Restaurant Cal Jaume

What it is

A village eatery in Marganell, the municipality on the north face of Montserrat. It has been open for more than two decades and is now run by the family's second generation, Gisela and Marc. The dining room occupies a village house more than 400 years old: rooms with stone vaults, arched passages and large windows facing the mountain. For anyone coming down from riding at the Natural Hipic ranch, a few minutes away by car, it is the closest table.

What you eat

Traditional Catalan cooking with the odd twist, and local produce: vegetables and pulses from Bages farmers, pork, game, fish from Catalan fish markets and Montserrat mató from Can Florí, the fresh curd cheese eaten for dessert with honey. Its specialities are the rice dishes, the meat and fish on the holm-oak charcoal grill and slow-cooked stews. Among the dishes shown on its website are grilled coca de recapte, salt cod rice with black trumpet mushrooms or aged beef steak.

On weekdays, Tuesday to Friday on working days, there is a set menu of the day for €18.50, with five starters and five mains to choose from, grilled meats, drink or half a bottle of wine, bread and dessert; on Thursdays they make paella. The rice menu costs €27 without drinks, for the whole table. In the morning they serve knife-and-fork breakfasts: cured meats, omelettes, eggs, grill and stews such as cap i pota or oxtail, with a menu of grilled butifarra, drink and coffee for €11. In season, calçotadas to order.

Hours and booking

It is open Tuesday to Sunday: breakfasts from 9:00 to 11:30 and lunches from 13:00 to 15:30. It closes on Mondays, except public holidays. The house itself recommends booking by phone, on 93 835 71 50; it also has WhatsApp on 625 49 62 04 and a form on the website. At weekends, call before setting out for Montserrat.

Getting there

It is at number 38 calle Sant Esteve, in the village of Marganell. You reach it by car: about 15 minutes to the Monistrol Vila rack railway if in the afternoon you want to go up to the sanctuary.