A coffee with milk can be the perfect accompaniment to a novel. Also a very cold beer served with a cheese board. And why not some bravas? Although for many reading and eating are something that don’t go together, Barcelona bookstores seem to like this combination, which for years has incorporated cafes and restaurants in their stores. Some of them even have terraces where literary activities are hosted and which also serve as a place for customers to browse a book while having an aperitif in the sun.
This is the case of La Central del Raval (Carrer d’Elisabets, 6), which has its own urban oasis. The lush vegetation and a fountain from which water continually flows turn the garden of this bookstore into a fairy-tale place where, by the way, they have plenty of eating options. For a year now, De Cameron has been in charge of the gastronomic offer, which adapts to the different times of the day. Toasts and pastries for breakfast, preserves and tapas such as Russian salad, empedrat and bravas for vermouth, and heartier options for lunch, among which fricandó and stewed meatballs stand out, as well as various sandwiches and grilled dishes. In these gardens you can even order a menu of the day for €15.
Eating, drinking and reading is also possible on the charming terrace of La Central on Mallorca Street, also surrounded by vegetation, which has a simpler proposal. In this small literary refuge that is accessed through the bookstore, they offer artisan chocolate, pistachio, banana, pear and almond cakes, which go great with a coffee or an infusion. Sandwiches, forchettas and some snack options complete an offer that in this case is provided by the Baldomero restaurant.
Another patio that should not be missed is that of the Finestres bookstore (Diputació, 249), where Bar Watson is hidden. Yago Ferreiro is the one who ensures that the marble tables, surrounded by a beautiful vertical garden, are well cared for. Gourmet preserves from José Peña and artisanal cheeses from Món Vínic are some of the bites that can be ordered and accompanied with natural wines from Terra Alta, Hopsters craft beer or El Magnífico coffee. “And the menu will continue to grow,” explains Ferreiro, who emphasizes that in this outdoor space where talks with authors are also organized, they are committed to a quality and proximity product.
For more than 30 years, the cafeteria at the Laie bookstore (Pau Claris, 85) has offered a lunch formula with dishes made with local products for €21, which can also be enjoyed on its spacious covered terrace. “Writers, actors and journalists are among the regular clientele,” explains the restaurant’s manager, Toni Luque, but also people looking for a quiet space to devour a book. For these moments, they also have an outdoor terrace, where they serve homemade cakes, from carrot cake to quiche Lorraine, as well as sandwiches.
Perhaps less known is the patio of La Raposa (Tapioles, 47), a bookstore that is also a vegan bar. “Wasabi peas or vegetable lasagna are some of the dishes that come out the most,” explains Nat, one of the creators of this project that was born from the need of several women in the LGBT world, vegans and interested in culture, to have access to a place to meet. When they took over the place seven years ago, they were clear that to turn it into a cultural space they had to maintain the bar, but with non-alcoholic drinks available so that all their clients felt comfortable. Their michelada 0.0 is an example and members can have it on a small terrace that in spring smells of jasmine.
La Bernat (Buenos Aires, 6) is another place where cuisine and literature come together. There, Carles Armengol (author of the book Collado. The curse of a food house, by Colectivo Bruxista) prepares sandwiches and hearty dishes of the day such as Catalan faves or stewed chickpeas that he serves both inside and on the outside tables of the bookstore.
