Le Bistrot

Le Bistrot is a Girona classic that has managed to keep its iconic status since it opened back in the late '70s. The restaurant, which is located on the stairs leading up to the Barri Vell campus of Girona University, is infused with a French ambience that will remind you of authentic Parisian brasseries. It was one of the first places to introduce crêpes to the city, and they still make a range of different pancakes, some of which have a local touch, such as the one of 'brandada de bacallà' (cod brandade). The rustic pizzas ('pizzas de pagès') are the other house speciality. They're made using a slice of 'pa de pagès' (a traditional round Catalan loaf), toasted on one side and au gratin on the other, and given a variety of original toppings, such as goats cheese with oyster mushrooms, chicken with pear, and the most overwhelming, pork with wild mushroom sauce. At lunchtime there is a set menu with lots of home-cooked dishes - you might get to try pork cheeks ('galtes'), pig's trotters ('peus de porc') or traditional Catalan stews. And take note that Thursday is the day that they serve black rice ('arros negre', a rice dish blackened with squid ink).