Not every meal in Barcelona has to be a long dinner of tapas and wine, and breakfast certainly doesn't. These are cafés and brunch spots from my saved Google Maps list where you can get good coffee and breakfast without spending much. The descriptions are put together from Google Maps reviews, and I'll add my own notes as I visit.
Prices are Google's average spend per person, valid as of 1 October 2026. Rate: 1 € ≈ $1.13.
In short
- Coffee for people who care about coffee: Nomad Coffee Bar and Balzac Café.
- Matcha: Circl in the Eixample.
- Brunch: Federal Cafè Sant Antoni and Flax&Kale, both open every day.
- Early mornings: PEPO Cafe in Sant Gervasi opens at 8:00 but closes at 15:00.
Coffee and brunch
Nomad Coffee Bar
Sant Pere · specialty coffee · 1–10 € (≈$1–11) · Mon–Fri 8:30–19:00, closed Sat–Sun
Google Maps · website · Passatge Sert, 12
According to Google Maps reviews (4.6 from 2,900+): a minimalist coffee bar that many call the best in Barcelona. A big choice of single-origin coffees from around the world, baristas who are happy to talk beans, and reasonable prices for the level. At lunchtime there can be a ten-minute queue; closed at weekends.
Balzac Café
Eixample · coffee shop · Mon–Fri 8:00–18:00, Sat 9:00–18:00, Sun 10:00–18:00
Google Maps · Pg. de St. Joan, 127
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 1,200+): a café on Passeig de Sant Joan where the owner works the bar himself and picks beans from roasters across Europe. Reviewers praise the filter coffee and cold brew, the fresh flowers and the pastries. Opinions are split, though: some find the filter coffee pricey and the service a bit brusque.
Circl
Eixample · matcha café · 1–10 € (≈$1–11) · Mon–Fri 8:00–20:00, Sat–Sun 9:30–19:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer de Balmes, 82
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 260+): a new minimalist café attached to a pilates studio, known above all for its matcha; reviewers recommend the signature drinks such as the sour cherry matcha. A cosy interior and very friendly staff. It's more a place for a drink and a breather than for a filling breakfast.
PEPO Cafe
Sant Gervasi · coffee shop · 1–10 € (≈$1–11) · daily 8:00–15:00
Google Maps · Carrer de Craywinckel, 2
According to Google Maps reviews (4.7 from 170): a small neighbourhood café in the upper part of the city, with good music and a warm welcome. Coffee, dirty chai and matcha with plant milk, sandwiches, cookies and cakes at reasonable prices. It only opens until 15:00; one customer complains about a card payment mistake that was never sorted out.
Federal Cafè Sant Antoni
Sant Antoni · brunch café · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · daily 9:00–18:00, Thu–Sat until 23:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer del Parlament, 39
According to Google Maps reviews (4.0 from 3,600+): a spacious café over several floors with a rooftop terrace, on one of the nicest streets in Sant Antoni. Reviewers praise the eggs Benedict, French toast, the Reuben and the veggie burger, plus the desserts and coffee; dogs are welcome. Small slips happen, like poached eggs that come out hard.
Flax&Kale
El Raval · healthy brunch · 20–30 € (≈$23–34) · daily 9:00–0:00
Google Maps · website · Carrer dels Tallers, 74b
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 11,800+): a big, bright café over several floors with a garden, good for a group brunch. A creative menu full of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes: reviewers praise the shakshuka, the burrata salads and the pistachio eggs, and the kitchen is happy to adapt for intolerances. It's the priciest place on this list, and some feel the prices are higher than the drinks and pastries deserve.
One last thing
The cafés here keep daytime hours: Nomad Coffee Bar is closed at weekends, Balzac closes at 18:00 and PEPO at 15:00. For Sunday brunch or an evening coffee, go to Federal Cafè Sant Antoni (until 23:00 Thursday to Saturday) or Flax&Kale, which is open until midnight.
More on Barcelona: cheap eats.