If Collioure has a “neighbourhood restaurant”, then maybe Can Pla is it. From the outside, it’s unremarkable and rather anonymous stood back from the main road going through the town connecting the bays, so it’s easy to miss.

But, it’s a nice little family restaurant with an open kitchen and lots of passion from the local Marty Family.

The restaurant started back in 1988, but it was taken over by the Marty Family in 2007, 17 years ago, and they say they’ve never looked back.

Can Pla is all about la Plancha - as I stepped into Can Pla, the sizzling sounds from the plancha promised a feast - freshly grilled fish and succulent meats.

They also do a great paella, Collioure’s homage to Valencia’s iconic dish, saffron-hued rice full of seafood, chicken and vegetables.

Other winners are the Catalan-style anchovies, Fideuà (a noodle-based paella cousin), and chipirones (baby squid)  with their simplicity and depth of flavour.

At Can Pla, it's evident that the heart of Catalan cooking beats strong - told through locally sourced, quality ingredients and honest homemade food.