Kristina Shvets
Summer is over, so relax about your diet and indulge in all things sweet. In Barcelona they know how to make good pastry: the city has hundreds of bakeries and cake shops. And unlike many restaurants, many of them are opened 24/7. Our list has the best croissants, pastry, cakes and doughnuts in town. So munch out.
Pastelería Hoffmann
Patisseria Hofmann (opened by May Hofmann’s cooking school) is a must for anyone who thinks he knows a thing or two about croissants. They are famous throughout the city for a reason, and in 2010 they were ranked the best in Spain. Grab some to your liking - classical ones or with raspberry, mango or mascarpone filling – and go to a nearby Parc de la Ciutadella for a breakfast/picnic.
Escribá
Here, the Escribá family has been making bread and marvelous pastry for over a century. Their flagship location in Gran Via consists of a bakery, a little cafe and a show room on the second floor where you can watch the art of pastry-making: giant white chocolate bulldogs, two-meter macaroon-decorated Eiffel towers, designer shoes and live-size princesses made of chocolate. That's what I call the real craft.
Lukumas
Lukumas is Greek for doughnut, so, as you can guess, the owner comes from Greece. Following his family business, Petros opened a small bakery in the heart of Gracia and every morning pastry lovers line to get his doughnuts and awesome coffee. Here any sweet-craving will be satisfied - he sells shell and oval doughnuts with double filling, powder-covered, glazed and custard, strawberry, Nutella lemon, etc. There's something for everyone, just be sure not to take another dozen away.
Boldú
This popular bakery chain was opened back in 1939 and is loved by locals. They keep their traditions since then: everything is home made according to family recipes of the best ingredients. Kids from all over the neighborhood line to get their Bolduman cartoon character-shaped doughnuts.
Farga
Serving a dozen of delicacies, Farga is a nice buffet-type breakfast spot. A traditional breakfast here includes flautas con jamón, i.e. small sandwiches with local ham, as well as croissants, sweets and cakes.
Granja Dulcinea
Should you feel an urge to drink hot chocolate with huge churros, then make your way to Granja Dulcinea. It's a family place that has built up a fantastic reputation over the years. The waiters swear that the chocolate is made from natural cocoa and not powder as they do in many other coffee shops. If I were an owner, I'd separately charge for the aromatherapy as the air is so sweet that it literally makes your mouth water. The place is highly recommended for the sweet-toothed.
http://www.granjadulcinea.com