Enric Granados: Art, Design, Cafés Barcelona

Have you heard of Enric Granados street? An oasis in the busy centre of Barcelona , it’s full of cafés, restaurants, art galleries and also local shops. Walk and discover! Here are some tips that may help you…

Enric Granados is a semi-pedestrian street (traffic is reduced and sidewalks are wider, it’s also full of big trees) between Aribau and Balmes. It starts in Diputació, just behind the old University of Barcelona building and ends in Avinguda Diagonal. It’s named after a Catalan pianist-composer that lived between the end of 19^th and the beginning of the 20^th century.

Design and Décor Shops

If you want to start from the top, you’ll just have to cross Avinguda Diagonal to find the famous and always trendy Habitat store (Av. Diagonal, 514), three floors full of furniture, lamps, textiles, accessories and details of the famous international English design company. A bit further down meet L’Appartement (Enric Granados 44), a small and colourful design shop where you can shop for furniture but also fun gadgets and some art exhibits. Continuing with design, you’ll find Codeco (Enric Granados 77) a good place for Scandinavian design, selling beautiful items from Norman Copenhagen or Design House Stockholm. However, if you feel more like vintage and antiques, then you should head up to Fins de Siecles (Enric Granados 70).

Restaurants

Enric Granados is known for its many restaurants and terraces. Starting from the elegant French bistro Chéri (E. Granados 122). There are lots of options along the street, but I would go straight to the lower part (between Aragó and Consell de Cent) to recommend Futami, for excellent sushi and Japanese food at a reasonable price and Flamant, an old tailor shop transformed into a fantastic atmosphere restaurant at a very good price. Another good option (a bit more expensive though) just in this same area would be Bodega Granados, a freshly decorated space (gorgeous terrace space) with good creative tapas and plates.

Art Galleries

If you are more interested in art, Enric Granados is also the place to be. Although many of them extend through Consell de Cent, in the corner with Enric Granados you’ll find Galeria 3 Punts and really close by, in front of Letamendi square (it that can be called a square) Galeria Joan Gaspar. Going up you’ll come across many more: the N2, Marlborough or The Laboratory are just some examples.

Cafés

The low part (just behind the University building), also closed to traffic, is the place for cafés. In this corner, together with kids playing football against the Seminar wall, you’ll find the romantic and quite recent Recoleta (E. Granados 1), both with fantastic terraces. Across Consell de Cent you’ll spot the big table and the long lines of hungry foreigners (especially at Brunch time at the weekends) waiting for a delicious piece of cake or a bagel at Brunch & Cake (E. Granados 19). The cakes are really good, but I wouldn’t wait there, when a bit further up and just one street from Enric Granados you have Travel & Cake (Roselló 189), from the same company, with the same menu, not so busy and specialized in homemade doughnuts. The last one of the recommendations would be the fantastic ice-cream and delicious croissants of De la creme (E. Granados 15, don’t miss their breakfast deal, homemade butter croissant and good coffee at a really good price for the area) with a really cute terrace too.

Local places

But if you are looking for something more authentic, the places where locals go, there are traces all along the street. Starting with fruit and fresh fish, don’t miss Peixos Frederic (E. Granados 98) and Fruites Rosselló (on the corner with Rosselló). Get some plants, trees or flowers at Flores Fortuño (E. Granados 57) (there are a couple more flower shops) or travel back in time to buy some wine or vermut from the old lady at a real bodega (Bodega Esplugas, E. Granados 110). If you want to taste a really good Catalan vermut though, accompanied with traditional and excellent tapas, you should go to Colmado (Provença 236), be patient, it gets really busy and it’s small, but the bravas are worth it! For more curious or interesting shops, pass by Video Instan (E. Granados 30), where people still rent films or have a look at collector items at El Col·leccionista (Còrsega 263), if popping in is too much, you can always gaze at all the figurines and strange objects on display on the shop window.

Remember that ShBarcelona offers rentals in Eixample, a perfect location to explore the old town and Enric Granados.