Café Salambó (Torrijos 51) is a multi-function establishment in the heart of the Gràcia neighbourhood , right next to the beautiful La Virreina Square. El Café Salambó is a safe bet whenever the fancy takes you, as its open from Mondays to Thursdays from 12pm to 1am and Fridays and weekends from 12pm to 3am. This makes it a great place to bring your laptop and do some work, meet up with friends for a coffee or a caña or enjoy a gin and tonic with a group.
Café Salambó offers a classic, pleasant atmosphere. The wooden decoration and an upper-tiered inside balcony will transport you back to another era of the Gràcia area in Barcelona. Furthermore, in the upper section there’s pool tables and a bar where you can enjoy a drink every night of the week.
When it comes to food, Café Salambó offers a very varied menu, which mixed traditional local dishes with more elaborate confections. Personally, if you go there to eat we recommend staying away from typical tapas dishes like patatas bravas, home-made croquettes or scrambled eggs, which aren’t anything special, and put your money on trying less stereotypical dishes which offer much more: the tuna tataki with smoked aubergine purée, for example, or the house smoked salmon with toasted bread and dill butter.
The Price-quality ratio in Café Salambó isn’t the best we’ve seen in Barcelona. It’s not exactly cheap, given that portions aren’t abundant, although it must be said that quality is high, and if money is no object it’s worth a visit. We wouldn’t recommend it if you’re feeling hungry, though, given that you’ll have to shell out in order to leave with a full stomach.
Café Salambó is a fairly popular establishment, and it’s frequently quite full, meaning it’s advisable to book in advance. The service isn’t exactly fast, especially at peak times like Friday nights or weekends. They also have an outdoor terrace in the oft-treaded Torrijos street, which we wouldn’t recommend if you’re looking for peace and quiet as it’s a very busy area.
Personally, I left with the impression that, Café Salabó’s location in the heart of Gràcia, in a street which is more and more often frequented by tourists, means that prices have risen and portions shrunk, which will disappoint more regular clients who have observed the ways in which the café is losing its classic essence and charm.
Whether or not that’s the case, Café Salambó is still a great option in the Gràcia district to go for a coffee or beer with friends, or a drink after dinner. That said, for food it would be better to choose options from more recommendable restaurants in the Gràcia area.
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