Barcelona’s best bakeries: the guide

Buying bread and pastries can be a bit of a hit-and-miss experience, especially in a new place – it can be hard to know where the best places are.

Thankfully, Barcelona has its fair share of excellent artisan bakeries, tried and tested by us – just follow our lead!

Baluard: the famous one

Baluard is probably Barcelona’s best-known bakery. Located in Barceloneta, it’s been operating on the same site for three generations. A second branch has recently sprung up in the Eixample, in Pau Claris 188, very close to Gaudí’s Casa Milà or Pedrera!

The bread is delicious, and the croissants are made following the purest Parisian tradition. This is something of a rarity in Barcelona, where most croissants are made using pork fat (hmmmm…). No risk of that at Baluard! Ask for the butter croissant (de mantequilla)- they’re to die for!

Why? For the butter croissants!
When? Barceloneta and Eixample: Monday to Saturday, 8am – 9pm; Eixample: Sunday, 8am – 2pm
How much? Farmhouse bread, €3-4/kilo; croissants, just under €2
Where? Baluard 38 (Barceloneta) and Pau Claris 188 (Eixample)

Turris: the innovative one

There’s often a queue at Turris, as at Baluard. Once you’re in, we recommend trying some of the more original breads! Our favourites include the olive and rosemary bread and the chocolate and bitter orange bread, a daring but perfectly balanced blend.

We weren’t particularly drawn to the pastries, so we haven’t tried them – we’ll leave you to decide if they’re worth the trip.

There are 3 branches of Turris in Barcelona (Aribau, Calvet and Gràcia), so there’s really no excuse not to try their wares!

Why? For the original breads
When? Aribau and Calvet: Monday-Friday, 7.30am – 9pm, Saturday, 8am – 8.30pm (2.30pm at Aribau); Gràcia: Monday-Friday, 7.30am – 9pm, Saturday, 8am – 8.30pm.
How much? €3-4 for a medium-sized loaf
Where? Aribau 158 (Eixample), Calvet 7 (Sarrià), Gran de Gràcia 34 (Gràcia)

Hänsel: the designer one

Hänsel is a both a breakfast spot and a place to grab a tasty snack, as well as a bakery selling excellent bread.

Only top-quality products are used in making the bread, sandwiches and pastries. The sandwiches, made with fresh, crusty bread, are absolutely delicious. That said, quality comes at a price: around €2.50 for a small tuna sandwich, and around €3.50 for a small ham sandwich (both shown in the photo).

Why? For the seating area and the little terrace
When? Monday-Thursday: 8am – 10pm, Friday: 8am – midnight, Saturday: 9am – midnight, Sunday: 9am – 4pm
How much? Just under €2 for a baguette
Where? Provença 237 (Eixample)

Crustó: the friendly one

Crustó offers delicious bread and pastry in a warm and friendly environment. The almond croissant we had was as good as any you’ll get in Paris! It had obviously just come out of the oven, clearly visible through the huge windows at the back of the bakery. We were also very tempted by the madeleines, chocolate cake and carrot cake on display – a good excuse for a return visit!

Why? For the sophisticated decor
When? Monday-Saturday: 8am-9pm, Sunday: 9am-2pm
How much? Around €2.30 for an almond croissant
Where? Valencia 246 (Eixample)

Forn Mistral: the sweet one

People queue just to taste the ensaïmada at Forn Mistral – a form of brioche, typical of Majorca and Catalonia, for which the bakery is famous. Try the amb cabells d’àngels option, with “angel hair” made from squash in the purest local tradition. The coca, a type of Catalan focaccia, is also excellent.

Why? For the ensaïmadas
When? Monday-Saturday: 7am – 9pm
How much? Small ensaïmada: less than €2
Where? Ronda Sant Antoni 96 (Sant Antoni)

Forn Sant Josep: the ancient one

Ir’s the smell which draws you in first: that tantalising, distinctive aroma of fresh bread. A sign outisde the bakery tells us that Forn Sant Josep has been there since 1913, but following a remodel in 2011, it still looks fresh and new.

• Here, the star of the show is the pa de vidre. Its name comes from the crust, so thin and crispy that it shatters like glass (vidre in Catalan). The soft, light crumb melts in the mouth, and stays fresh for over a day. For a truly  local experience, make yourself some tomato bread using the pa de vidre – delicious!
• The pa d’oli (a small, soft, round loaf) and bagels are also excellent, and a great base for making tasty sandwiches.

Alternatively, try any of the huge variety of more “classic’ breads – the French multigrain loaf is particularly good!

Good news for early birds: on weekdays, this bakery opens at 6am, the earliest of any establishment on our list.

Why? For time-honoured baking techniques and top-quality products
When? Monday-Friday, 6am – 8.30pm; Saturday, 7am – 2.30pm. Closed Sundays
How much? €1-2 per loaf
Where? Roger de Lluria, 98, Eixample

And thus ends our tour of Barcelona’s best bakeries. Now, over to you!