Andrés Iborra and Carmen Vicente opened “el Elche” in 1959, the name was chosen in honour of the couple’s hometown. This bar-restaurant in Barcelona’s Poble Sec district was soon attracting numerous artists and show business celebrities, as well as the patrons of the theatres on Paral-lel. Dinners from Carmen’s native region took a liking to her family recipes, and began to clamour for the classic rice dishes of the Levante, leading the Elche to become Barcelona’s first restaurant to specialise in paella and rice. Over time, it’s reputation spread beyond the surrounding district, and the whole city discovered the succulent delights of her cooking, while her two sons, Eduardo and Andrés took over the running of the business. The Restaurant Elche is the result of more than fifty years of hard work by the Iborra family, who introduced and shared the taste and culinary culture of their home in Elche (Alicante province). More than an institution, it is a veritable temple for paella lovers, in the heart of Barcelona’s Poble Sec district and the theatreland of Paral·lel.