Celler de Can Roca to open first overseas restaurant in Scotland

Catalonia's renowned restaurant, Celler de Can Roca, is expanding internationally with its first overseas location in Scotland. The Roca brothers plan to open the new restaurant in late October, coinciding with Girona’s local Sant Narcís festivities, as the family is based in the northern Catalan city.

The new restaurant, named TimeSpirit, will be part of the recently opened Macallan Distillery in Craigellachie, located in Scotland’s Speyside region.

TimeSpirit will accommodate 30 guests per sitting, offering a lunch tasting menu priced at £60 per person and a dinner tasting menu at £95 per person.

"TimeSpirit pays tribute to our past and marks an exciting new chapter as we look forward to the future," reads a statement on the company’s website.

Guests will experience a "unique dining concept and tasting menu of nine exceptional dishes," described as a "sensory immersion and artful articulation of The Macallan’s legacy"—an homage to mastery, community spirit, and the natural world surrounding the distillery.

The dining experience centers around the kitchen, positioned in the middle of the room, providing guests with an intimate view of the creative culinary process. The abundance of natural light and sweeping views of Speyside’s rolling hills reflect the restaurant's nature-inspired ethos.

Macallan’s single malt whisky is at the heart of the dining room, with exclusive expressions housed in a unique oak-paneled cellar. Surrounding this is a selection of fine wines and sherries curated by Josep Roca, the award-winning sommelier of El Celler de Can Roca, set against a striking backdrop inspired by the Albariza soil of Jerez.

Filling the Sink podcast episode

A celebration of Catalonia's rich and innovative gourmet culture, from the pioneers who led the gastronomical revolution that shook the world decades ago, to younger chefs opening new restaurants. In this episode, we interview Carme Ruscalleda, the most decorated female chef, and take our listeners inside a temple of Catalan gastronomy: the Alkímia restaurant.

Listen to our episode published in early August 2021 to learn more about Catalan haute cuisine.