Take a culinary trip to France and Spain without leaving home in Antares Barcelona’s fine dining restaurant.

One of the highlights of living at Antares Barcelona is having your very own in-house gourmet restaurant and catering service. Le Grand Café Rouge, on Antares’ ground floor,  is the new venue of Michelin-starred and multi-award-winning French chef Romain Fornell.

Fornell, who trained under Alain Ducasse, has the distinction of not only being the youngest chef in Europe to have won a Michelin star but is also the only French chef to have won a star in both France and Spain. His cooking has been described as “avant-garde” and “sophisticated”. 

Since 2002, Fornell has made his presence known in some of the top restaurants in Barcelona, including Caelis, Café Turó and Casa Leopoldo. Now he has added Le Grand Café Rouge at Antares Barcelona to his collection of must-visit venues in the city he calls home. 

Designed to evoke a traditional French brasserie, the menu offers a mix of dishes inspired by the Mediterranean but with an homage to traditional French classic cuisine. The daily menu might include a starter of vichyssoise with smoked eel, or sea bream carpaccio, followed by a main course of  acorn-fed Iberian shoulder, dover soul Meunier style or beetroot risotto. Desserts include a tempting choice of Opera Tart, traditional French favourite Tarte Tatin or the not-to-be-missed signature dessert, Salvador Dali ‘Lips’ cheesecake designed to represent the Spanish artist’s iconic lip-shaped couch. 

Residents of Antares Barcelona benefit not just from the advantage of the on-site restaurant but from the services of the catering team. If you’re at the rooftop pool and fancy a snack or drink, the restaurant will deliver poolside service direct to your sun-lounger. Additionally, it is possible to arrange catering for an event or dinner party in the privacy of your apartment. 

The restaurant interior is a feast for the eyes too. Designed by the building’s architect Odile Decq, the dining room is described as a new concept “where architecture and cuisine, together, define the meaning of this unique space.”

Fronted by glass walls that look onto the street, the main dining room is decorated in Decq’s signature dark red with black and white accents, and is flooded with light from the reflections of the steel and mirrored surfaces. A show-stopping chandelier of steel wind chimes and black mirrors adds to the creativity of the environment. The overall sense is of a space that is dramatic and dynamic but relaxed enough to linger over a meal or glass of fine wine. 

Gracing the main dining room is the stunning red L’ Empreinte, or chef’s table and bar, where first-line views of the kitchen showcase the team’s skill and dedication. The centrepiece red, statement staircase leads to a private dining area and the restaurant’s wine cellar. The Rouge Privé dining room can accommodate up to six people and diners reserving this experience will be treated to a specially designed tasting menu.

If eating al fresco is your preferred option, the outdoor terrace can be accessed year round. In summer, soak up the sun and seaside vibes on the open deck, in winter you can stay warm under cover with patio heaters. The terrace can also be reserved to create a private space for events or entertaining. 

Antares Barcelona