Rafa Panatieri, formerly of the Michelin-starred Roca Moo, opened this outstanding pizzeria in a quiet part of Gràcia inside a modernista house that dates back to 1870. The Brazilian chef with Italian roots (his grandparents had a wood oven, and put him to work kneading dough) isn’t only a great cook, he’s also come up with a great idea. ‘In Italy, they value their tradition above all,’ he says. ‘They don’t like anything that is not 100 percent Italian. And it occurred to me: why not make pizzas using all Catalan products?’
So he created a short and to-the-point menu where the recipes are an Iberian and Catalan mirror of Italian classics, with excellent seasonal produce. One early hit was the pizza with mortadella, mozzarella, Idiazábal cheese and pistachios. Another used roasted pumpkin purée instead of tomato sauce, with mozzarella, sweet potato, goat’s cheese ricotta and Iberian pork belly (which can be kept off for veggies).
Already radical believers and practitioners of using local products, Panatieri and his partner Jorge Sastre took it to the next level during the Covid crisis, when they started making their own cheeses and meats on-site. They ferment and cure in a modest workshop upstairs, and hang it all at the entrance: mortadella, bacon, loin, tender fuet, porchetta… It’s all small-scale and chemical-free, just like the garden where they grow herbs. (The rest of the vegetables are from local independent producers.)
‘The menu is short, but we know every product; we control every detail,’ explains Sastre. The vibe is down-to-earth, and they make antipasti like an amazing grilled aubergine with miso sauce and crispy crumbs. For dessert, order the out-of-this-galaxy tiramisu, and marvel at the taste of fresh coffee in the homemade sponge. With opening hours made for leisurely lunches as well as late dinners, this is love at first pizza.
