Monopol: budget-friendly café and social club in Poblenou
The first thing to say is that Monopol really isn’t like anywhere else, and it’s nigh-on impossible to fit it into a category!
It’s a café, a cantine, a tapas bar and a bar full stop, a venue for swing dancing and a place to watch a football match. Well, it’s certainly varied!
Monopol, an unexpected location in the heart of Poblenou
An authentic, 100% Catalan venue
A former local football clubhouse, Monopol is a very different location. You can almost feel the history of the place, and you can certainly see it from all of the sporting trophies exhibited on the shelves.
Now open to all, it’s kept its original charm. Nothing too sophisticated, though! The friendly Monopol team have made the café into a friendly hideaway where you can immerse yourself in simple, no-frills, authentic local life.
A warm, friendly venue
Monopol is housed in a former house, and you can tell: behind the big dining area is a small kitchen, which you pass through on the way to the courtyard.
There are loaves of bread on the counter waiting to be cut, pots of flowers, a vegetable garden, and even a nap corner for the most laid-back visitors. Everything you might need to feel right at home!
Self-service at Monopol
- The unique element at Monopol is that no-one’s going to come and take your order or bring your food. There’s a family atmosphere, and everyone goes up to the bar to order, collecting their own cutlery, glass and paper napkins.
Breakfast and brunch at Monopol
- Every morning from 10am, Monopol offers a breakfast option (tea or coffee plus a sandwich or cake or compote or yogurt with fruit and cereal, or slices of bread and jam) for €3.
- Sunday is brunch day! The menu includes a tortilla or savoury pastry, plus a slice of cake, plus a compote or fruit salad or fresh orange juice, plus tea or coffee, all for just €8.
Lunch at Monopol
Lunch at Monopol is served buffet-style from 1pm – 8pm (no, that’s not a typo)! The locals tend to eat between 1.30 and 4.30pm, and the café’s owners have chosen to extend the service times. We’re not complaining!
- If you eat early in the evening (by Spanish standards – so around 7.30pm), you can profit from the €7.50 “lunch” option. This is a huge bargain, since very few restaurants offer cheap set menus in the evening. Dig in!
The offer includes a homemade soup (2 options) or salad plus the dish of the day (3 options) or tortilla (3 or 4 options) or a savoury cake (3 options). Water and bread are included, making for a simple, healthy and tasty meal!
- Monopol defines itself as “flexitarian”, which basically means that the food on offer is mostly made up of vegetables, pulses and cereales, but that meat and fish also feature in smaller quantities.
- Monopol offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options on a daily basis.
Tapas at Monopol
6pm-7pm is tapas time! The menu is varied, with around fifteen vegetarian options and even more non-vegetarian options.
Activities at Monopol
Monopol has kept its character as a social venue, and offers a varied range of fun activities:
- Swing night every Wednesday from 10pm – midnight
- Table football tournament on the last Thursday of the month
- Live music or DJ sets at the weekend
- Transmission of Barça matches
- Vermouth and music on Sunday lunchtimes
Want to find out more? See Monopol’s facebook page!
