Summer & Beach time. If you are in Barcelona during this summer, here comes of my favorite bites with the sound of waves.
A brunch is a late morning meal eaten instead of breakfast and lunch. A wondeful option if you are spending your holidays in Barcelona and you have the kids at home.
Here are some options:
- Petit Pot Bistro: I just discovered this place and it's so cozy and welcoming. They serve brunch on weekends only but are open everyday from 8am onwards for a typical brekfast: croissants, eggs... Their card consist on burgers, sandwiches and salads.
I remember walking in at the opening of the Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona, and I fell in love with it. It has been till date my favorite hotel in town. I love going to The Banker's Bar, where they have kept the original bank vault lockers as part of the decoration. It is intimate and has wonderful cocktails & snacks. They also have a good combo of gastronomic options with Moments by Carme Ruscadella & Raul Balam; BistrEau by Angel León& Ismael Alonso.
We pass by there often and always stop for a coffee or tea somewhere there: there is a Starbucks next door. A couple of weeks back I decided to enter Rad Café and I loved it. There used to be a restaurant before and now we have this cool loungy café. It has the same owner as the restaurant Bugui next door, there since years. It is perfect anytime of the day, they have brunches everyday till 12, with pancakes, eggs, fresh juices, original teas... A varied menu with snacks and sandwiches.
Sometimes you can be on holidays in your own town and go for breakfast in a hotel. A couple of weeks back we went to the well known Hotel 1898 for breakfast. This elegant hotel is very well situated in the well known Ramblas, perfect if you are visiting Barcelona and like the buzz and life of the city center.
Apéritif is a french word for a starter drink that opens a meal. Here I am giving some options to meet for vermouth (Fem Vermut) or just a glass of wine and something to nib on. During our busy day between work and obligations we can always take sometime to meet a friend over a glass and spend some quality time.
The Alma Hotel in Barcelona is in the city center just off Pg De Gracia -one of the most luxurious avenues in Europe. It isn't a buzzing and noisy city center hotel, on the contrary in it an oasis of peace and luxury where you can disconnect in a beautiful and comfortable surrounding. It is perfect for a romantic escapade or a business trip.
They are now offering a wonderful brunch on Sundays where hotel guests as well as locals are welcomed. It is served from 11pm to 4pm; 35€ pp.
A fashionable tea at the Parisian looking Majestic hotel to be pampered! That is what it is all about.
Fashion and michelin stars get together to offer us an exquisite time. Every evening from 4 to 7pm, you can have their fashion éclairs with a hot beverage or champagne.
The hight street brands of Pg de Gracia where The Majestic is situated, inspired these 5 éclairs: Fiamma by Salvatore Ferragamo, Pasion Romana by Bvlgari, Perugia by Brunello Cucinelli, 2015 by Rosa Clara & Sweetie by Jimmy Choo.
This multispace is a paradise for tea lovers. They have an incredible choice of teas, Artte has opened few months back after various years of creating and thinking about this project. Store in the entrance with teas, candles and books; then the bistrot & salon de thé with the piano corner; and an art space where different artist are exposing.
I present you this time a different concept of hotels. If you are among those who just need a good bed to sleep while you are travelling, and you prefer meeting people, learning the culture and visiting the town, the Praktik Hotels are perfect for you. There are 4 in Barcelona and one in Madrid.
The informal chat section is back after a long summer break.
Having won recently the Best Croissant 2014 award in Spain, who better than Oriol Balaguer for our Autumn Section?
In the month of May I was told about this project. Till I didn't see it I didn't understand the immensity of this gastronomic space, it is a unique concept in Barcelona. A mix of the Madrid San Miguel Market or Eataly in New York was the idea behind the ingenuity of Luis Canadell (the driving force of Boca Grande) one of the partners of this project. The main partner is the SB Grup and the michelin star chef Carles Tejedor is behind the gastronomic strategy.
Are you a cheese lover, this is your place! I loved it!
10 years back the Poncelet group was created . First came a gourmet cheese store and a cheese center, then few years later they opened the very successful Cheese Bar in Madrid and since last month we have our very own Cheese Bar by Poncelet in Barcelona.
I had mentioned Oriol Balaguer here with its wonderful 8 texture chocolate cake and this week he has been proclaimed winner of the best butter croissant 2014 in Spain. Last year, the winner was the Ochiai croissant, you can read the review here.
Coming back to Oriol, he is known for his wonderful chocolates, has been awarded various times and has stores in Barcelona, Reus and in Madrid; his products are sold in many other countries. Last month he opened a new space in the Born.
Are you a dougnut fan? those are for you. Authentic flavor with none of the aftertaste you get in the industrial ones. All the way from Greece, Lukumas is now in Barcelona. The 1st place they open is in the Gracia area, on C/Torrent del Olla, 169. You will find their oven and workshop there.
You now also have Lukumas in the Raval.
After the large success of their vegetarian restaurant Teresa Carles, they have now open a new concept. A juicery, Teresa's Juicery, with all sort of fresh juices, cold pressed juices, veggie mylk, wellness elixir shots, healthy smoothies; with original names such as Vegan Vampire, Green Slimfit, My sweet Horny or Green Love.You will find this juicery, where you can takeaway inside the welcoming and spacious flexitarian restaurant: Flax & Kale. Wooden floor, warm interior, very newyorkese looking.
This pastry shop is open since April and I passed by one day and I just fell in love with it. A lovely American pastry shop, where you get your usual cupcakes and brownies, you also get more; like the Blondies, Bundt cakes or bagels for instance. There is something in the deco and the way their cakes are exposed that attracts you, all in white like the flour used in the main protagonists, you feel you have entered a minimalist dessert museum. Layer cakes, cup cakes and more, it is perfect to take away and bring something different to a party. Betina Montagne is the head pastry chef, she is also a teacher at Espai Sucre.
Escriba is Barcelona's oldest and most emblematic pastry shop. They were the 1st to introduce the butter croissant, avant-garde cakes, modernist easter eggs made in order for big artists such as Dali and Picasso. Escribà doesn't only offer pastries, they offer illusions. I visited their 1st store on Gran Via. They also have another one on the Ramblas, mentioned previously on BelleBarcelone.
Escribà on Gran Via is a great place to go for a coffee and some of their marvellous croissants, small cakes or quiches.
They offer a wide selection of personalised cakes for weddings and celebrations; they have themed pastries during Easter, Halloween or Christmas.
Recently I visited their academy, which is above the store. Helen Vaas is in charge of the academy and is also a pastry chef. The academy offers a vast variety of classes such as AngloAmerican pastries, and very specific courses for macaroons, eclairs, sugar flowers, wedding cakes...
This hotel is in the heart of the city, 2 steps away from Plaça Catalunya and at easy reach to the main attractions of the city. Their rooms are modern and spacious, the roof top terrace is perfect for a summer bite any time of the day and they have a restaurant that offers a lunch menu at 15 euros. They also offer access to the nearby gym and Spa with a minimum charge,the Holmes place, and offer some extra services such as bicycle rental, portable wifi or a Tablet rental so you have easy access to the maps and facilities Barcelona offers.
Perfect if you are visiting Barcelona. Check their website for more info on rates and availability: http://www.hotelpulitzer.es/en.
If you stay in Barcelona, the rooftop is a jewel in the city center, perfect for a drink and small plates from 12 noon onwards; the restaurant has a good Mediterranean and slow food menu.
Two young women, different in many ways, with the same goal: to offer the best! Sandra, the adventurous one, loves hiking and camping; Nuria, the spiritual, does the Camino de Santiago once a year. When one disconnects while using her adrenalin the other one does it meditating. They both are similar in many ways, they both love nature; while Sandra escalates mountains and love all the adventurous sports and travelling, Nuria uses her self encounter in the nature and loves trekking. Sandra and Nuria, have a huge experience in marketing and publicity; they both worked in different big companies for long and also together at some point. They both decided it was time for them to create their own company, both different people yet they complete each other very well and offer the perfect balance.
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