Simone
Yoga teacher
Specialty Coffee in El Born, Barcelona
A guide for specialty coffee adepts
About this guide
I teach yoga in the morning. After a class I like to stop for a cup at one of the coffee shops in the city center. I can’t say I am a coffee maniac, but I am ready to pay a little extra for the flavors that the specialty coffee provides. I also feel better knowing that the coffee I drink was grown using environmentally friendly practices. I have made a list of some of the best specialty places in El Born. They will delight you with great coffee and delicious quick bites.
Funky Bakers
🥐 Coffee and croissantSimone
This small takeaway shop sells great coffee sourced from Nomad, one of the best specialty coffee suppliers in town. Surprisingly, it is one of the few coffee shops in El Born, which opens before 9 am. They open at 8 am, so head here if you need your morning coffee fix pronto. Their pastry is delicious. Plus, it is important that they always have some gluten-free and vegan options. My personal favorite combo is a cappuccino sprinkled with chocolate and cinnamon (the best) and a pistachio croissant. I also like it for the fun community around it. I almost always meet someone interesting whenever I stop by.
Nudes
🌿 Coffee and açai bowl
Simone, Helen
It is the cool kid on the block. Nudes is a stylish place with modern design, trendy music, and edgy baristas. Their cappuccino might be the best I’ve had in Barcelona. It is perfect if you are on the go and looking for coffee and a healthy, quick bite. You can try their smoothies, chia pots, or açai bowls, as well as some of their many savory options. Coming after yoga, I usually grab here one of their rolls with smoked salmon or roasted tofu. It is tasty, light, and nutritious: just what I need.
Sweet Lima
💻 Coffee and workSimone
It is a small family business founded by a couple from Lima, Peru. They serve organic, single-origin coffee sourced from local cooperatives in their home country. Unlike most coffee shops in Barcelona, which are only takeaway and don’t have tables, this place has plenty of space to sit. That is why it can also be a nice place to work from. On the menu, you will find both nice sweet and savory options. I recommend trying their Classic Peruvian triple sandwich with eggs, tomatoes, and avocado. Or try here the classical Latin American dessert - Tres leches cake - a sponge with three kinds of milk.
Lulu & Flynn
🤝🏻 Coffee and friends
Simone, Domi, roxxanaa
Here, you can get a nice batch brew, which is not always available at coffee shops in Europe. The place is also suitable for brunch. They have less typical sandwiches on the menu, eggs and healthy bowls with loads of vegetarian options. From the things I tried, their chickpea salad toast is a vegan masterpiece, in my opinion. Babushka bowl with beetroot humus and buckwheat was also a very unusual combination. Lulu & Flynn likes to connect people and gather them together. They have a community around them and often host music events, pop-ups, and art exhibitions.
Hidden Café (by Hidden Coffee Roasters)
☕ Coffee and coffeeSimone
This place prides itself as one of the best roasters in town. They do not just roast their own coffee but supply it to many small places in Barcelona. They have a huge variety of flavors. Don't hesitate to ask baristas which one to choose. They will be happy to explain to you everything about the origin and different characteristics of the coffee they have. Afterward, you can buy a couple of bags as a souvenir to make coffee at home. You can do this at their online store, which offers worldwide delivery — something I find myself doing quite often lately. At the coffee shop, they have a lot of very well-made sandwiches and natural fruit bowls. Plus, their cakes are light and delicious.