Il Cafè di Pietro

This is one of those corners with a lot of character: in front of the L’Abacería market and at the intersection of Travessera de Gràcia and Carrer de Torrijos, Il Café di Pietro is very well situated. But is that all it takes? Not a chance! Just look at those very central establishments where the atmosphere is so fake and icy that you’re almost too scared to enter. This is not the case with Il Café di Pietro, where you're always welcomed by the lovely people who run the place.

It used to be Raúl was in charge, a heavy metal fan with an easy smile and ability to whip up delicious sandwiches. But when he wanted to move on, who better to take over than loyal customers with great drive? When Quiem and Guillem decided to get involved, they gave Il Café di Pietro a bit of an overhaul, and reopened it, all renovated, in the winter of 2014. They’ve kept the Estrella Galicia at €1.60 a glass and added the Red Vintage double malt and 1906.

Pol, all kindness and enthusiasm, tells me that the best thing about working there is the thousands of endearing characters, who they call VIPs, that pass through. For example, Eugenio and María have been coming since the first day and are always treated like royalty; and then there's Ramón, who sells socks in the square, and if you ignore him, he starts clapping and singing.

When it comes to the food, they serve dishes such as the Germinal sandwich with ham, brie and tomato jam or honey, and the ‘coins and clubs’ (apple and anchovies) Quim makes. In the morning you'll hear jazz and at night, good music in general, including tracks by the likes of James Brown, The Who and the Rolling Stones. At the weekend it's perfect for having vermouth under the rays of the sun.