Having vermouth at l’Oli

If you are planning a visit to Valls, take note: Saturday is the day. No debate. And the starting point is non-negotiable: the Plaça de l'Oli.

The Plaça de l'Oli: the heartbeat of Saturday mornings

The Plaça de l'Oli is the soul of Valls. A rectangular arcaded square with stone porticoes that have been breathing history since 1348, when the University of Valls moved the olive oil market here. It is now listed as a Local Cultural Heritage Site, but do not let the official title fool you: the Plaça de l'Oli is not a monument to admire from afar. It is a place to be lived.

Every Wednesday and Saturday the Mercat de la Verdura (Vegetable Market) sets up here, and it is on Saturdays that the square transforms into what it truly is: the meeting point for locals and for anyone who knows what they are doing. The seasonal fruit and vegetable stalls, the historic charcuteries in the surrounding streets — Bonet, making longanissa since 1954; Queralt, since 1970; Paqui Güell, with 60 years of history crafting sausage and home-made calçot sauce — turn any stroll into a constant temptation. Here, local produce means genuinely local, not a marketing slogan: it is the Alt Camp countryside laid out on the counter.

But the best thing about arriving at the Plaça de l'Oli on a Saturday morning is not what you buy. It is what comes next.

Vermouth at the Magatzem del Vermut: an experience you will not forget

Under the arches of the square, with tables facing the bustle of the market, you will find the Magatzem del Vermut. And this is where a Saturday in Valls goes from being a good morning to being an unforgettable one.

The Magatzem is not just any bar or a conventional wine shop. It is home to the world's largest vermouth collection — 286 references — and the birthplace of Vermut Montseta, a dark vermouth made following the original 1949 recipe, passed down through generations. Ordering a Montseta at the Plaça de l'Oli on a Saturday morning is one of those rituals that, once you try it, becomes a permanent fixture in your personal calendar.

But vermouth at the Magatzem goes far beyond the glass. The tapas are outstanding: bravas with real character, cured meats from the region, locally sourced pica-pica (nibbles) that pair beautifully with whichever vermouth you choose. And if you arrive early, you can start with a breakfast of locally roasted coffee, freshly made toasted sandwiches or crispy churros. The atmosphere is that of a living square, with neighbours who drop by out of habit and visitors who return out of devotion.

Easy to find, hard to leave. That is their motto, and they are absolutely right.

After the vermouth? Valls has restaurants that will blow you away

Once you have had your vermouth the way tradition demands, your body calls for a proper seat at the table. And Valls, in this respect, never disappoints. The capital of the Alt Camp has a dining scene that goes far beyond the calçotada — which would already be reason enough to visit — and includes restaurants with distinctive personalities for every taste.

Cal Ganxo (Masmolets) — Authenticity in its purest form

Just a few minutes from the square, in the tiny village of Masmolets, Cal Ganxo is an experience that transports you to the most genuine Valls. The only restaurant in Catalonia that serves exclusively calçotades, set in an 18th-century farmhouse surrounded by fields and vineyards. The sauce follows grandmother Cisqueta's original recipe, the calçots are roasted over vine cuttings and served on roof tiles. Then comes grilled lamb, longanissa and Valls black pudding with beans and artichokes. During calçot season, it is an essential stop. Out of season, it rests, waiting for the next winter.

Masía Cervelló (Fontscaldes) — The family farmhouse of a lifetime

In Fontscaldes, Masía Cervelló preserves the essence of a Catalan farmhouse with the kind of personal touch that its regulars treasure. Calçots grown on their own land, home-made sauce, local wine served in a porró (traditional glass pitcher) and cooking where you can feel the family hand and the quality of the ingredients. No frills here: just tradition, quality and that feeling of sitting down to eat as if you were part of the family. They offer a vegetarian menu, and their calçotada includes lamb, longanissa, black pudding, ganxet beans, artichoke, crema catalana and carquinyolis (almond biscuits).

Portal 22 — Creative tapas in the old town

Back in the centre of Valls, Portal 22 is a world of its own. Located at the Plaça del Portal Nou, right in the heart of the historic quarter, this restaurant run by the Castells brothers offers a creative tapas concept that blends touches from cuisines around the world with local produce. The croquettes are legendary, the cheese volcano with charcoal bread is their signature dish, and plates like cuttlefish cannelloni with ink mousseline or suckling pig ingot with vanilla apple prove that Valls also knows how to look forward in the kitchen. In summer, the rooftop terrace is one of the city's best-kept secrets. Local vermouth, wines and cava, craft beers and cocktails to extend the evening.

Xup Xup — Slow cooking with a local soul

Xup Xup is one of those restaurants where slow cooking and quality produce are the guiding principles. As its name suggests — xup-xup being the Catalan onomatopoeia for a gentle simmer — things here are done with the time and patience that good stews demand. Catalan home cooking with locally sourced ingredients, dishes that comfort and that celebrate the value of traditional kitchens. The perfect place to sit down without any rush after a morning of market and vermouth.

La Licorera Vallenca — Where tradition is in the air

Located next to the headquarters of the Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls (one of the city's two casteller groups), La Licorera preserves the spirit of the last anise factory in the city and has transformed it into a space with real character. It is a place where gastronomy and Valls culture come together: while you eat, you breathe in the casteller history that permeates every corner. Their kitchen champions tradition with personality, and during calçot season they serve calçotadas that hold their own against the great farmhouse restaurants. A restaurant with soul.

The perfect plan: step by step

If you want to experience the perfect Saturday in Valls, here is the recipe:

10:00 am — Arrive at the Plaça de l'Oli. Browse the market, buy fresh produce, let yourself be tempted by Bonet's longanissa or Paqui Güell's home-made calçot sauce.

11:00 am — Step into the Magatzem del Vermut. Order a Montseta, some bravas and whatever takes your fancy from the tapas selection. Sit under the porticoes and soak up the atmosphere of the square.

12:30 pm — If you can manage it, have a second vermouth. If not, take a stroll through the historic centre: the Sant Joan bell tower (74 metres, the tallest in Catalonia), the Museu Casteller, the Civil War air-raid shelter beneath the Plaça del Blat, the Capella del Roser...

2:00 pm — Sit down for lunch. Choose your restaurant: Cal Ganxo for the most authentic calçotada, Cervelló for the timeless family farmhouse, Portal 22 for creative tapas, Xup Xup for real slow cooking, or La Licorera for tradition with character.

4:30 pm — Coffee, crema catalana for dessert and a promise to come back next Saturday.

In Valls, Saturdays have a rhythm of their own. They begin at the market, pass through vermouth and end at the table. And somewhere in between, you discover why this city has been winning hearts for centuries. Come on a Saturday. Start at the Plaça de l'Oli. The rest will follow.