Barcelona is the kind of city where trends are born, before catching on like wildfire throughout the rest of Europe. Or perhaps it’s just an early-adopter, hot on the heels of even edgier metropolises such as London or Berlin. Add the abundance of bars and cafés in the city into the mix, and it’s easy to see why suddenly it seems as if everyone is drinking mojitos, or ordering premium-brand G&Ts (or gin-tunnins, as my local bar calls them.)
What’s next, we wondered? And then it hit us. Could the humble tea bar be on the brink of conquering Barcelona? Well, no. The winter temperatures don’t drop low enough or long enough to make that a realistic proposal. And it would be hard to top a tipsy tipple of your favourite party-juice. But what did catch our attention is that amid the usual swarm of multinational chain cafés there are a few, very few, absolutely wonderful places where you can enjoy delicious teas in a cosy spot.
1. Caj Chai
Enjoy their delicious hot brews
Many people stumble upon this exquisite little tea house in the back streets of the Gothic district, and can’t find it ever again. Lord, I know I’m one. But once you’ve nailed it you’ll keep coming back.
Their extensive tea list includes a scrummy house speciality chai and a good selection of international teas. Herbal infusions include refreshing mint tea and ayurvedic “Women’s Tea” with a delicious mix of herbs and fruit. You can also buy loose leaves to enjoy at home.
Sant Domènec del Call, 12
Discover the Chinese art of tea ceremony
2. La Teteria
This remarkable space is a temple of Chinese tea culture. It was established in 2005 by a Catalan and Chinese couple who take pride in the ceremonial aspects of any experience in their establishment.
The list of teas reveals a selection you probably didn’t know existed; white, red, green and black teas, with different quantities of caffeine, grown at all altitudes across the plateaus and plains of China. Tea ceremonies are organised for private groups and on special occasions, such as Chinese New Year on the 19th February.
C/ Saragossa, 113
Organic hot chocolate. ‘Nuff said.
3. Refresca Tea
Barcelona’s first ice tea bar lived up to is name and kept us feeling refreshed throughout the hot summer months with their delicious iced green tea and fresh fruit concoctions.
We now go out of our way to pass by their two shops in order to wrap our chilly mitts around one of their delicious mugs of chai latte, Fair Trade organic hot chocolate and white chocolate drinks.
Keep an eye out for special promotions, and if you’re feeling indulgent treat yourself to a pastry as well.
C/ Carders 25 and C/ Escudellers 56 (closed in winter).
Mint tea from the Berbers’ jaima
4. Infussion
One of Barcelona’s best kept secrets, this is located in the heart of the old district of Les Corts. The fusion of Mediterranean and Oriental influences is immediately apparent from the moment you step into this exquisitely decorated spot.
Chinese tea, fresh tropical fruit juices and Italian coffee is served alongside Arabic pastries, Mediterranean salads and Argentinean savoury treats. They also have a good selection of flavoured shisha tobacco which you can smoke in one of the comfortable corners.
C/ Deu i Mata 10.
Feeling blue? Fix it with Alsur tea and cake
5. Alsur Cafe
It’s easy enough to spend the whole day in one of the two Alsur Cafés. Turn up at a reasonable hour in the morning, work away on your laptop, read a book or catch up with some friends and you might realise that it’s already dark by the time you leave. In the meantime you can enjoy their delicious teas, served in beautiful porcelain mugs, and possibly one of their savoury pastries or irresistible homemade cakes.
Plaça de Sant Cugat, 1, and C/ de Sant Pere Més Alt, 4 (next to the Palau de la Música Catalana).
