Atelier de Blai: tasty pinchos and a friendly atmosphere in Poble Sec
Poble Sec is one of the most authentic quarters of Barcelona, situated below Montjuïc. Carrer de Blai is a street known to locals as the best place for budget-friendly pinchos!
There’s plenty on offer, but not all of the bars are up to the same standard. Atelier de Blai, at no. 38, is always a good choice.
Atelier de Blai: fresh and original pinchos
Pinchos have their origins in the Basque Country, but have been widely adopted across Catalonia.
Pinchos can be found all over Barcelona, where they’re stars of the bar scene! Whilst they may appear simple (small slices of bread with a topping), some places have turned the concept into a true art form.
This is the case at Atelier de Blai, a warm and welcoming bar on the Carrer de Blai. Their pinchos are varied, fresh, innovative and, of course, tasty, setting the bar pretty high for the competition
- Examples include a samosa and courgette pincho, a croquette and green chili option, a third with camembert and aubergine purée, or even a bacon and fried egg pincho. Tasty!
Atelier de Blai: a relaxed setting with low prices
On arrival, you’ll be greated by the boss himself, a friendly and helpful Argentinian expat who also speaks almost perfect French, echoing the street signs hung from the walls of the bar!
The bar is popular with students, couples, tourists and locals alike, who come to relax and enjoy a drink or two – it all makes for a very warm and friendly atmosphere.
Price-wise, Atelier de Blai also has some (nice) surprises in store. Pinchos are priced at either €1 or €1.50, depending on the topping, with wine and beer from €2.50 and cocktails from around €5. Go on, you know you want to!
Atelier de Blai: how it works
Service at the Atelier de Blai is a little unusual, as the tapas are generally displayed at the bar. Once you’ve chosen your table, simply take a plate and choose your preferred options.
- Keep hold of the skewers from each pincho! The servers use them to work out your bill.
- The skewers with the red balls are used for the pinchos a €1.50.
- Drinks are served at the table.
As you can see from the photo below, we were pretty thorough in our testing… anything for you, dear readers!
Why choose the Atelier de Blai?
- Atelier de Blai offers particularly fresh and varied pinchos. The options on offer at some of the other bars on Carrer Blai are much more limited, or even downright unappealing. The choice on offer here is updated on a regular basis.
- If you prefer your pinchos warm, the servers are more than happy to pop them in the over for a few minutes. This is the only bar where we’ve found this level of service.
- Given the quality of products and the size of the portions on offer, the prices are almost ridiculously low.
Useful information
- Like most of its neighbours, Atelier de Blai has tables outside. Bars with outside seating in this area are obliged to close at around midnight to avoid disturbing the local residents.
- The bar is fairly small, so it’s not ideal for big groups!
Ready to start collecting skewers?
