Restaurant El Pont Vell, Besalú

Located in Besalú, one of the most iconic and best-preserved medieval towns in the Garrotxa region, El Pont Vell sits quite literally at the foot of the Romanesque bridge that spans the Fluvià River.
Founded in 1981 by Núria Boleda and Artur Mercadé, the restaurant is a family-run project that blends tradition with innovation. The dining room is managed by the family itself, and the tableware—often handcrafted by Núria, the mother—reinforces the restaurant’s unique aesthetic and identity.

Location

The architectural and historical setting plays a key role. Besalú was a Roman-era fortress between two rivers (“Bisuldunum”), and its old town is home to Romanesque churches, a well-preserved Jewish quarter, monasteries, and other medieval buildings, making a visit to the restaurant part of a rich cultural experience.

The restaurant

Since 2012, the kitchen has been led by chef Robert Mora. Trained at the Girona School of Hospitality, he has worked in renowned kitchens such as El Celler de Can Roca and La Fonda Xesc, and has also completed training placements in France, England, and Italy.

A highlight of the experience is the terrace, located right next to the medieval bridge, which offers breathtaking views and turns every meal into a unique visual and emotional experience.

Gastronomy

The restaurant’s team places the utmost importance on seasonal and high-quality ingredients. To ensure freshness, the chef visits the Banyoles market every week to personally select the best produce.

The cuisine is rooted in classic Catalan traditions, and each dish is prepared with care and sensitivity, aiming to make every visit a memorable one.

Signature Dishes Include:

• Our terrines: house-made pâtés served with toast.
• Canelons made with crêpe-style pasta filled with free-range chicken.
• Duck foie gras made in-house, served with our own preserves.
• Fresh pappardelle made in the restaurant, served with locally sourced lobster.
• Classic steak tartare, hand-cut.
• Sweet-and-sour rabbit with raisins, pine nuts, and baked apple (a house specialty).
• Duck breast with figs and ginger sauce.
• Oxtail braised in Empordà red wine, finished with Russet ratafia.
• Rack of lamb cooked to perfection and slow-roasted lamb breast with pepper and tomato sauce.
• Veal tenderloin Chateaubriand-style with porcini mushroom sauce.

Desserts:

• Bread with OrVerd olive oil, chocolate, and fleur de sel.
• A tasting of three artisan cheeses with our homemade quince paste.
• Natural fruit sorbet made in-house with white chocolate crisp.

Why is El Pont Vell worth a visit?

Visiting El Pont Vell means discovering a place where high-quality Catalan cuisine meets a truly unique historical setting. Located beside the medieval bridge, in the heart of Besalú—one of the best-preserved medieval towns in La Garrotxa—the restaurant offers an experience that goes far beyond food.

After wandering its cobbled streets and exploring its Romanesque and Jewish heritage, your visit culminates in a lunch crafted from fresh, seasonal ingredients—personally selected at the Banyoles market—and prepared with a classic culinary foundation, full of care and personality.

El Pont Vell is the perfect destination for those looking to combine culture, history, and gastronomy into an unforgettable visual, emotional, and sensory experience.