Vermut (the Catalan vermouth hour) is a signature dish of Spain; we have verified places to eat it in Barcelona and Salou.

Vermut (the Catalan vermouth hour) · Barcelona

Vermut is Catalonia's 13:00 ritual: a glass of red sweet vermouth poured over ice with an orange slice and an olive, drunk standing at a counter with a plate of salted anchovies, olives or chips before lunch.

The Catalan vermouth tradition was built in early-20th-century Reus, where the wine industry developed sweet aromatised vermouths flavoured with wormwood, gentian and orange peel. By the 1920s the hora del vermut had become a Sunday ritual across Catalonia: a stand-up drink at the counter before the long lunch. The tradition was revived in the 2010s by a wave of dedicated vermouth bars (Quimet i Quimet, Bormuth, El Xampanyet) and now defines Barcelona's pre-lunch culture. The drink is always poured over ice with orange and a green olive; the conserva plates on the counter are part of the ritual.

Where to eat in Barcelona:

Where to eat Vermut (the Catalan vermouth hour) in Barcelona: the editor picks

Vermut (Reus vermouth) · Salou

Vermut is the midday ritual of a glass of sweet red vermouth from nearby Reus, served on ice with an olive and a slice of orange, alongside anchovies, olives and crisps.

Reus, about 10 km inland from Salou, became one of the main vermouth centres in Spain: Yzaguirre, founded there in 1884, is credited as the first Spanish vermouth brand. By the end of the 19th century the city had more than 30 cellars and 50 brands; three historic names remain, Iris, Yzaguirre and Miró. Salou keeps its own vermouth route before Christmas, "Fem el Vermut a Salou".

Where to eat in Salou:

Where to eat Vermut (Reus vermouth) in Salou: the editor picks

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