Beyond the Desk: A Curated Guide to Valencia's Work-Friendly Cafés (Part 1)

Roast Club Cafe makes our list for the best specialty coffee in Barcelona. Here’s why… This popular spot in Esquerra de l’Eixample not only roasts it’s own coffee but it has some of the most unusual blends you’ll find anywhere in the city. They are roasting innovators with unique creations and flavour profiles like Blueberry Fudge, Zesty Pavlova and Choco Power. The cafe has everything including a terrace out front, espresso bar for coffee on-the-go and indoor seating. We really enjoyed watching the barista serving the customers at the espresso bar and seeing first hand the skill and enjoyment he was getting from making coffee. There was a decent queue when we arrived and we’re sure this place is just as famous for it’s brunch as the coffee. The brunch menu was stacked with everything from overnight oats to delicious toasts and sandwiches. The branding and aesthetic of this place are just cool and really add to the coffee club vibe. 🍭 Creative and unique coffee blends (locally roasted) ☀️ Terrace ☕️ Espresso bar for coffee-to-go 🥞 Delicious food 🏛 Located in Esquerra de l’Eixample Espresso Machine: Victoria Arduino Coffee Roaster: Roast Club Vegan Milk: Oat Other Food & Drink: Brunch, pastries Instagram: @roastclubcafe

Drawn to Dentro for its striking design and aesthetic, this wine bar and restaurant also serves exceptionally good coffee. Inside, the atmosphere is cool and refined, defined by clean lines, minimalist decor, and unique architectural features. If you prefer the fresh air, their beautiful sunny terrace is one of the best in the neighborhood. Located in the Gran Vía area, it's the perfect spot to take a break after exploring the local boutiques. While Dentro is better known for its elevated wine and food menu, their dedication to coffee is clear; they use high-quality beans from top national roasters and pull shots on a classic La Marzocco machine.

This coffee-to-go spot in Ruzafa is all about quality over quantity. It is a compact, intentional space with just enough room for their espresso machine and a rotating selection of coffee beans. Rather than roasting their own, they function as a true multi-roaster, featuring a curated lineup of local, national, and international roasters. With a clearly visible coffee menu, it is easy to understand the different flavor profiles and origins available for both their espresso and filter offerings. You can choose a profile that suits your taste, or the owners are more than happy to help guide you through the day's selection. The shop features a nice, clean aesthetic with minimalist white walls and a gleaming white espresso machine, while the colorful coffee bags add a creative pop of color. While there is no indoor seating, they have a small bench outside where you can sit and enjoy your coffee while soaking in the Ruzafa neighborhood energy.

El Noa Noa makes our list for the best specialty coffee in Barcelona. Here's why… This coffee / LGBTQI+ book store is a lovely find in the Gracia neighbourhood. It's located on a charming corner of Carrer de Torrijos and Carrer de Ramón y Cajal. Inside, the place is packed with color, illustrations, accessories and reading materials for coffee and book enthusiasts. There’s also a very small (2 seat) ground seating area at the front with cushions on good weather days. Everything is designed and presented with care including the coffee. We would often visit multiple times per week to pick up an espresso, cortado or chai latte. On the times we've visited the roasters featured included Nomad (Barcelona) and Hola Coffee Roasters (Madrid). 📍 Lovely location ☕️ Great coffee from local and Spanish roasters 📚 LGBTQI+ Feminist book store ✨Coffee magazines and accessories Espresso Machine: La Marzocco Coffee Roaster: Nomad Coffee Vegan Milk: Oat Other Food & Drink: Croissants, pastries... Instagram: @eselnoanoa

Nomad Coffee Frutas Selectas makes our list for the best specialty coffee in Barcelona. Here's why… Frutas Selectas was the initial roasting location for Nomad Coffee. Situated in Poblenou with its strong industrial history, it makes sense that this would be the ideal place to start roasting coffee. They've since outgrown the location for roasting and decided to keep it as a cafe. The name Frutas Selectas comes from selecting only the best coffee beans (fruit) for roasting. And thus ensuring the best quality coffee. Let us start by saying this is one of the nicest coffee and food experiences we’ve had in Barcelona. The Nomad Coffee Frutas Selectas location had been on our list to visit for a while and when we finally did we were very impressed. The coffee was the high standard you would expect from Nomad. They are very attentive in making a coffee to your exact specifications whether that’s an espresso, filter coffee or latte. For home enthusiasts they have a large selection of their beans to go and the extensive menu on the wall makes it easy to choose the right one. For food, all the pastries and sandwiches are made in house. We were lucky and ordered lunch that day from the specials. This included an omelette with garlic butter, truly one of the best omelettes we've ever had and a local dish of Butifarra (Catalan sausage). We hope that when you visit they have equally as delicious specials. Special mention to the barista for explaining the history and story of this location. 📍Unique location and atmosphere 🏭 Nomad coffee heritage Espresso Machine: La Marzocco Coffee Roaster: Nomad Coffee Vegan Milk: Oat Other Food & Drink: Daily specials, pastries Instagram: @nomadcoffee

Sitio makes our list for the best specialty coffee in Barcelona. Here's why… Unassuming from the outside it’s easy to walk down Carrer de les Tres Senyores and miss Sitio. Meaning "place" in Spanish it's a minimalist space that combines art, design, coffee and fashion. The barista created two delicious and creamy cortados for us and explained the concept behind Sitio whose principles are to be sustainable in every aspect from the coffee to the clothes on the rails. The clothes are all made by local designers and the coffee was from Jaleo Coffee Roasters (Barcelona based roaster). If you're in Gràcia and looking for one of the more unique coffee experiences then you should stop by and check this one out. 💎 Hidden gem ♻️ Sustainable fashion ⭐️ Great coffee Espresso Machine: La Marzocco Coffee Roaster: Jaleo Coffee Roasters Vegan Milk: Oat Other Food & Drink: Pastries, kombucha Instagram: @somossitio

Pals cafe makes our list for the best specialty coffee in Valencia.

Blackbird (Little) makes our list for the best specialty coffee in Valencia.

Blackbird makes our list for the best specialty coffee in Valencia.

In Valencia, a city that lives outdoors, finding a spot where specialty coffee and a focused workspace coexist is an art form. Here's our guide to some of the best.

Beyond the crowded squares of the Gothic Quarter and El Born are some of Barcelona's best coffee shops. From a roastery tucked inside a hidden pedestrian passage to an artistic 'hole-in-the-wall,' these are our 4 favorite spots for high-quality coffee in the old city.

Valencia's food scene is thriving, and the specialty coffee movement is growing right alongside it. We've spent countless hours exploring the city, and the very best cafés deliver on two promises: exceptional specialty coffee and a delicious, creative food menu.