Where to eat near the Arc de Triomf? At Gatopardo or Fauna Café.
Are you near the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona and don't know where to eat? Objectivo. Al Gatopardo or Fauna Café. Two new additions to Barcelona's gastronomic scene, with different menus but the same high-quality culinary experience. It's no surprise that both are part of the Somos Esencia restaurant group.
Som Essència, the restaurant group that includes the restaurants Tierra Brava, Brisa, Agua, Bauma, and Barraca, has just added two new restaurants, Gatopardo and Fauna Café, to its portfolio. In fact, both restaurants occupy the same 400 m2 space, separated into two areas that are also connected, located at number 11 on Carrer Vilanova, next to the iconic Arc de Triomf.
Gatopardo
The first of these is Gat Marró. An Italian restaurant that occupies the largest space, with capacity for 120 people and reservations, where you can enjoy delicious Italian food in greater privacy.
On the menu, you will find exquisite pasta dishes such as parpadelle al ossobuco, black tagliatelle with pop ragout, a classic mushroom and Parmesan risotto, as well as meat and fish dishes and, of course, delicious desserts such as tiramisu, panna cotta with chocolate, or homemade Italian gelato.
In a space decorated by Sandra Tarruellas Interioristas interior design studio, which has created a sober and warm setting with plenty of natural light thanks to a huge window that illuminates the entire space. A highlight is one of the walls with a large display case full of wine bottles and the touches of greenery present in various corners of the room.
Café Fauna
Connected by a small porch, next to Gatopardo is Somos Esencia's other gastronomic offering, Fauna Café. A slightly more informal space, with capacity for 72 people, it offers an extensive brunch menu, prepared with healthy ingredients, as well as a wide range of Mediterranean-inspired tapas.
Their menu features breakfast options such as ricotta, radish, and lime brioche or croissants with scrambled eggs and cucumber, accompanied by 100% organic juices such as Indian juice for radiant skin, with beetroot, orange, lemon, apple, pear, ginger, and fresh turmeric.
For its part, the varied selection of tapas includes dishes such as flambéed sardine montadito with chili oil or fried polenta potatoes with taper mayonnaise. You can also enjoy salads, main courses, and desserts, including roasted peppers with feta cheese, alfàbrega, and dukkah; tuna belly carpaccio with cleaned roe; and flambéed strawberries with balsamic vinegar, crème fraîche, and homemade vanilla ice cream.
Which do you prefer? A healthier option or a delicious Italian meal. Either way, you will enjoy an excellent culinary experience with quality, locally sourced products, bearing the unmistakable seal of the Somos Esencia group. Each of its seven restaurants highlights the essence of the city of Barcelona through its hospitality, its passion for things done well, the warmth of a large family, and, of course, exquisite food.