An excellent lunch option with a few surprising dishes: Restaurant Xavier Pellicer (21. February 2026)

Usually, the whole table has to go with the same menu, which I always find a little bit annoying (while I do, of course, understand why the kitchen prefers it that way). Luckily, this wasn’t the cae at the Xavier Pellicer and you could order different menus at the same time – the only condition was that it had the same number of courses. I decided to go for the “Omnivore Tasting Menu” (EUR 105.00), which started with a “radish salad, coconut and parsnip yogurt, mustard leaf”, which was nice and refreshing.

The next course started with a “kale leaf” (frankly, not that innovative), which was a nice bite, though.

Part of the second course was “baby kale sprout with black truffle” and I must say it was rather nice. The flavor profile was interesting, and the truffle actually worked (I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to applying black truffle).

The next course was the “roasted pumpkin sponge cake, noodles”, which looked quite orange, but I must admit that it turned out to be a great combination of flavors and textures – if you put a little bit of everything on your fork, it would pair perfectly and was truly harmonic.

Now, you wonder if gnocchi can be something special. And let me tell you, yes, they can! The “potato and green wax beans” looked as simple as gnocchi from a super market, but turned out to be so different. Sure, they were still gnocchi, but they were so soft and tender (yeah, weird wording for gnocchi) that they would melt in your mouth just like butter – but with that distinct potato flavor. Frankly, this dish – it’s also one of their signature dishes – was something I would eat every day again.

The “pointed cabbage maki, date, toasted spices” was a bit tricky to eat as you had to cut it in four pieces while making sure that it wouldn’t fall apart completely. But once you’ve managed that and were able to take a bite, it turned out to be an incredibly tasty flavor combination.

Now, when I saw that, I was wondering what kind of dish that is. I had not expected for it to be “confited artichoke, egg yolk, Jerusalem artichoke, hazelnut” and let me tell you, that was actually good. The only thing I found not really adding any value to the flavors was the fried vegetable slice on top of the dish.

Now, what was simple yet somehow amazing was the “wild freshly-caught fish, rocket pesto, vichyssoise, crunchy roots”. Sure, the fish itself wasn’t all that special, but the sauce in which it was served was all the better. Definitely something to dip with your bread.

The main and final savory course was “Marti’s organic chicken, truffle mayonnaise”. When I saw the meat I wasn’t really looking forward as I found that kind of color in chicken makes it a bit chewy. Luckily, this wasn’t the case at all – it was actually rather tender and, hence, quite enjoyable.

The start of the dessert was my disappointment. The “cauliflower, chocolate, lavender” sounded interesting. And I must say that the lavender ice cream and the chocolate ice cream were both quite fine. What I found absolutely not enjoyable was the ‘cauliflower sponge’. Sure, my aversion against cauliflower doesn’t help here, but it was a rather special taste experience, especially for a dessert.

Last but not least, “chocolates” were served to end the lunch, and they were, chocolatey, and good.

On top of the quite tasty food, I found the place quite intriguing. You walk in, and the interior is lovely. Then …

… you go deeper into the place and pass the min kitchen …

… to then be brought through that main kitchen into a smaller kitchen (picture below) after which you’re seated in another area. Luckily, we had the table, which allowed us to look straight into the kitchen (the smaller one, not the main one) and watch the chefs prepare some of the food, which I always find quite entertaining.

Last but not least, when you’re done, you’re led out the restaurant through another door, which is – apparently – also the entrance door for the El Menjador, which is only open in the evenings.

All in all, I enjoyed the lunch at Xavier Pellicer quite a lot. The food was very enjoyable, the price is absolutely fair, the service is friendly and professional, and last but not least, the interior is nice too. The fact that the chef and owner was actually there, and we were briefly able to talk to him added to the overall experience.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Xavier Pellicer

Carrer de Provença 310

Eixample

08037 Barcelona (E)

Tel.: +34 935 25 90 02

E-Mail: info@xavierpellicer.com

Homepage: https://www.xavierpellicer.com

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.