La Cort del Popaire: Soldeu's Iconic Mountain Restaurant Reopens for Ski Season

La Cort del Popaire, one of Soldeu's most iconic mountain restaurants, welcomes skiers back to the slopes with its rustic charm and refined Andorran mountain cuisine. Perched at Plaça del Piol 3, atop the village in the Canillo valley, the venue occupies a traditional cort—a stone-walled shelter once used to house livestock during harsh winters, now transformed into a cozy dining spot with wooden beams, high-mountain decor, and an antique hay chute along the main wall.

Chef Àlex Kinchella and his team deliver coordinated service amid the season's rush, with a compact dining room often filling quickly. The menu offers around a dozen starters, ten mains, and desserts, allowing diners to mix and match like a flexible set menu. Standouts include mi-cuit duck foie gras with freshly toasted bread, served warm to melt in the mouth; caneló stuffed with duck confit, ceps, pumpkin béchamel, and meat jus; and magret de canard grilled over embers to a perfect rare finish, paired with a rich sauce. Meat lovers can opt for the beef entrecôt, also fire-grilled. Desserts feature a classic cheesecake with a crunchy base, creamy filling, strawberries, and hazelnuts.

Other temptations include cep croquettes with sauce, gyoza filled with trinxat, donja sausage, black pudding, and crisp cabbage, or cod with honey from local hives and samfaina. The establishment earns praise for its quality produce, attentive service, and value, with meals averaging €40-50 excluding wine. It operates from 1pm-2:30pm and 7pm-9:30pm, closed Monday evenings and Tuesdays, with parking nearby.

A recommended pairing is Pétalos del Bierzo, a structured Spanish Mencía wine from the namesake region—dry, intense, silky, and ideal for pasta, charcuterie, red meats, and cheeses.

Elsewhere, Grandvalira has launched its winter gastronomy season across Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig, and Encamp, featuring renewed spaces, top-chef collaborations, and the third edition of its Gastronomic Days. Six events will bring Michelin-starred talent to the slopes, positioning the resort as a premier European dining destination.

Meanwhile, the traditional escudella—a hearty winter soup of meats, legumes, vegetables, and signature pilota meatballs—fills menus and home tables across Andorra and the Pyrenees as cold weather sets in. In Escaldes-Engordany, the Jovent en Acció programme kicks off holiday workshops on December 24 with a €5 chocolate-making session for ages 12-17 at Espai Jovent, running through January 5.