The Best Cafés in Barcelona That Take Good Coffee Seriously

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You’re bound to pay a little bit more for your coffee at these spots in Barcelona, but the far superior quality compared to your average neighbourhood bar is well worth the premium. It’s also worth noting that almost all speciality coffee shops in the city offer non-dairy milks, with oat milk being the local favourite. Check out this list of the best coffee shops in the Catalan capital.

The three founders of Three Marks Coffee not only share the same name (you guessed it, it’s Mark); they also all have a deep passion for speciality coffee. This minimalist, industrial-hipster chic café has a small downstairs area and coffee bar, with a cosy seating area upstairs. You’re likely to find at least one fixed-gear bike parked outside at any given time and its collection of quarterly culture magazines is impressive, as is the love and care Three Marks puts into each shot of espresso pulled and every pitcher of milk steamed.

This small coffee shop in the heart of the Gràcia neighborhood has just a few seats, but that doesn’t stop the constant flow of customers ordering their flat whites and cold brews to go. The warm, natural wood-adorned space is accented with house plants, and shelves of vacuum-sealed coffee bags line the walls for those who prefer to brew their own. Souvenir mugs, bamboo to-go cups and tote bags all bear the Syra logo, which fits Barcelona’s trendy graphic design obsession to a T – the founder of Syra came from the world of design before embarking on his coffee journey. You can also check out its second location in Poble Nou (Carrer de Pujades 100).

The family behind Cafés El Magnífico has been roasting coffee in the El Born neighbourhood of Barcelona since 1919. Around 100 years later, Cafés El Magnífico is far from being an ancient relic; quite the opposite. The range of beans that it sources and roasts has grown exponentially over the years, to the point that in 2019 the brand created a catalogue of coffee from over 18 countries available for purchase by the bag. The shopfront is mostly occupied by the roasting space, with only a tiny area at the entrance where two baristas make drinks for the flow of people walking along the busy street. Of the many coffees available, there’s just a small, rotating selection in the shop’s grinders each day, as well as a daily filter brew. Check out its larger, sit-down café around the corner, Mag by El Magnífico (Carrer de Grunyí 10, only open at weekends).

Just one street in from the frenetic surge of people along the bustling Carrer de Joaquín Costa is Departure Coffee. This quiet, high-ceilinged space features work by local artists hanging on the walls and groups of friends chatting softly over their V60 pour-overs and matcha oat lattes. There’s usually a modest selection of fresh pastries (always with vegan options), as well as the obligatory avocado toast. Try to snag one of the few high stools outside, if the weather allows.

With most of the best coffee shops located downtown, in Poble Nou or in Gràcia, Morrow is the go-to spot for those in search of an excellent coffee near Plaça Espanya. On the Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes, just one block from the Arenas shopping centre, Morrow is a speciality coffee shop and roaster. It has a limited number of seats but a loyal following for its breakfast menu and artful lattes.

It’s hard to put your finger on why lush houseplants, hipster magazines and speciality coffee form such a holy trinity, but it’s the truth nonetheless. Espai Joliu is a rustic coffee shop inside a stone-and-brick building in the barrio of Poble Nou (Barcelona’s post-industrial answer to Brooklyn). The entryway is full of plants of myriad styles and sizes (all of which are also for sale). Inside, enjoy expertly crafted coffee and artisanal pastries, plenty of which are vegan, if that’s your thing. The owner of Espai Joliu also opened a second shop with a very similar style, called Orval (Carrer de Buenaventura Muñoz 31). We recommended checking them both out, or at least whichever is closer.

Hidden Café is true to its name – located in Les Corts, it’s far away from the city’s major landmarks. Les Corts is part residential and part commercial, and other than the legendary Camp Nou stadium, there is little tourism here. Hidden Café takes coffee seriously, so if you find yourself in the area, there’s no better place for an expertly poured latte. Check out its selection of matcha tea, breakfast bowls and sandwiches if you’re feeling peckish.

What began as a small coffee corner in a shop in Barcelona’s Raval neighbourhood has grown over the last six years into a brand with multiple locations and instant cache in the city’s ever more crowded speciality coffee scene. The headquarters, or flagship location, is tucked away in El Call, the Medieval Jewish quarter of Roman Barcelona. Stop by for excellent coffee and hot and cold breakfast and lunch fare, from duck rillette sandwiches to Japanese rice bowls. Check out its café in the Casa Bonay hotel, or head to Bar Central, the founder’s newest joint venture, located inside the gorgeous walled garden of La Central bookstore in El Raval.

On a quiet street in the lower part of the Gràcia neighbourhood you can find SlowMov, a popular coffee shop and roasting outfit. With a strong emphasis on the provenance, production and ethics of the beans it sources, the coffee on offer changes often and with the season. SlowMov also offers coffee and chocolate tastings, barista training and coffee consulting to other cafés in the city. Stop by for a sip and peruse its collection of trendy magazines, local artwork and tasty pastries.

Most people’s instinct when they first encounter SKYE Coffee Co., a coffee truck with a permanent home in a cavernous, post-industrial, street-level loft in Barcelona’s Poble Nou district, is to reach for their phone to snap a photo. The matte silver truck (a retrofitted 1972 Citroën HY) can be found sitting pretty inside Espacio 88, a huge, concrete-floored space that is run by a local architecture and design firm. SKYE serves speciality coffee and pastries to a diverse array of young professionals and creatives who inhabit the many offices and co-working spaces in the area. Take your coffee to go, or grab a seat at the large communal table or on one of the seats spread throughout the hall.