La Dama, the new restaurant at Barcelona Zoo serving healthy local food
The restaurant is the first facility at the site to apply the healthy eating plan included in the new model for the Zoo and is one of the initiatives promoted by the city as the World Sustainable Food Capital 2021.The cuisine offered by La Dama is based on the Mediterranean diet, with locally sourced organic seasonal produce, alternatives for food intolerances and different dietary needs and preferences such as vegetarianism and veganism. All the dishes and produce served at the restaurant include the nutritional value of the meal, its origin and a responsible production certificate. The facility also features a cafeteria area where people can eat sandwiches and ice-creams.
Better visitor experience
Located in Plaça de la Dama del Paraigua, the restaurant has a terrace in a spacious area with garden features and an overall capacity for 240 people. The current health measures mean that only 50% of its indoor capacity can be used at the moment.
One of the most innovative aspects of the restaurant, also corresponding to the new model for the Zoo, is the improved visitor experience through a free flow model. This means the spaces where food is served are distributed into islands of products, reducing queues and offering a greater variety of dishes. The facility also has a cooking point where meals are prepared on the spot.
La Dama launches the new healthy eating plan at the Zoo, which will be applied in the coming months at the rest of the eateries on the site. The Seasons Menu will also be offered, another of the initiatives by the city as the World Sustainable Food Capital. The new model will also help promote healthy eating and sustainable practices which respect the environment (doing away with single-use plastic cups and instead providing reusable cups and cutlery).
In addition, the Department for Sustainability at the Zoo are working towards the prevention of food waste and re-use of food generated at eateries on the site.