Barcelona’s best smoothies for summer
Made from fresh fruit and/or vegetables blended with crushed ice or frozen yogurt, smoothies are an ideal summer thirst-quencher. In practice, you’ll sometimes find the name used for fresh fruit juice. Take your pick of seasonal products and treat your tastebuds to a fruity surprise!
Bar Mendizabal: more than just a smoothie!
On the corner of a street in the Raval is an open kiosk, paved with colourful tiles: Mendizabal !
This charming and unusual bar is a great place for a late lunch or an afternoon snack.
- At the bar, you can either choose the smoothie of the day, or design your own using 2 or 3 seasonal fruits (€2 – 4).
- Hungry? We recommend the hot or vegetarian sandwiches, and the cakes. The coconut cake is particularly good!
The seating area is over the road. To get to the terrace, cross the street and head for the pretty little square, which is very typical of the quarter. Set between a former chapel, now an exhibition space, and a school playground, it’s pleasantly sunny in the early afternoons.
Why? For a different bar experience and for the terrace in the heart of the Raval
How much? €2 – 4
When? Monday – Saturday 8:30am – 1am; Closed on Sundays
Where? Junta de Comerç 2, Raval, metro Liceu (L3)
Bordiny: an iconic smoothie bar in the Born
An unmissable smoothie bar in the area around Jaume I. Brightly painted and with decorative fruit hung all over the walls, Bordiny shows its colours from the outset.
- Every day, several different smoothies are made up in advance, so there are plenty of combinations on hand. Handy if you struggle to choose your own fruit!
- If you’re just passing by, there’s a fair chance that someone will hand you a small sample. You’ll have the option to try several different versions before choosnig what to order.
- Variety is also the order of the day! The smoothies here aren’t “just” fruit. For the same price, you can choose to add frozen yogurt and a range of toppings, from fresh fruit to marshmallows, muesli, nuts or chocolate. There are two sizes available, and your choices will only be limited by the size of your glass…
Why? For a dose of inspiration, and for the frozen yogurt
How much? €4 standard, €6 large
When? Every day, 10am – 10pm
Where? C/ de Jaume I, 11, Born
Fruit Express: relaxed smoothies
This smoothie bar is focused on relaxation. The decoration is colourful, eclectic and borderline chaotic, with cocktail glasses stacked next to tins of tea. One of the advantages of the bar is that there are hot drinks and cocktails on offer, too, if you’d rather have something other than a smoothie!
There’s a wide variety of fruit on offer, and you can add a variety of other ingredients, such as milk or soy milk, ginger or mint.
When we visited, the server recommended trying strawberry and banana with coconut, and it was fantastic!
- If you’re visiting later in the day, the strawberry mojito comes highly recommended – easily the best we’ve ever tasted.
Why? For the relaxed atmosphere and the mojitos
How much? €4 – 6
When? Every day 10am – 7pm, closed on Tuesdays
Where? Carrer de la Mercè, 8, Gòtic
