Walter Ponce
On the first night of our road trip across northern Spain, after walking Girona’s old town, we drove up the hill for dinner at Tomàquet, a Catalan grill restaurant in an old masia (farmhouse) on the edge of the city.
The place
The setting is the highlight: a big terrace under the trees, strung with lights in the evening, next to a traditional stone farmhouse. Inside there are several rooms, including private dining rooms for groups.
What to order
The restaurant is named after the most Catalan of dishes, pa amb tomàquet: grilled bread rubbed with ripe tomato, olive oil and salt. It comes with almost everything, and it is a good start while you wait for the grill.
The menu is built around the charcoal grill (a la brasa): local Girona beef, lamb, sausages (botifarra), and grilled vegetables. Catalan classics include snails (cargols), and in late winter and spring, calçots, the long grilled spring onions dipped in romesco sauce.
What is pa amb tomàquet?
Few dishes are as Catalan as pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato). It is simple:
- A slice of country bread (pa de pagès), usually toasted or grilled.
- Half a very ripe tomato, rubbed over the bread until it turns red.
- A drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
It is eaten at breakfast, lunch and dinner, on its own or with cured meats such as ham and fuet, cheese, or anchovies. On the Costa Brava, the anchovies of L’Escala, a town in the province of Girona, are a local classic. Some restaurants bring the bread, tomatoes and oil to the table so you can make your own.
Catalan grill classics
A meal at a Catalan brasa restaurant usually mixes a few starters with grilled meat. Dishes you will often see:
- Botifarra amb mongetes: grilled Catalan pork sausage with white beans.
- Cargols a la llauna: snails roasted on a metal tray, served with allioli.
- Allioli: a thick sauce of garlic and olive oil, the classic partner for grilled meat.
- Escalivada: peppers, aubergine and onion roasted over the embers, then peeled and dressed with oil.
- Calçots: a winter and spring speciality from the area of Valls, in Tarragona. They are charred on the grill, peeled by hand and dipped in romesco, a sauce of nuts, dried peppers, garlic and tomato. A meal built around them is called a calçotada, and the season runs roughly from January to April.
- Crema catalana: the Catalan custard with a burnt sugar top, the classic dessert.
What is a masia?
A masia is a traditional Catalan farmhouse, usually built in stone, often with thick walls, a large main house and outbuildings around it. Many were the centre of a farming estate. Today, plenty of them around Catalan cities have been turned into restaurants and hotels, and they are especially popular for long summer dinners outside and family celebrations.
Wine from the Empordà
The wine region closest to Girona is the DO Empordà, between Girona and the French border, near the Costa Brava. It is best known for reds made from Garnacha and Carignan, plus rosés and whites. Its traditional sweet wine, Garnatxa de l’Empordà, is often served with dessert. If you prefer bubbles, cava, the Catalan sparkling wine, is on almost every wine list.
Girona before dinner
Tomàquet is a good end to an afternoon in Girona’s old town, which is compact and easy to walk:
- The cathedral, at the top of its long flight of steps.
- The colourful houses along the Onyar river, best seen from the bridges.
- El Call, the old Jewish quarter, with narrow, winding streets.
- The city walls, with a walkway along the top and views over the rooftops.
Getting there
Girona is about 40 minutes from Barcelona by high-speed train, and it has its own airport. Tomàquet is on the hill above the city, not in the old town, so plan on a short drive or a taxi rather than a walk, especially after dark.
What Google reviewers say
Google rating: 4.1 out of 5 from 5,196 reviews (October 2026).
The terrace and the farmhouse setting are the most-praised things about Tomàquet, along with friendly staff, a good wine list, generous portions and fresh local ingredients such as Girona beef and tomatoes. The snails and the calçots are popular. The critical reviews say it is not cheap and that some dishes are hit and miss, though most agree the setting and the quality justify the price.
Good to know
- Address: Carrer Albí 34, Girona, on the hill above the city. You will want a car or a taxi.
- Booking: recommended, especially for the terrace in summer.
- Groups: private rooms are available.
- Best time: summer evenings on the terrace, when the lights come on under the trees.
- Calçots: if you want them, go between January and April, when they are in season.
Verdict
A lovely spot for a long summer dinner on a terrace outside Girona, with traditional Catalan grilled food. Book a table outside.
FAQ
Where is Tomàquet in Girona? At Carrer Albí 34, in a farmhouse on the hill above Girona.
What kind of food does Tomàquet serve? Catalan cuisine, mainly from the charcoal grill: Girona beef, botifarra, snails, calçots in season and pa amb tomàquet.
Do you need to book Tomàquet? It is recommended, especially for the terrace in summer.
What is pa amb tomàquet? Country bread rubbed with ripe tomato, then dressed with olive oil and salt. It is a Catalan staple served with almost every meal.
When is calçot season? Roughly from January to April. Calçots are grilled over a fire and dipped in romesco sauce.
Is Tomàquet good for groups? Yes. Besides the large terrace, it has private dining rooms for groups and celebrations.
