Best Cafés in Barcelona

A slice of Paris in the heart of Barcelona's Ciutate Vella, if you're in the mood for a french cafe/bistro, this is the place to go. Run by all French staff, this rustic, quaint and incredibly personable cafe acts as a restaurant as well as a late night wine bar. It's an ideal place to set up shop and work for the day using their free Wi-Fi while sipping on a glass of Bordeaux accompanied with a plate of Comte cheese. This is a great space, with good lighting and a great vibe and extremely attentive staff. They'll charge a Euro to use their plugs but it's well worth it.

One of the Born's best places to grab a coffee, tea or even a 'menu del dia' (set mid-day menu around 10 Euros) Cafe Del Born is located at the end of Passeig Del Born. It boasts a lively patio, perfect in summer and free Wi-Fi, for 45 minutes as long as you buy something. Their food is tasty with a vast menu featuring a mix of tapas and salads. This is centrally located, near tons of great shops and other restaurants in case you just want a coffee before a more elaborate meal at the nearby Llamber, El Foro or La Chacha restaurants.

If you're looking for a Barcelona Cafe that knows its coffee, you must check out Cafe El Magnifico. This cafe and pastry shop prides itself on serving the world's best coffee. A family run business, onto its third generation features national as well as international brews including Jamaica Blue Mountain, Puerto Rico Yuaco Selecto and Hawai Kona. The cafes are high quality locales and if you're a coffee connoisseur it's a Barcleona 'must-see'. There are two locations in the city, one in the Born and the other in the Eixample on Diagonal street. This is a great choice, especially if you're looking for something different and less touristy.

A great place for coffee, tea and delicious desserts. Dolso markets itself as a chocolate and 'goodies' haven, but it also has a diverse menu for lunch and dinner and an array of teas and coffees. Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner, afternoon pick me up or want an intimate place to spend time with friends, this is an excellent option. It's also excellently located, close to the shopping district of Passeig de Gracia, as well as Gaudi's gorgeous, Casa Batllo and La Pedrera masterpieces amongst other shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. This is a great place to spend a few hours or have a tasty meal.

Tucked away in Plaza Sant Juss, Bliss is both a cozy coffee, tea and tapas joint as well as a thriving summer time venue due to it's great outdoor patio. The back room is full of plush couches and comfy chairs which makes for an ideal setting to chat with friends over coffee and a few plates of delicious tapas. Bliss has a great breakfast selection, an affordable lunch menu and great dinner options as well. In between meal times (and the 11am 'Bocadillo break from the office), it's ideal for working on the laptop with their free wifi or reading a book outside or inside.

Situated on one of the Gothic Quarter's busiest and liveliest street, Schilling Cafe is great for people watching through their floor to ceiling windows that look onto the street. It's wooden tables and few booths that line the wall, provide for a rustic yet inviting atmosphere and its mix of coffees, teas and cocktails go well with the few, yet tasty tapas options. Schilling sits directly across from the buzzing, Plaza Reial and is a fun place to start the evening if you plan on staying out late and enjoying the clubs, which are right next door.

Romantic, intimate and cozy, this dimly lit wine and tapas bar is tucked away on one of the Gothic Quarters' many side streets. Ideal for dates or a few drinks with friends, it's owned by a Canadian and the service is top notch and so is the food. Andu is very casual with long wooden tables at the back, comfy couches at the entrance when you arrive and a mix of hippy and boho wait staff. Their menu isn't extensive but what they do have is delicious. It's the perfect place to start or end the evening or spend several hours there relaxing and sipping good Spanish wine.

Finally a Barcelona restaurant that has mastered the brunch menu. Not only is Federal's classic decor, spacious setting and inviting ambiance selling points in themselves, but this Australian owned rustic three-story diner, restaurant and cocktail bar all rolled into one, boasts the best breakfast in the city. Whether you're carving pancakes, eggs 'benny', smoked salmon mixed with spinach or just a Mimosa to help with the Sunday hangover, this is a Barcelona treat and a brunch lover's haven. They also have an extensive lunch and dinner menu and with free wi-fi you could easily stay all day as they rarely ask you to leave.

Situated in the Born, Alsur's outdoor patio is perfect for summer afternoon brunches, or early evening cocktails. Their brunch menu is offered daily until 12pm and on the weekends it's served throughout the day. Along with their extensive brunch menu they feature a wide variety of Catalan and Mediterranean lunch and dinner dishes. This is a fun, unassuming restaurant in the heart of the Old City, reasonably priced and extremely lively. In addition to their inviting patio, the inside is full of plush leather booths, comfy armchairs and high top tables. It's a good place to work and spend a few hours in the afternoon.

New to the Barcelona 'coffee scene', A Slice of Life is situated in the trendy Born neighborhood and boasts an incredible high quality coffee. Its Barista won the Islandic Barista Championship twice and also came 4th in the world Championships. Being the first distributor of Synesso coffee in Russia, the owner is now starting the same trend in Spain, using Right Side Coffee products. This is a one of a kind cafe in Barcelona's Ciutat Vella and definitely worth checking out. The design is original and they use all fresh, locally (just outside of Barcelona) sourced products, such as the milk. They also have an extensive choice of coffee and use a variety of brewing methods.