L'Aliança, a restaurant in Anglès, Girona, has regained its Michelin star, marking a new chapter for the establishment under the third generation of the Feliu family. Cristina Feliu and her partner, chef Àlex Carrera, are now at the helm of the historic venue.
The restaurant's journey began over a century ago as an agricultural union and village casino. It has since transformed through various iterations, including a fashionable pub, a delicatessen, and a Michelin-starred restaurant, before its current gastronomic focus.
Anglès, a town historically reliant on agriculture and forestry, underwent significant change with industrialisation in the late 19th century. On 13 November 1887, Francesc Burés and Antoni Salvadó opened a cotton spinning mill near the Ter river. This development, along with the Burés colony, electric lighting, and a railway connecting Olot and Girona, modernised the town and led to increased population and community initiatives.
From Agricultural Union to Village Hub
The L'Aliança Agrícola d'Anglès building opened in 1919 as the headquarters for an agricultural cooperative and mutual society, offering credit and livestock insurance. It also housed a café, which became a meeting point for local farmers and residents.
In the early 1950s, Lluís Feliu and Adela Martí took over the bar, which functioned as a social club and casino. It was a place for card games, dominoes, and even billiards competitions, serving sandwiches and coffee. In the 1970s, decorator Pere Llosas added elements that gave it a more bohemian pub atmosphere, making it a popular spot for young people before heading to the nearby Gatzara discotheque.
Evolution into a Gastronomic Destination
The 1980s saw the second generation, Lluís and Josep Maria Feliu Martí, introduce a small section within the bar offering delicatessen items like smoked salmon, French cheeses, and patés, which were rare at the time. Recognising changing habits, the Feliu brothers decided to open a small dining room in an old warehouse in 1995. Lluís, a self-taught chef, focused on cooking, while Josep Maria managed the front of house.
The restaurant's success led to the permanent closure of the bar on 10 December 2000, with all efforts directed towards the restaurant. This period brought several awards, culminating in L'Aliança d'Anglès receiving its first Michelin star in 2009.
Tragedy struck on Christmas Eve 2013 when Lluís Feliu died at 57, causing the restaurant to close temporarily. After a period of reflection, Cristina Feliu, who had joined the family business in 2009 after studying tourism, her sister Martina, and their uncle reopened the venue as a bistrot. Their aim was to blend the spirit of the original bar with some of Lluís Feliu's classic dishes, such as the 'arròs d'espardenyes' (sea cucumber rice). The Michelin Guide recognised this new approach with a Bib Gourmand award, acknowledging its quality and reasonable prices.
A New Generation's Vision
Cristina Feliu further professionalised the business by taking a sommelier course at the Girona Hospitality School. She was invited by the Roca brothers to learn about the operations of El Celler de Can Roca, a renowned Girona restaurant. There, she met Àlex Carrera, who would become her partner and the chef who would help L'Aliança regain its gastronomic standing.
Carrera, who studied economics but pursued a career in cooking, trained at ESHOP in Barcelona and worked with notable chefs like Fermí Puig, Jean-Louis Neichel, and Andoni Luis Aduriz. In 2019, after several years at El Celler de Can Roca, he joined L'Aliança. A year later, in 2020, during the pandemic, L'Aliança d'Anglès unexpectedly received its second Michelin star, announced by Joan Roca via streaming during the Michelin Guide gala.
Carrera has developed two tasting menus, 'Descoberta' (Discovery) and 'Emoció' (Emotion), which focus on local produce and pay homage to the restaurant's history and regional cuisine. The dining experience starts with an extensive 'hora del vermut' (vermouth hour) spread, reminiscent of the bar's early days, featuring items like octopus salpicón, pickled mussel cake, and anchovy and marinated anchovy 'matrimonio'.
Dishes include a refined cuttlefish 'empedrat' with cuttlefish veil and tartare, cold tomato and pepper broth, Santa Pau beans, and semi-dried tomatoes. Other highlights are Blanes red prawns with peas, and a precise tuna tartare. The menu also features white asparagus and a house classic, breaded Figueres onion with consommé, Miner cheese from Espinelves, chive emulsion, and an onion bonbon.
Main courses include wild sea bass with saffron sauce, pork tail with sea cucumbers, and a reinterpretation of beef with mushrooms. Desserts, preceded by a cheese trolley featuring local cheeses, include Girona apple in seven forms, a flan honouring a house classic, and a version of bread with chocolate. The restaurant also offers a wide selection of local wines and an aromatic herb trolley for petit fours.
L'Aliança's location in Anglès means visitors often travel specifically to dine there. The restaurant's blend of family history, local roots, and innovative cuisine continues to attract diners and has established its reputation in the Catalan gastronomic scene.
