Hay de todo en el Poblenou… I’d heard several rumours about the remodelled classic Citroen truck serving as a café here, so I decided to take a look and see if 1) they were true and 2) this wasn’t just a case of style over substance. I was pleasantly surprised on both accounts.
The central feature of the Skye café, clearly positioned towards the hipper elements of the business crowd working in the 22@ area, is the van the coffee is served out of. That said, it’s not exactly just a street truck as I’d imagined – the van is positioned inside a renovated warehouse rather than actually in the street. In fact, I was informed that this isn’t permitted by the local council, although apparently the van does go on tour to attend events from time to time. Inside the warehouse, there’s a spacious seating area, complete with huge wooden tables, sofas and a loft area and soft lighting. This, combined with a decent wifi connexion, makes it a great place to bring a laptop or your business partners.
The whole vibe is very trendy, so I was pleased to discover that the coffee is actually very good as well. I ordered a cortado, which I was warned was very strong so I ordered it with extra milk. The result was delicious – a creamy bomba of a mini-roast, with one of those pictures drawn in the foam on the top. It cost €1.10, which is pretty reasonable. I did also see several American-style coffees on the menu, such as a “flat white” (after years of ordering café con leche, not entirely clear on what this is), as well as some tasty cake-type things.
The Skye Coffee Cº is open from 9am to 1.30 pm on weekdays, setting an obvious target market of employees in the offices nearby on their mid-morning break. It’s also cleverly positioned next to the metro, making this a great spot for commuters on their way to work. That said, this isn’t just for corporate drones (or as close as Barcelona gets to these) – you’ll find all types of people in here, down to swathes of entrepreneurs, students and holidaymakers on their way to the beach. The whole set-up chimes well with the laid-back, beachy vibe of today’s Poblenou, although I’m sure this kind of venture would have been unthinkable back in the pre-Olympics days before the area became gentrified.
I’d have no doubts in recommending a visit to the Skye Coffee Cº. For my (more classic) taste, it might be a little too trendy for its own good, but this doesn’t stop it from being a well-thought out concept. I wouldn’t call it completely original, as many of the elements here – bicycles hanging off the walls, camper van, general instagramability – are currently fashionable and can be found in other places, but it’s a successful montage of these that works as a whole. And, most importantly, the product being sold genuinely offers good quality at a reasonable price. Which, after all, is what it’s all about.
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