Chicha Limoná is a good-looking, design led restaurant / cafe close to the Tetuan station. Its logo is a bright juxtaposition of lemon yellow and navy blue, letters made of fun graphic elements like a small blue fish over the H in Chicha which squirms about on their webpage.
Two colours for two concepts because that is what Chicha Limoná is.
The entire space is easy, fun and informal but the right side is even more so. On that side: you can pick up a croissant to go or have a coffee and some breakfast. Or have a pizza, made at the back of the shop in a glass encased kitchen so you can see the dough being dragged through swirls of flour.
Then comes the other side of the restaurant. Accessed through the narrow corridor (or from the left entrance on the street) and you are in the slightly more formal part – more of a restaurant. Friendly waitresses in the Chicha Limoná uniform appear quickly to answer any questions and take your order.
There are shelves full of beautifully packaged canned fish.I often get readers writing to me asking what they should take back as souvenirs? My answer? This! Canned fish tins are prettier than chocolate boxes here! Large tins of Bonilla a la Vista potato chips signal that this is a spot to succumb to the Vermut habit. And should you somehow miss all those visual cues there are the half empty bottles of Salsa Espinaler to bear witness to the favourite Barcelona pastime.
As usual, I am here for lunch with a friend – specifically the menu del dia. The table is set in variations of navy blue; navy blue napkins, glasses, and rims around white plates. Dishes that are inherently Catalan work well – like the botifarra sausage with white beans while others which stray outside that zone less so. The lentils in Anjalina’s salad are tough and underseasoned topped tendrils of carrots sitting on some bagged mixed leaves.
It’s not the best lunch I’ve had but it’s not bad – particularly the more Catalan dishes. The service is delightful and the space even more so. I am intrigued by the location, I am used to Chinese bazaars in this end of town so I like the idea that it will become home to new concepts looking for cheaper rents. In fact, Chicha Limona is next door to another new and popular locale: Granja Petitbo so it would appear that this transformation is already underway.
See this and more addresses by location on my Foodie in Barcelona Map or in alphabetical order on my Best Eats page.
Chicha Limoná
Passeig De Sant Joan 80
08009
www.chichalimona.com
Hello! My name is Suzy. This blog is about discovering Barcelona through its eateries. I take it one restaurant or shop at a time and post on the blog once a week. I vary where I eat to have a have a mix of high and low end places. My goal is to find the special places, the ones worth seeking out and show and tell you all about them.
If you’re looking for excellent and affordable tapas place just a bit down the Passeig try Antigua Cabana (Carrer de Provença, 354, 08037 Barcelona).
I live right around the corner and eat there at least three times a week. The interior is nothing special, but the food and service are amazing. I highly recommend the traditional Catalan soup, the artichokes and the pulpitos al la brasa.
….and the tortilla assortment special is fantastic as well.
The don’t offer a lunch special, but do have an assortment of daily dishes. Even with a table full of food we never end up with a check larger than 28-30 euros for two adults and a teen.
Well that sounds promising. Thanks for the tip Marie.