Café
Nømad Coffee Lab
The original coffee bar of Nømad, the Barcelona speciality roaster founded by Jordi Mestre, tucked into a quiet passage near the Palau de la Música.
Cafés El Magnífico
A family coffee roaster in El Born whose roots go back to a 1919 grocery, roasting single-origin beans on site and selling them from its Argenteria shop.
At a glance
- Type
- Coffee roaster and shop
- Area
- El Born, Barcelona, Spain
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- cafeselmagnifico.com
Good to know
- Roasting on site
- Coffee beans to take home
- Tasting workshops
Why we recommend it
Cafés El Magnífico is one of the pioneers of fine coffee in Barcelona and a family business with deep roots in El Born. In 1919 the grandfather of the current owner, Salvador Sans, opened a grocery store selling colonial goods; in 1962 Salvador's parents created the El Magnífico coffee brand, which became known across the Ribera neighbourhood and the city. In 1987 Salvador met a fine-coffee importer from Le Havre and began buying traceable coffees from individual origins, and in 1989 the company opened its shop on Carrer de l'Argenteria, where it has roasted its coffee ever since.
That long experience shows in the range. The shop sells single-origin coffees, blends and decaffeinated beans, roasted on site, along with matcha, chocolate and coffee accessories. The roasting is treated as both craft and science, using modern machines and detailed monitoring of every batch to bring out the flavours identified at the cupping table. The third generation of the family now runs quality control.
The Argenteria shop is primarily a place to buy coffee, with knowledgeable staff who will help you choose beans according to how you like to drink coffee at home, so it suits anyone wanting to take a taste of Barcelona back with them. Coffee lovers can also join one of the open tasting sessions the company runs, which are listed on its website. Opening hours are not published online, so check before making a special trip; customer service answers by phone from Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
El Magnífico also runs shops on Carrer d'en Xuclà in Ciutat Vella and on Rambla de Catalunya in the Eixample, and in 2018 it took over La Portorriqueña, a historic roastery in El Raval founded in 1906. The family also runs a tea shop, Sans & Sans.
The Argenteria shop is on the street that runs from Via Laietana to the basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, a few minutes' walk from Jaume I station on metro line L4. The basilica, the Passeig del Born and the Museu Picasso are within a few minutes on foot, and Hofmann's pastry shop on Carrer dels Flassaders is close by if you want something sweet to go with your coffee.
Cafés El Magnífico FAQs
How old is Cafés El Magnífico?
The family business began as a grocery in 1919, the El Magnífico brand was created in 1962, and the Argenteria shop opened in 1989.
Does it roast its own coffee?
Yes, coffee has been roasted at the Argenteria shop since 1989.
What can you buy?
Single-origin coffees, blends, decaf, matcha, chocolate and coffee accessories.
Who runs it?
The Sans family; the third generation now heads quality control.
Are there other shops?
Yes, on Carrer d'en Xuclà and on Rambla de Catalunya, plus the La Portorriqueña roastery in El Raval.
Does it run tastings?
Yes, open tasting sessions are listed on the website.
Which metro station is nearest?
Jaume I, on line L4.
How do you contact the shop?
By phone on +34 933 19 39 75, or customer service at [email protected].