• 5
• Exquisite

This restaurant is nothing short of outstanding in every way... decor, service, presentation and flavor. A friend and I went here twice in the two days we spent in Tarragona, and wish we could have gone a third time! As it was, by sharing plates we managed to try almost all of the dishes on the menu at the time, though I understand the menu changes regularly. Basically, I was more impressed by El Vergel than I was by any of the 18 or 19 places I ate at during a three-week stay in Barcelona. My favorite dishes were the ajoblanco (garlic and almond) soup with fresh shiitake and sesame oil, the fennel and mushroom omelette with marinated artichokes, the red lentil dhal, the carrot/curry croquettes with passionfruit aïoli, the lime sorbet and the rose marmalade cheesecake. The decor was beautiful, predominantly a clean white with art nouveau floor tiles and birch-pattern flooring in another area, plants, creative chandeliers, small prints and cute restroom signs. Near the front there is a good selection of books in Spanish, including The China Study and some cookbooks. You can also pick up a T-shirt or tote bag with inspiring animal-positive messages. I also really liked the sign next to the door that people see as they leave, which reads "You have saved lives today". This is so true, for vegan restaurants, and it's a very important message to convey.