Coffee Diaries: Barcelona - 01
One of my favourite activities when travelling (and even when I’m not travelling) is trying out new coffee shops and specialty roasters. If you know me, then it will come as no surprise that I put a lot of time and effort into planning which coffee shops and roasteries I’m going to visit.
As with my Netherlands Coffee Diaries, I say “diary” as opposed to review for a few reasons: taste is subjective, not all coffee shops have for a purpose to be “coffee educators”, and not all coffee shops roast their own beans. Sometimes, I just want a cup of coffee, be it filter or a cortado, and I don’t want to think about tasting notes, extraction, or process. Some of these coffee shops I visited for their specialty roasts, others simply because I wanted a hot first cup in the morning. That said, they weren’t all rated equally.
However, while I did include all the shops I visited in the Netherlands, I chose to only include “specialty” coffee shops for this first Barcelona edition. Reason being, after one month, I’ve had many, many coffees, most of which have been at random local bars or cafeterias. But don’t worry - if they left a good impression on me, I’ve made sure to note it down in my weekly Excerpts from Barcelona.
One month in Barcelona and many coffees later, here’s the breakdown:
Slowmov
SlowMov is the first third wave coffee shop I visited in Barcelona and I was not disappointed. Located in Gràcia, the cafe has a great atmosphere, very knowledgeable staff, and most importantly, great coffee. I had a cortado which I remember being really nice, but in all honesty I don’t remember what the beans where. Having ordered in Spanish, I was more nervous about being grammatically correct and don’t even know if I ended up asking what was being used for my drink!
Right Side Coffee Bar
Right Side Coffee Bar is hidden in the narrow cobblestone streets of the Gothic Quarter. It’s a beautiful space with a great ambiance, knowledgeable staff, and really good espresso. I didn’t have the chance to chat much with the staff as I visited on the weekend and the cafe was incredibly busy; there weren’t any seats available when I visited. I can’t wait to go back, ask some questions, and try a pour-over.
Despite my rushed experience, Right Side Coffee Bar is in my top 3 cafe experiences in Barcelona, so far.
Nook Coffee
Nook Coffee in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi is a cozy space with indoor seats, a quaint vibe, and super friendly staff! Having visited this cafe in my first week in Barcelona, my nerves took over and I don’t believe I asked any information about the coffee. That said, I remember enjoying my cortado and thinking that I would return!
Anís Cafe
Located in Barceloneta, Anís cafe is a warm and comforting environment. The decor, music, and overall warm glow of the cafe make it a nice escape from the business of the neighbourhood. I had a cortado, made with SlowMov coffee. It was balanced in flavour and complemented the subtle sweetness of the cheesecake really well. This is definitely a great spot to sit, unwind, or meet up with friends.
Nomad Coffee Bar
Situated in Ciutat Vella, Nomad Coffee Bar has been my favourite coffee experience in Barcelona, so far. Their selection of beans rotates, and you pay based on the origin rather than the beverage.
I asked for the barista’s suggestion for a cortado and ending up having their Ethiopia Tomas Ganamo. It had notes of apricot, blueberry, and raw cacao, was perfectly balanced and subtly fruity.
If you enjoy a more personalized experience, and chatting origin, roast, and processes with the barista, I highly recommend Nomad Coffee Bar. The staff were all super kind, informative, and knowledgeable. I definitely plan on going back to try other beans, and filter coffee as well since the machine was in maintenance at the time of my visit. I’m also eager to try their other location, Nomad Frutas Selectas.
Café Cometa
My first filter coffee in Barcelona! As per usual, I was going to get a cortado but I changed my mind after seeing the pink MoccaMaster behind the counter. Since I’ve been looking to purchase one for home use and have never tasted coffee brewed with it before, I was curious to taste and see what it would be like. They served coffee from Cafés Él Magnifico and as expected (I had only heard good things about them) it was a wonderful fruity coffee but still had good body. This little taste made me very eager to visit the roasters’ location in Ciutat Vella.
GoodNews Cafe
With multiple locations around the city, you’re bound to stumble across a GoodNews Coffee stand/kiosk or shop during your time in Barcelona.
The good news is (pun intended) that for a chain, their coffee is actually quite decent. The service was not the most personalized, and it’s not where I’ll go to chat about roasting and sourcing, but if it is the closest thing, or happens to be the only thing open–most things are closed on Sunday in Barcelona-it is by no means a bad option.
And an honourable mention…
Niwa Cafeteria
Though I didn’t have a coffee at Niwa, I felt it was necessary to include it in this post because of my overall (amazing) experience. For one, the matcha was incredible: not bitter, slightly sweet, subtly herby, and with a nice aftertaste. The black sesame pound cake was the star of the show. From the texture of the cake itself to the lightly savoury and roasted taste of the glaze, it was everything I want from a pastry. I can’t wait to go back and try something from their coffee menu.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my Netherlands Coffee Diaries, and check back soon for another post as I continue to try out different specialty roasters around the city!