After living 1 year and a half in Bergamo, Lombardy, it’s now Andalusia, in Spain, that calls us. Quite a roadtrip ! And what’s better to take well-deserved breaks along the road and stop by nice and typical coffee shops from the different regions that we are crossing ?
In this article, we re-do the road with you and we give you our 10 favorite ones !
Despite the fact that, depending on the country, local habits in terms of coffee are not the same, these places brillantly met our expectations :
- To offer good quality coffee, organic and produced in an eco-responsible way
- To propose homemade food
- In a warm & cosy layout, where we could work from, with our computers
- Little bonus : that the place has a story to tell, a why, a background !
Greenhouse cafe, located in the center of Bergamo, was lauched by two really nice italian owners. One of them lived abroad for a while, she was inspired by her travels to open her own coffee shop with her partner and offer delicious coffees and fresh juices, as well as amazing home-made brunchs. Especially the famous avocado toast ! The food is made with love, the menu is always evolving and the owners often involve their clients and online community to know their preferences. They even installed some aromatic plants on the coffee shop’s terrace in order for them to mix with their signature home-made cocktails !
The very cute and small Tazze Pazze (‘’crazy mugs’’ in english) is located in the center of Genoa. We took advantage of their terrace while sipping one of their specialty, the Cold Brew, that I’m particularly fond of. We noted that the line-up in front of the coffee shop was never decreasing : the place is indeed very popular among the locals, as well as the foreigners, as we can see with all the newspaper articles displayed at the entrance !
Aix-en-Provence (France) : La Touche
This one, we were not discovering it from zero… Indeed, I knew the owner from Montreal, where I lived for a while ! He actually opened there his first La Touche coffee shop, and decided to come back to the region where he’s from in France, a few years ago, to open another coffee shop with the same name. Let’s mention that the owner was before-hand a coffee roaster, and he offers only specialty coffees (and teas, all organic). Plus, he’s a real latte art expert ! As for the layout, we particularly love his unique wood furniture, hand-made by him, that adds to the cosy atmosphere of the place !
Montpellier (France) : De La Sierra
In Montpellier, we discovered a well-decorated coffee shop with a sleek and modern look : the 2 owners were super nice (2 best friends actually) and talked to us about their coffee production in italian, spanish, english and french, which we loved, obviously ! One of them told us that he’s from El Salvador by his dad (their fair-trade coffee plantation that provides for De La Sierra is actually located there) and italian by his mom (from Bergamo ! What a coincidence !). Besides, the first thing that we noticed was their special attention to the italian ‘’coffee codes’’ : very small quantity for the expresso (very difficult to find in France or Spain), served with a little glass of sparkling water on the side, as it should be, and they bring you the cup with the handle pointed towards you (in the center) to not disadvantage left-handers nor right-handers.
Walking in the central and trendy Eixample neighborhood in Barcelona, we ran into Nappucino coffee shop and we really loved it, as well as their owners, a super kind franco-polish couple ! Their concept is to offer coffee, of course, but also very cute transformative mini-spaces in order to allow the clients to take a nap if they want. It’s literally like a little cocoon in the big city of Barcelona ! Bonus : at Nappucino, the latte art takes the shape of the little koala from their logo !
The Botanico is hidden in a really small street in the city of Zaragoza, but is very busy and popular. Inside the coffee shop is a mix of greenery (plants are everywhere, and it’s not a coincidence since a flower shop is literally next to the coffee shop, as well as an art gallery) and recycled or vintage furniture, making the vibe relaxed and original. You will enjoy the home-made food, sweet or salty. The place is also making fresh home-made juices, prepared on the counter right in front of you.
In Madrid, we walked around the ‘’hipster’’ neighborhood of Malasana, where we discovered the Hanso cafe. We were glad to find a studious but relaxed atmosphere, a little bit like coffee shops from le Plateau in Montreal ! Strong points : brunchs are delicious, as well as the chocolate-matcha cake, the service is fast despite the popularity of the place, and a little detail that caught our attention : the water jar and glasses available on the counter for self-service ! We also loved the minimalist and low-key design with asian accents (the owner has chinese origins), especially the little lucky cat (maneki-neko) on the canvas curtain separating from the kitchen.
This place has made coffee a real experience ! Indeed, coffee is served with a ‘’preparatory’’ infusion, which tonalities bring out the taste of the coffee afterwards. Different kinds of coffee are proposed, and the barista know their job like the back of their hands. The place is even offering professional trainings. Moreover, the space is big and well-divided, with a specific area designed to look like a living-room, where we can work or read feeling like at home. And as a bonus, the decoration is incredible : plenty of vintage or recycled objects, even until the bathroom where everything has been chosen or designed around the coffee theme !
La Finca is located in a small place (it’s all about timing, whether you will have a spot inside or not, because they are very limited), but the owners installed some benches outside the coffee shop, which overlooks on a very little and bucolic street, in the heart of the ‘’souk’’ of Granada. The owners are above all producers and roasters, and they even offer workshops. We notice right away the barista’s way of making coffee, the movements are precise and rigorous : the coffee is made with love and dedication. And the home-made cakes are also amazing !
Malaga (Spain) : Recyclo Bike Cafe
This coffee shop is a mix of art (music art specifically, with vintage vinyls displayed on the walls of the place), local and vegan food, and good organic coffee, eco-responsible. The place even offers artisanal and local beers, and employees are always super nice. Right next to the coffee shop is a bike repair shop (from which the Recyclo’s decoration is widely inspired ! A full bike is actually hanging from the ceiling) : they even offer a discount for people who come in bike ! The atmosphere is very friendly, the sofas and cosy chairs really help to feel at home.
We hope that you’ll have the occasion to try one of these places, while travelling
to Italy, France or Spain !
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- Greenhouse cafe
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- Tazze Pazze
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- La Touche 1
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- La Touche 2
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- La Touche 3
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- La Sierra
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- Nappucino
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- Nappuccino 2
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- Nappuccino 3
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- Botanico 1
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- Botanico 2
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- Botanico 3
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- Botanico 4
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- Hanso 1
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- Hanso 2
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- Hanso 3
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- Cafe Lab 2
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- Cafe Lab 1
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- La Finca 1
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- La Finca 1
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- Recyclo 1
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- Recyclo 2
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- Recyclo 3
Sources & pictures :
S&H, websites & social media of the addresses
