Barcelona: Best bakeries for delicious cheap eats
Bakeries are a tasty way to save big in Barcelona. There are SO many bakeries in this town that it’s hard to walk two blocks without running into one selling flaky croissants, baguettes, chocolate napolitanas, and large loaves of pa de payés, a Catalan farmers’ bread.
Bakery sandwiches
Bakeries also usually sell sandwiches, which are typically “sub” style on a half or whole baguette. These are called bocatas or bocadillos. Expect to find bocatas with the following popular combos: ham with olive oil and tomato, Spanish omelet with olive oil and tomato, cheese with olive oil and tomato, dried sausage olive oil and tomato…
They don’t do the mustard and mayo combo here much, though you might come across the more standard American-style sandwich (called “sandwich”) in some bakeries. These will have mayo, lettuce and tomato, etc.
Bakeries are a good place to get cheap yet delicious and usually healthy breakfast and lunch food. You could also buy bread at the bakery and then grab some cheese at the market and make your own bocatas to take with you for the day. This is definitely the cheapest option.
A few bakeries I adore are:
Baluard
C/ Baluard 38
Barceloneta, Spain
The best bakery in Barcelona? Not sure, but it was ranked number two by Time Out. It’s fabulous, and on the weekends there’s a line out the door and down the block for its buns. They do bocatas, many sorts of breads, muffins, cupcakes, “pizza,” empanadas and a whole array of mouthwatering desserts.
BoPan
Various locations
Web site
With quite a few locations around town, this bakery is a bit more high-end, offering specialty breads and sweets.
Panadaria Paul
C/ Rosselló, 490
08025 Barcelona
One of my top-five bakeries in which to enjoy a coffee and a sweet raisin roll. It’s a love-hate thing, because Paul has caused me to break my diet routine many a time. Fresh baked bread, morning pastries, desserts with gooey chocolate and fresh berries.
Other options
While these bakeries offer something special, any bakery will do. Wherever you stay, there is sure to be a bakery nearby. If you don’t see one, ask the receptionist, as he probably has one close by that he likes!
I will never understand how Spaniards eat so much bread and sugar and stay so thin…. It’s a mystery.
About the author
What bakery is in the photo? Because I think I’ve been there before…
You might have, it is right off Las Ramblas.
Regina WB
Why do Spaniards stay so thin? Because instead of watching television for hours on end every night, they go out! Young people, old people, handicapped people, they are all out on the town until midnight. And, when they eat, they do it slowly. They aren’t super-sizing it and just shoveling it in. ¡Viva Espana!
Ha, that’s true, people like to go out here, and also there’s a culture of walking instead of driving. Still, as much as I walk I have to watch my croissant intake…*sigh*
Regina WB