain

Places 65
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Pinullet

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Festa Major de GrĂ cia

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Casa Vicens

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Barcelona

Barcelona

Spain

Places 65
Stories 2

Related Places

  • Crab meat and shrimp get pounded in a mortar and pestle with grated coconut, shrimp paste, chili and aromatics, smeared on the inside of a coconut shell and grilled until fragrant,

    Ko Samui, Thailand

    Bangpor Seafood Takho

    Dig into rustic southern Thai island dishes at this decades-old beach shack.

  • Charred local cipura (branzino) needs nothing more than a squeeze of lemon.

    Istanbul, Turkey

    Lacivert

    Feast on the freshest of fish by the Bosphorus.

  • Exterior of The Parson’s Table, still showing its church roots.

    Little River, South Carolina

    The Parson's Table

    Dine on superb local staples in a converted historic church.

  • BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.

    New Orleans, Louisiana

    High Hat Cafe

    Southern comfort food is on the menu at this neighborhood favorite.

  • Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Aksorn

    Time-travel through Thai cuisine drawn from vintage cookbooks and little-known ingredients.

  • Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Charmgang

    This neon-lit back-alley spot deals in good vibes and curries that pack a punch.

  • The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Gedhawa

    For more than 30 years, this stalwart has been one of the few restaurants in Bangkok specializing in northern Thai cuisine.

  • At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Nai Mong Hoi Thod

    This Chinatown hole-in-the-wall serves what might be the ultimate oyster omelet.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.