As every year at this time, the debate about the Roscón de Reyes (or our beloved tortell) begins to gain temperature. Whether cream or truffle, whether the candied fruit is a decorative element or a delicacy, or who will be the unwary who will have to pay for the bean. However, in 2025 we already know one thing for sure even before Their Majesties arrive: we already know where the best specimens of the year are baked.
The sixth edition of the contest al Millor Tortell de Reis de Catalunya, organized by the Panatics platform and the Obra Social Ernest Verdaguer, has passed sentence in the Estació del Nord in Barcelona. And there is good news for the residents of the upper area of the city, because the award for creativity stays at home.
An Italian twist in the heart of Sarrià
Pastisseria Natcha, an emblem of the neighborhood located at Avenida de Sarrià 45, has won the first prize in the category of creative tortell. They have done it breaking the classic schemes but maintaining the artisan essence that characterizes them since 1958. Their proposal is an ode to freshness: a filling of ricotta cheese and mandarin, wrapped not in the traditional brioix, but in a crunchy and light croissant dough.
Claudio Sandino, the master pastry chef behind this creation, has sought his Italian roots to give life to a dessert that, according to the pastry shop itself, is born from memories and from the heart. It is not the first success of Natcha this year, which already came with the momentum of having also won the award for the Best Coke of Sant Joan 2025, consolidating itself as an obligatory stop for any sweet pilgrimage in the city.
The excellence of the classic brioix and the luxury finalists
For purists who can’t conceive of a January 6 without the brioix of a lifetime and the standard marzipan, the podium has moved a little outside the capital. The winner in the classic category was the Can Girabent bakery, with locations in Aiguafreda and Centelles. Its secret is none other than absolute respect for the trade: home-grown sourdough, slow fermentations and a candied fruit that follows the canons of the guild.
However, if you do not want to leave Barcelona to taste excellence, there is another name you should note: L’Atelier Barcelona. Eric Ortuño and Ximena Pastor’s space on Doctor Fleming street has achieved the feat of being a finalist in both categories, creative and classic. It is the confirmation that this “bakery-school” continues to be one of the beacons of the sweet avant-garde in the city, where impeccable technique meets presentations that look like pieces of jewelry.
This contest, which has the support of the Gremi de Flequers de Barcelona, not only seeks to reward taste, but also social work. As is tradition, the roscones submitted to the contest have been donated to social organizations and soup kitchens, demonstrating that the spirit of the Three Kings begins long before the sun sets on the 5th. So now you know, if this year you want to avoid the drama of an industrial and dry roscón, the award-winning options are just around the corner.