5 places to go for a lovely brunch in Barcelona

Brunch here is such a pleasure, that it’s worth queuing in the street on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Try several variations on eggs Benedict, turkey bagels or a pulled chicken cronut. Too heavy? Try the ‘super food salads’. Also the cakes are tempting. There are three branches of Brunch & Cake in Eixample now, but the original one on Carrer Enric Granados remains the best.

Long before the word brunch was invented, the Catalan working class had its ‘breakfasts with a fork’, esmorzars de forquilla. Anímic taps into this forgotten tradition and offers some very hearty dishes, e.g., cod with tripe and beans, or braised tongue with mushrooms. These can be enjoyed all day long. An original concept, very popular with Catalans.

Little Fern, a bright and lovely place in Poblenou, serves New Zealand-style dishes infused with world cuisine. Typical of New Zealand are the fritters, while the world kitchen is represented by the çılbır (poached eggs Turkish-style). Vegans will love this place, and even meat-eaters will be delighted by the Rey Rey Burger, a vegan equivalent of fried chicken.

Brunch can be so much more than eggs Benedict and other hearty dishes to diminish your hangover. Here are some more exotic possibilities: a Cuban sandwich with slow-cooked pork belly, ham, cheese, mustard and (homemade!) pickles; or tacos with crispy fried fish, smoked carñitas, tender beef, rotisserie chicken or truffled mushrooms. And how about coconut French toast with fresh strawberries and ice cream to round off your meal?

Raval somehow manages to keep its authentic atmosphere while attracting lots of new hip businesses. Trópico is a good example: it serves tropical delicacies like plantain patacones with hogao sauce, watercress, cheese and avocado, or wild sea bass ceviche marinated in leche de tigre with yellow chili, sweet potato and corn. Whether you want it beefy or vegetarian, Trópico is likely to surprise you.