I have to admit, when it comes to food I moved to the wrong country. Nothing wrong with Spanish gastronomy but for a good pasta or Neapolitan pizza you can wake me up anytime.

As I happen to love cooking too, I am often found in my kitchen wipping up some Italian dish. And as it goes with simple dishes, everything depends on the right ingredients. How happy was I that my favourite Italian restaurant has a small store where they sell proper Italian ingredients! You want the right pasta? The perfect (canned) tomatoes for your sauce? A fresh burrata? You name it, they have it. Apart from that, the shop is absolutely beautiful, like entering an Italian grandmother’s storage room! 

I hear you think, as you are probably on a holiday: “what’s in it for me?”
Well, Emporio Mandarosso also sells some ready-made dishes like their delicious lasagne. You can order mouth-watering Italian sandwiches to go (Park Ciutadella is close) and they have great snacks and wines too to supply your holiday picnic. 

And as I said, the store is part of what I think is the best Italian restaurant in town, Le Cucine Mandarosso. It’s located right on the other end of the block. Their lasagne is to die for and the dessert menu… I could write a full article just about their cakes! Those are also available in the shop by the way! So give the tapas a break and go Italian!