The first gastronomic «multiespace» has recently opened in Barcelona, located in Passeig de Gràcia 24a, between Gran Via and council. El Nacional is a beautifully decorated home. Budding through a jungle of greens and golden decorations, the restaurant offers 2,400 m2 of open space, a set of four different restaurants and a variety of bars. This stunning gourmet center is installed in a historic building. Actually, El Nacional opened in 1870, as a modernist dinner theater. Nevertheless, the location has hosted different activities, such as a textile factory, a car workshop or even a food collection point during the war civil.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this place is its architectural structure. The building rests on fifteen vaults, which confer an industrial air to the space, richly decorated with tasteful details and lights. The restaurant’s magnificent ornamentation screams the name of the prestigious decorator Lázaro Rosa Violán. He is the one responsible for returning the modernist architecture of the 30s and 40s back to life.

But what about the food? Everything is, obviously, of the finest of qualities. But that isn’t what makes this restaurant special. For the first time in Barcelona, diners have the option of choosing the exact piece of fish they want to enjoy. It will be, consequently, prepared in the restaurant’s «La llotja». You can enjoy «Salted sea-bream from Formentera» (19 €) or a «Andalusian crispy shrimps with pickled mayonnaise » (€ 18.50), among other delicacies.

The same happens with meat. The brasérie allows customers to select any type of meat on offer, which is kept in a «maturation» cabinet, and then cooked on a wood oven or grilled. The average ox goes to 85 € per kilo.

You can also go for tapas, as there is an oyster and a cheeses bar. For a more casual approach, El Nacional also offers an area called «La Paradeta«, offering focaccias, salads and juices at alluring and affordable prices. As said, El Nacional is a multirestaurant that welcomes all sorts of tastes and budgets (dishes vary from 5-50 €).

This project belongs to the Subirats family, SB and SB Hotels Real Estate. According to Gerard Subirats, CEO of SB Group, El Nacional is a «stage that represents different dining experiences.» A team of two hundred people (85 professional chefs, chefs led by Carles Tejedor, Miquel Ristol and Ferran Tadeo) work at El Nacional, which is open 365 days a year. The kitchen is open from 12pm to 1 am.