Barcelona Photoblog: cafe
Showing posts with label cafe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cafe. Show all posts

July 08, 2014

A Day at Cafe Zurich, Barcelona

Cafe Zurich, Barcelona, Spain

With more than 150 years of experience Café Zurich summons the essence of XIX century Barcelona. Founded in 1862 as a canteen called La Catalana and located in a train station the place originally used to sell beverages but soon it became a chocolate shop until a Catalan that had worked abroad, decided to name the premises after the famous Swiss city. 

In 1920 the chocolate shop was bought by family Valldeperas for 50 000 pesetas and their descendants still own the place. It was precisely the founder's son who turned the shop into a beer house around 1925. Later on and as a result of the works to bury Sarria railroad tracks underground the waiting room at the station was annexed to the canteen to turn it into a big salon. Some time afterwards, the terrace was inaugurated to give Cafe Zurich the wonderful looks it has today. Please check my previous post about Cafe Zurich

July 31, 2009

Cafe Babel: The Secret Charm of Small Barri Gotic Cafes

Cafe Babel - Barri Gotic [enlarge]

The narrow alleys of Barri Gotic in Barcelona's casc antic (old quarter) are studded with small bistros that have this sort of deceptive ramshackle appearance. Many of these, are rather mimetic and seem to come out of a lethargic dream when the last rays of the sun slowly disappear at the top of the weathered façades. An enthusiastic clientele of loyals and the usual newbies fluttering from place to place, storm the place to start over the life cycle of bohemian deja-vus. A good idea to attract the prey for the night kill is to use some flashy lure and that is where art comes alive. A nice painting on the metal rolling door sometimes can help the house keep a certain cultural aura that is well appreciated by customers and inadvertently contributes to the atmosphere of an otherwise dull street. Notice this pumping heart at Cafe Babel where all different bloods blend and gush out into one single stream probably an allusion to the famous biblical tower and the notion of a united humanity, speaking a single language. It is a very small place, with just a few tables but artistically decorated. To the sound of Nu Jazz you can enjoy a good menu or a nice drink (they even have absenta) either inside or at the quiet terrace across the street in the middle of Placa dels Traginers just below the remnants of the old city wall: check Plaça del Traginers - A Very Romantic Place an article by Sonia Martinez Argüelo at Barcelona Spotted by Locals which features a picture of Cafe Babel's terrace.

April 10, 2009

Cafe Zurich, Pl. Catalunya 1, Barcelona

Cafe Zurich, Barcelona

This is a snap I took of famous Café Zurich located at carrer Pelai 39 or Pl. Catalunya,1. Better said, this is a reproduction of the original.

The well known café was founded on November 30th, 1920 on a canteen for trains going to Sarriá. In the 30s one coffee there would only cost you 1 or 1,50 pesetas! I digress.

Back in 1994 the whole block called the Golden Triangle was completely restored and important department stores and offices were built. Café Zurich was no exception and according to purists it is not the same in spite of official promises to keep it as it was. It is a good place for coffee and pastry although not the best.

Tourists seem to enjoy the terraces as you can see in the picture. Locals do the usual thing avoid it during the high season.
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