Orïon Coffee Shop, Craft Coffee, Eixample

Normally a coffee post from me would open with a lament over the lack of craft coffee in Barcelona. No longer. I’m now struck with two new dilemmas: how to cover them all with an allocated one post a week and how to come up with original things to say about it.

Because these days, craft coffee scene is exploding.
It took a while.
Then it faltered.
But now it’s game on.

Orïon, with its jaunty diaeresis like dots over the i (the double dot thing but in Orion’s case, with an extra dot), comes from the people behind Cosmo and Cometa. Second and third openings from a group are my favorite kind of openings. Especially when they don’t roll out an identical concept and instead tweak it a bit creating something different but with the benefit of experience. That’s the best.

There is the familiar mad cluster of framed illustrations on the walls that is similar to the other two. The space is much more dynamic with two levels, built-in benches and alcoves and stairs going up to the second level where there are a few seats looking out onto the busy road and a glass enclosed kitchen where the bakes are made.

A large Hobart stand mixer says: Orïon means business. Once you invest in a piece of equipment like that you are in with the big league.

The coffee they serve is from Nomad and as is usual with this local roasters, the coffee machine is a La Marzocco.

The carrot cake I have is dark from the brown sugar they’ve used and moist. With a crenelated top of cream cheese icing. An exceedingly good slice of cake. With the strong arms of a good coffee to prop it up. An original, pleasing space. Great service. There isn’t much to do except love it.

Now all they have to do is fix the bureaucracy in the city, get rid of the tourists on Segways and Barcelona will be the perfect city to live in.

Orïon Cafe
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 511
Eixample 08015
orion.cafe