Barquet Tarragona

The story

Barquet Tarragona: Three Generations of Traditional Catalan Cuisine in Tarragona

Barquet Tarragona

In Tarragona, the fires of Barquet have burned for three generations. Now entering a new chapter with the same spirit and renewed proposals, this restaurant remains committed to the cuisine that defines it. The kitchen faithfully reproduces the dishes of traditional Catalan cuisine, with a particular obsession: recovering lost recipes. The menu itself is a testament to this dedication.

Chef David Solé i Torné leads the kitchen. After studying at the Escola de Restauració i Hostalatge de Barcelona, he gained professional experience in restaurants and hotels in Mexico and Cuba, among other places. In 2007, he earned his sommelier certification from the URV of Tarragona. An author of ten books, his work “El Té y la Cocina Mediterránea” was named the best tea book in the world in 2011. He is a regular contributor to Catalunya Ràdio and has appeared on several television programs.

His brother, Fidel Solé i Torné, is the head of the dining room. With a background in industrial design, he modernized the service and guest experience, developing a well-curated wine cellar and overseeing the art that adorns the restaurant’s walls.

The atmosphere blends modern industrial and nautical influences, with space for up to 100 guests, a private dining room, and full accessibility for wheelchairs. The restaurant holds a Michelin Recommended selection, a reflection of its steady quality and deep roots in Tarragona’s culinary landscape.

For larger groups, the kitchen offers a tasting menu designed to be shared. Diners might begin with marinated anchovy in brine, followed by grilled prawn, creamy mussel soup, and the soulful fideus rossejats of Florencio de Castanyola. Rice dishes arrive in succession—rice with cod and a picadeta of garlic and parsley, then rice with squid, eggplant, and black garlic aioli—before a cuttlefish with romesco and a sorbet of Tarragona herbs. The meal ends with a Chartreuse flan with apple and almond. This is Catalan cooking, direct and without artifice.