Some will be surprised that I’ve included Café Sola in my list of Collioure’s best restaurants, but I wanted to highlight it because it’s great value, popular with locals and you’re always given a warm welcome in there.

Most tourists will walk briskly past Café Sola’s worn façade and tacky signs offering free wifi and will think it’s just a café. Whilst conducting my research on Café Sola, I wanted a quick bite to eat and had their plat du jour on both occasions – a really nice seared tuna steak one time and braised pulled beef another time and found them both to be exemplary of the genre.

So, the lesson is don’t judge a book by its cover! In a town filled with posh restaurants, this is more of a bistro and a casual place to eat, so have a look next time wandering past. They serve all the classic such as:

Calamars à la Romaine: Fried squid, Roman-style, light, crispy and served with a tangy dipping sauce.

Cassoulet Maison: A traditional French stew with white beans and meat - a robust dish full of deep, home-cooked flavours.

Magret de Canard: Duck breast known for its rich taste and silky texture.

Gambas à la Plancha: Grilled prawns that are seasoned and seared to perfection showcasing the simplicity of fresh seafood.

Tarte Tatin: An upside-down pastry in which apples are caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked.

Crème Catalane: Crème brûlée with a burnt sugar topping infused with cinnamon and lemon zest reflecting the region’s Catalan influence.