7 Best Pastry Shops in Barcelona For Cakes, Croissants, Churros, and More

This blog post was originally posted on October 1, 2014, and was updated on September 5, 2017 and November 15, 2022.

Looking for the best pastry shops in Barcelona? Look no further! We’ve made our picks for the classic, the modern and everything in between.

La Colmena

La Colmena is one of the oldest cake shops in Barcelona. For more than a century it has delighted Plaça de l’Àngel square, where it is located, with its fragrant aroma of home-made candies and cakes. Crammed full of delicious pastries, bocadillos and traditional Catalan sweets it truly is a very special place. Adults and children will love the old-style interior and the daily hustle and bustle of this local neighborhood gem. 

Foix de Sarrià

Up in the hills of Barcelona, the pristine neighborhood of Sarrià boasts some of the most classic family-owned businesses in the city. One of these is Foix de Sarrià, one of the best pastry shops in Barcelona opened in 1886. Notably, one of the most solicited sweets here would be the turrón de crema. This is a delicious nougat made with almonds, eggs, creme, cinnamon, and lemon, and is a typical Catalan Christmas food. Sarrià isn’t necessarily central, although it’s well-worth a bus or metro-ride up and especially recommended for those who truly desire to get off the tourist track.

Pastisseria Escribà

Despite its touristy location, Escribà is nonetheless one of the best pastry shops in Barcelona. Housed in a beautiful art nouveau building on Las Ramblas, be sure to take note of lovely details like the mosaic façade and stained glass windows. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a freshly baked croissant and a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Furthermore, check out their other location on Gran Via to explore around their showroom and learn more about the Escribà family and their long history in the artisan pastry business.

Forn Baluard

When Anna Bellsolà decided to open a traditional, wood-burning oven bakery back in 2007, people told her she was crazy. The traditions of bread making have slowly industrialized in Barcelona, therefore, it’s rare to find places like Baluard. Their motto states that no two loaves are ever the same. Once you try their almond croissant you’ll also fall in love with its incredible cakes and bakes!

Address: Carrer del Baluart, 38

Pastisseria Principe

Tucked away on a small street in the village of Gracia lies a lovely little oasis of Middle Eastern goodness. Each day at Pastisseria Principae (Carrer Guilleries, 10) Mostafa and his team make over 3,000 Syrian pieces of different baklava. Mostafa actually came to Barcelona on holiday 30 years ago and never made it back to Syria. Over the years, surprisingly, he has become one of the most important pastry chefs in the city.

Hofmann Pastisseria

Hofmann Pastisseria, located in the Born, is not only one of Barcelona’s best pastry shops, but also its very own school and institution. Each morning, try a different type of stuffed croissant – they are all delicious! There are also many other delightful pastries adorning the counter-tops inside this famous bakery, so make sure to check out the daily specials.

Xurreria Trebol

Finally, what would a list of Barcelona pastry shops be without a churreria? Freshly made xurros, as they’re called in Catalan, are also an endangered species here in Barcelona. Many have begun to close down one by one due to expensive rents and difficult access to street vendor permits. El Trebol is possibly another one of the oldest surviving and best pastry shops in Barcelona.

There is nothing quite like a pastry at breakfast! Take a look at the video below to find out where to find the perfect hot chocolate to go with it. Yum!