Where to Eat in the Anoia Region: The Honest Guide from Can Robira

Eating well in the Anoia region

This is the restaurant guide we hand to our guests at check-in. It is not exhaustive, nor does it set out to be: these are the places where we ourselves eat, the ones we recommend when someone asks where to celebrate a birthday, and the ones that spare you an aimless pilgrimage through dubious online reviews.

The Anoia is not a region awash with Michelin stars, but it has a remarkable density of honest restaurants: market-driven Catalan cooking, village dining rooms with a daily set menu, grill houses, well-made Italian pizzerias, and more contemporary offerings in Igualada and Capellades. The key to eating well here is knowing where to look.

For reference, every recommendation below is less than 30 minutes by car from Can Robira (Els Hostalets de Pierola). We have listed them from nearest to furthest so you can combine them with whatever else you have planned in the area.

Market-driven and home-style Catalan cooking

Cal Cuiner is one of our go-to recommendations for guests who want Catalan cooking without any surprises. Seasonal produce, familiar dishes and a warm welcome. It works equally well for a quiet meal for two or a family with older children.

Cal Canela is the other traditional reference: generous portions, a village atmosphere and a classic menu. It is a regular choice for groups, small work lunches and family birthday meals. Booking at weekends is advisable.

Cal Noy champions local Anoia produce and regional cooking. It is the sort of place where you still find dishes that have all but disappeared from city menus: ganxet beans, escudella, salt cod prepared the Catalan way. A good option for anyone seeking an honest, recognisable gastronomic experience.

El Casal Català dels Hostalets is the village classic: a daily set menu, local conversation and a fair price. For a no-fuss lunch or dinner, it is hard to go wrong.

Families, children and relaxed meals

Vero Gusto is the Italian restaurant we recommend without hesitation for families: honest pizzas, decent pasta and a genuinely friendly attitude towards children. It works very well after a day at Montserrat or a short walking route.

The village dining rooms listed above also tend to suit families well: there is room to breathe, the cooking is familiar and children eat happily without any need for a fussy children's menu.

If you are travelling with young children, ask us at check-in: we have an expanded version of the guide covering children's menus, parking and highchair availability at each place. It is information we update by hand and do not publish online, as it changes frequently.

Groups, celebrations and work lunches

For groups of 8 to 15 people, the local stalwarts — Cal Canela, Cal Noy, El Casal — are usually the answer. It is important to book ahead, to mention any dietary requirements, and if you are coming at the weekend, to confirm twice.

For groups of 20 or more with a private celebration in mind — a big birthday, a company lunch, a seasonal calçotada — Can Robira is the option you already know. We have four event spaces — Las Cuadras (the stables), La Capilla (the chapel), La Bodega (the cellar) and La Bassa (the pond) — and the possibility of combining the event with accommodation.

From January to April we also organise calçotada in a closed package for companies, with team-building activities and our own natural wine. It is a format that removes the uncertainty of variable pricing and simplifies the logistics for team organisers.

A short list for guests

These are the names we mention most often. The full version — with indicative prices, suitability for children, parking and exact distances — is handed to you on paper at check-in.

• Cal Cuiner — market-driven Catalan cooking, warm atmosphere.
• Cal Canela — traditional, generous, ideal for groups.
• Cal Noy — local produce, regional cooking.
• Vero Gusto — honest Italian, good for families.
• El Casal Català dels Hostalets — village classic, daily set menu.
• Restaurants in Igualada and Capellades — a more urban and contemporary offer (we recommend one or the other depending on the day and your plans).

Markets, local produce and shopping

Beyond restaurants, eating well in the Anoia means getting to know its markets and producers. Igualada has a traditional market with seasonal produce, specialist butchers and bakeries well worth a visit. In villages such as Capellades and Els Hostalets de Pierola, local shops still stock fresh produce and artisan cured meats.

If you are staying at Can Robira, we can tell you which market falls during your stay and where to find the best things to buy. For guests in the holiday apartment, it is a very pleasant way to make the most of having your own kitchen.

There are also wineries in the surrounding area — in the Anoia and Penedès — that are open for visits. Combining a meal out with a natural wine tasting at Can Robira's cellar is one of the plans we recommend most for a peaceful two-night stay.

Type of occasion, best option

A quick, honest meal

Casal Català dels Hostalets

Market-driven Catalan cooking

Cal Cuiner

Large traditional group

Cal Canela

Family with children

Vero Gusto / village dining rooms

Local Anoia produce

Cal Noy

Private event, 20+ guests

Can Robira (calçotada or bespoke package)

Keep exploring the region

Pairing food with natural wine from the Anoia and Penedès

An important part of eating well in this part of the world is knowing how to choose wine. The Anoia and the neighbouring Penedès have one of the highest concentrations of wineries in Catalonia, with offerings ranging from large established houses to small producers such as Can Robira. For a traditional meal, a young white from the Penedès or a natural red from the surrounding area works beautifully.

If natural wine is a particular interest, ask the restaurant directly: a growing number of local establishments carry at least one or two references. The offer changes quickly and smaller names do not always make it onto printed menus — it is always worth asking.

For a more complete experience, it is worth combining a meal out with a visit to a local winery. At Can Robira we hold natural wine tastings for small groups when availability allows: it is a meaningful way to round off the day after a good meal at one of the recommended restaurants.

Markets, patisseries and neighbourhood shops

Beyond restaurants, the local trade of the Anoia retains a notable quality. Specialist butchers, wood-fired bakeries, traditional patisseries and small cheese shops continue to thrive in the villages and historic quarters of Igualada and Capellades.

For guests in the holiday apartment, this opens up the possibility of cooking for a day or two using local produce: breakfasts with freshly baked bread, artisan cured meats, fresh local cheese. It is a pleasant and economical way to eat well without relying on restaurants for every meal.

If this appeals to you, at check-in we can point you towards market days, the patisseries we trust most and the producers who open to the public for direct sales. It is very specific information that saves a great deal of time.

Eating near Montserrat: complementary options

When the main event of the day is Montserrat, it is worth knowing where to eat near the sanctuary so you are not left improvising. Monistrol de Montserrat and Collbató have an interesting range of restaurants with market-driven Catalan cooking, terraces with views and reasonable prices. Booking a table at weekends is strongly recommended.

It is also perfectly feasible to come down to eat in the Anoia after visiting the Monastery: in less than 30 minutes by car you can be at any of the villages on the list. It is a very pleasant way to extend the day, combining culture and good food at a relaxed pace.

If you would prefer to eat at the farmhouse and unwind after the visit, the holiday apartment has a fully equipped kitchen and we can arrange for local produce to be picked up from the small shop in Els Hostalets de Pierola. It is a practical arrangement for families or groups who would rather not go out every evening.

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