Ambassadors for local produce

The proliferation of shops selling locally sourced products is a response to consumers’ growing interest in buying food that supports the local economy and is more sustainable for the environment. They have become ambassadors for the best the region has to offer, giving tourists the opportunity to discover, learn about and taste the landscape they are visiting.

In the Alt Empordà region there are a handful of places that provide a local gastronomic journey. At one end of the town of Capmany you will find El Parral, Wine-tourism Shop and Space with its generous display of wines and other local products that can be sampled in the shop in a relaxed atmosphere. Also well worth a visit to purchase or try some products is the charming Cal Drac shop, located under the arches of Plaça dels Homes in Castelló d’Empúries. Another obligatory stop is Olivet de Mas Ferran, in Terrades, one of those grocery stores with shelves full of fresh vegetables, craft beers, oils, jams, cheeses… Did we mention cheeses? Well, very select and local ones are available at La Formatgeria Espai Gastronòmic in Llançà, which can prepare them to order in attractive trays to take away.

Continuing this delicious route through the Gironès region and heading towards the capital, Girona, here, in the middle of the historic quarter, there is another slice of heaven for cheese lovers, Cal Formatger. Cow, goat and sheep’s milk cheeses from all over, but particularly the province of Girona, can be bought in trays of tasty selections.

These types of shops are very popular at the moment in Baix Empordà. We suggest visiting Vulpilius, for example, a charming little establishment in Vulpellac where you can find farm produce treasures from the Empordà region that you can taste on the terrace, next to the castle. Another idea is to go to Abricoc, a gastronomic space and shop in Fonteta that makes the best of seasonal local products and prepares delicious takeaway trays and boards, with great taste and with the best pairings. Still in this region we find Mr. Natural, in Colomers, where the selection of delicious products is topped only by the friendliness of the shop manager. 

Cerdanya is a paradise for mountaineers and hikers, but by visiting Agrobotiga Cerdanya in Puigcerdà you can also explore all its landscapes through meat from local herds, vegetables grown in the area, honeys, jams, wines and spirits, beers, cheeses and much more. Oliu Degustació, also in Puigcerdà, offers artisanal products that can be tasted in store as well.

In the Garrotxa region there is an excellent range of quality products and a good example can be found in one of the oldest shops in Olot, Can Japot. Much more than a delicatessen and butcher’s shop, you can also leave here with a basket full of cheeses and dairy produce, legumes such as locally grown beans and honey and preserves from the area. In this region there is another temple of good taste: El Celler de Besalú, with a range of products that will draw you in immediately.

Those visiting the Ripollès region may also wish to take home a little piece of this land in the form of exquisite meats and sausages, the finest cheeses, the most aromatic honeys or biscuits that have been made here for more than hundred years. Here you will find enticing shop windows displaying the ‘Producte del Ripollès’ stamp at Cal Xec and El Rebost de Ribes. The former is next to Camprodon’s photogenic Romanesque bridge, the latter is located at the entrance to Ribes de Freser.

This brief tour of businesses committed to the farmers and cattle herders who live here and work the land could include many more establishments. We will mention a couple of them so that all the regions of Girona are represented. Agrobotiga El Magatzem in Hostalric, in the Selva region, is a well-kept local shop where you can discover delicious walnuts from Sant Hilari and chickpeas from Tordera. And finally, Agrobotiga Can Costabella, in Mata, Pla de l’Estany, where there is no shortage of organic fruit and vegetables or, of course, garlic, a crop that became widespread throughout the region at the end of the 19th century.