On January 28th the National Bailliage of Spain celebrated the 190th anniversary of Los Caracoles, the iconic restaurant in Barcelona.

The Bailliage hosted a commemorative dinner celebrating the restaurant as a standard-bearer of Catalan cuisine. The event brought together members of the Bailliage of Barcelona and lovers of gastronomy from various nationalities, as is customary, in a historic setting that blended rotisserie tradition with rotisseries excellence.

A rotisserie that is living history
Los Caracoles was founded in 1835 by the Bofarull family in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. This charismatic, historic restaurant with its traditional high-quality cuisine is the city’s second-oldest restaurant. It's century-old wood-fired rotisserie was the star of the evening. Chickens slowly turning over embers, evoked the very essence of the craft upheld since 1950by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.

Our Confrérie, which brings together both professionals and enthusiasts of gastronomy, found the perfect setting in Los Caracoles. We entered through the kitchen, explored labyrinthine dining rooms adorned with old photographs. All with an unmistakable aroma of roast chicken and snails that permeates the Gothic Quarter.

Gala menu: tradition elevated to art
This 190th anniversary dinner, specially designed for Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Spain, featured an exceptional menu.

MENU

Starters
Croquette 1835
rotisserie chicken, served with roast aioli
Salad with confit cod and salvitxada sauce*
½ portion of the house snails

Main courses
Bouillabaisse soup with wild fish
Boneless pig’s trotter
black trumpet mushrooms, red prawn

Desserts
Almond nougat mousse with chocolate
Local chocolate truffle with ratafía

WINES
Jean Leon Vinya Gigi, Chardonnay
Tras los Muros, Albariño
Áster El Espino, Ribera del Duero

Atmosphere and protocol: rotisserie excellence
The dinner followed the customary protocol. It was presided over by José Félix Bentz i Oliver, Bailli of Barcelona, and Rosa Román, Bailli Délégué of Spain who is a Member of the Conseil Magistral. Members wore their ribbons. The Bailli of Barcelona offered words of welcome and we proceeded with the traditional toast. The dinner continued in friendship and harmony. We enjoyed both the food and conversations around the table.

Tradition as the future
With the dinner concluded two diplomas were presented. The first was to the Chef and his professional team for excellence in cuisine and service. The second was an Honorary Certificate highlighting that the restaurant Los Caracoles “has remained for 190 years as a culinary beacon of gastronomy, keeping alive the tradition, quality, and spirit of hospitality that distinguish great establishments.” The Bofarull family gratefully acknowledged the presentation.

We are deeply grateful to the Bofarull family for their attention and service, and to all our confrères and friends for taking part in this first Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Spain event of 2026 in Barcelona.

Vive la Chaîne!

Abel González
Chancelier

*Ed. Salvitxada or salsa de calçots (calçot sauce) is a Catalan sauce similar to romesco sauce with the difference that it is thickened with toast rubbed with fresh garlic, moistened with a little vinegar and pulverized.

Los Caracoles
Carrer dels Escudellers, 14
Ciutat Vella
08002 Barcelona

Tel: +34 933 01 20 41
Web: loscaracoles.es