La Porca—a family project founded in 2016 by Rubén León and his mother Carmen, a chef originally from Murcia—is a Barcelona pioneer thanks to its vision of the gourmet cooked sandwich. Blending the essence of American BBQ with local Catalan flavors, their concept centers around an open kitchen where guests can watch their food being assembled on the spot. The star of the show is the roasted Ral d'Avinyó pork, which undergoes a low-and-slow cooking process to achieve meltingly tender meat paired with perfectly crispy skin, all hand-carved right in front of the diner (reminiscent of the great backyard BBQs in the US).
The sandwiches are served on toasted, artisanal pan de coca, ideal for soaking up their homemade, signature sauces. Designed for quick and agile service, the compact menu features various roasted pork options, such as the namesake La Porca with romesco and honey, or the Poble-sec, which pays homage to the neighborhood where they started by incorporating escalivada (smoky grilled vegetables) and cheese. The lineup is rounded out with pastrami options, vegetarian alternatives like the Horta sandwich, Murcian-style tapas—think Murcian potato salad served on pan de coca!—and sweet, indulgent desserts like a Nutella sandwich finished with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Maldon salt.