Specialty coffee in Barcelona: Top picks across the city
- newdaytoexplore
- May 8, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: 13 minutes ago
There’s nothing quite like the ritual of a good coffee—whether you’re enjoying a quiet moment at home, taking a break from work, or catching up with a friend. In Barcelona, specialty coffee isn’t just a trend, it’s a movement. From ethical roasters to cozy cafés, the city has embraced quality beans and skilled baristas with open arms. Whether you're a filter fanatic, an espresso lover, or just on the hunt for your next neighborhood favorite, Barcelona's specialty coffee scene offers something for everyone.
Let this be your guide to some of the best places for specialty coffee in the city—whether you're looking to sip in-store or stock up on beans for home.
Nømad Coffee Lab & Shop
Nømad is a name that’s become synonymous with Barcelona’s specialty coffee scene. Beginning life as a humble coffee cart in London back in 2011, they moved to Barcelona in 2014 with a mission to shape the city's coffee culture—and they’ve more than succeeded. Now with their own open roastery and a wide distribution network, Nømad continues to stay true to their roots: respect for the producer, transparency in sourcing, and a meticulous approach to the craft of coffee roasting. Their online shop offers single-origin coffees suitable for espresso, filter, and french press, as well as instant and decaf options.
Visit their Coffee Lab in El Born or Frutas Selectas in Poblenou to enjoy expertly prepared coffee in person, or subscribe to have beans delivered to your door each month.
Right Side Coffee Roasters
Since 2012, Right Side Coffee has been on a mission to continuously improve coffee quality through close collaboration with their producers. Their approach is all about traceability and connection. “We are cooks with only one ingredient,” they like to say, underscoring their focus on letting the raw material shine. They source their beans directly, traveling seasonally to origin to work alongside growers in countries like Ethiopia and Guatemala. With a café in the Gothic Quarter and a wide range of subscription options, Right Side is perfect for those who want excellent coffee and a story behind every cup.
SlowMov
SlowMov is a roastery and café based in Gràcia that lives up to its name. Inspired by the slow movement, they believe in doing things differently: sustainably, transparently, and thoughtfully. Their coffee selection changes seasonally, and while not all offerings are certified organic, none use chemicals in their cultivation. SlowMov is passionate about reducing coffee’s environmental footprint—selling in bulk, packaging in compostable materials, and encouraging the use of reusable cups through their "Reuse because you can't recycle the planet" campaign.
Hidden Coffee Roasters
With a roastery tucked away in Poblenou and cafés in El Born and Les Corts, Hidden Coffee Roasters is anything but ordinary. Their ethos revolves around direct sourcing and roasting to highlight the unique characteristics of each bean. From Brazil to Honduras, Kenya, and Ethiopia, their coffees range from classic and comforting to wild and experimental—perfect for espresso, filter, or drip methods. Their bundles, like the 4-pack mixed origin set or El Salvador twin pack, offer an easy way to explore their diverse selection. They also offer generous subscriptions (2 x 250g up to 2kg) delivered every two to four weeks. If you're someone who loves variety, Hidden Coffee is a must-visit.
Three Marks Coffee
Founded by three friends all named Marc, Three Marks has carved out a reputation for clean, high-quality specialty coffee. Located in Fort Pienc, not far from the Arc de Triomf, their café is a bright, modern space perfect for enjoying everything from espresso to pour-over. Their beans, like the Rwanda Vunga (Red Bourbon with notes of red grape and mandarin) or El Salvador Pirineos (chocolate, hazelnut, orange), are roasted in-house and available in a range of formats—including capsules. They also offer subscriptions featuring 2 or 4 bags from different origins, so there’s always something new to try. Come for the coffee, stay for the vibe.
Morrow Coffee
Pitched up on a sunny corner just two blocks from Plaça d’Espanya is Morrow Coffee, a cozy coffee shop and micro roastery where you can enjoy a delicious cup of specialty roasted coffee. Choose to sit inside at bar seating or tables, which are also perfect for getting a bit of work done, or outside in the sun. Discover coffees from Colombia to Kenya and Ethiopia that have been carefully roasted in-house and prepared by their skilled baristas to your liking. Hungry? Morrow also offers a selection of cakes and sandwiches to curb your cravings.
Lodetto Café
Tucked away in the neighbourhood of El Raval, Lodetto is a small coffee shop founded by Agustin and Nacho, lovers of cycling, music, art, and of course, coffee. Preparing specialty coffee from Three Marks Coffee, Lodetto is a refuge away from the hustle and bustle of the city, where you can always find a good cup of coffee and a bite to eat. Choose from their assortment of sweets and savouries like croissants, brownies, matcha cookies, or pao de queijo to help recharge your batteries.
Sip Coffee Roasters
Photo: New Day to Explore
Another favourite in El Raval, Sip Coffee Roasters is an ultra-cool specialty coffee spot in Barcelona serving expertly prepared brews made from their own roasted beans, with a focus on high-quality Colombian and Ethiopian origins. Add to that a small but delicious food menu—think sweet and savoury toasts, banana bread, and unmissable cinnamon rolls—plus a stunning interior and immaculate vibes, and you’ve got the perfect place to spend a slow Sunday morning in the neighbourhood.
Xiloteca Coffee + Botiga
A gift store selling curated local products and a takeaway coffee joint in one, Xiloteca offers specialty coffee from roasters in Zaragoza along with a selection of ceramics, soaps, natural wines, and tinned fish. Founded by partners Alexei Morales and Cameron Rosenbrock, the idea of creating Xiloteca as more of a shop with coffee, rather than a sit-down café was born out of their love for graphic design and beautiful locally crafted products, restrictions on new hospitality businesses in Barcelona’s centre, and a way of safeguarding their business against disruptions like covid.
The pair have now also opened a new store in the Gothic, Coto—with its pink signage and interior, it’s the perfect place to find the perfect little gift or just a treat for yourself while enjoying some of the best specialty coffee in Barcelona.
Onis coffee
Photos: New Day To Explore
Located in Dreta de l’Eixample, this hole-in-the-wall coffee shop is another hidden gem serving some of the best specialty coffee in Barcelona. Picture high ceilings, classic fixtures, and a hanging chandelier, bar seating, as well as a cozy perch by the sunny window. Another café serving Three Marks Coffee, this coffee spot, which is just a 5-min walk from Casa Milá and Casa Batlló on the iconic (busy, touristy) Passeig de Gracia is the perfect place to take a break from the noise.
Rex café
If you find yourself in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, make a pit stop at Rex Café, a quirky little specialty coffee shop that should not be missed. Serving coffee from SlowMov coffee roasters expertly prepared by their skilled baristas, they also offer a range of brunch options like pancakes and eggs benedict, and a selection of pastries for the perfect slow morning to start your day. Why Rex, you ask? Just look up to see the yellow T-Rex grinning down at you from the wall.
La Cherry Coffee
Coffee roasters near the Sagrada Familia, La Cherry offer some of the best specialty coffee in Barcelona at their quiet local just a few blocks away from Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece. Escape the crowds of tourists and enjoy freshly roasted specialty coffee for that caffeine fix at their tiny café. Enjoy a free mini cookie, or see what other sweets they have on offer for more of a sugar rush. Want to enjoy La Cherry coffee at home? Pick up a bag of beans whole or ground to your preference for an elevated coffee every morning.
Skye Coffee Co.
And of course, we can’t talk about specialty coffee in Barcelona without mentioning at least one café in Poblenou. Parked up within the 88 coworking space, Skye Coffee Co. is a café on wheels, a 1972 Citroen HY, famously known as “le tube”, that has been converted into a food truck/coffee shop. With porridge and chia pudding on the breakfast menu, this minimalist warehouse is one of our favourite cafés to work in Barcelona, the perfect place to pitch up with your laptop to get a few hours of work done in the morning.
Roast Club
Roast club is another specialty coffee roaster in Barcelona with a cozy café in L'Esquerra de l'Eixample. Think: super friendly staff, great specialty coffee, and a selection of sweet snacks as well as bigger lunch items like tuna tartare toast, Caesar salad, flatbreads, and more. Pick up a bag of freshly roasted coffee while you’re there, and get them to grind it to your preference.
Vitrina Café
Part of the Magatzem 128 boutique hotel, Vitrina Café offers specialty coffee from Familia Osorio prepared by their expert baristas. Located in L'Esquerra de l'Eixample just one block from the Rocafort metro station, this is a neighbourhood favourite that offers a range of sweet treats (make sure to try the cheesecake!) along with their toasts and brunch options.
Specialty coffee chains in Barcelona
Aside from the independent cafés and roasteries you’ll find around the city, there are a few reliable specialty coffee chains in Barcelona that guarantee a good cup of coffee, wherever you are in the city. While they might not provide much seating to stay at their venues, good weather in Barcelona nearly year-round means that you’ll probably prefer to drink outside anyways. Here are a few coffee chains that will make sure you can get your specialty coffee fix in Barcelona.
Syra Coffee
Syra Coffee is everywhere, a ubiquitous specialty coffee chain that makes sure that a good cup of coffee is never too far away. Starting as a small coffee shop in 2015, their focus has always been the same—good coffee to go. From harvesting, cupping, and roasting single origin, 100% Arabica beans, they work directly with local producers to prioritise quality over quantity, and offer seasonal coffees that hit the spot, every time. With over 15 cafés around the city, you can always find a Syra Coffee to get your specialty coffee in Barcelona.
Good News
Good News was born in Barcelona in 2020 with a simple mission: to bring good vibes and good coffee to every neighbourhood. Transforming a newsstand into a coffee kiosk, they started by giving away coffee to people on the street in exchange for good news. Today, they’ve got over 30 locations in 3 cities: Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris, spreading positivity and bringing ethically sourced, high-quality coffee to-go, one neighbourhood at a time. You can also buy their specialty roasted coffee online and in selected stores so you can bring good coffee (and good vibes) home with you. Make sure to sign up to their loyalty program to start earning points and reaping the rewards. More good news!
Whether you’re enjoying a slow morning or you’re picking up a quick coffee on the go, there are so many options to choose from when it comes to good specialty coffee in Barcelona. Wherever you are in the city, avoid disappointment by saving these tried and tested specialty coffee spots to your Google Maps list. Enjoy!
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