Food Tales: Brunells

There aren’t many things that would inspire me to wake up at 6am on a rainy Thursday morning, but the anticipation of spending a day in one of the most enigmatic bakeries in Barcelona is certainly one of them. Opened in 1852, the unassuming Pastisseria Brunells is located in the heart of the Born, on the corner of Carrer de la Princesa and Carrer de Montcada, just around the corner from Museu Picasso.

Stepping inside Brunells is like taking a step back in time. Traditional interior design, aromas of freshly baked bread and three generations’ worth of family passion capture all of your senses. It’s this unique combination that reminds me of a time when life and food were simpler and more honest. The team of charming bakers, many of whom have worked here for over 50 years, create some of the most delicious Catalan pastries around. I was lucky enough to get to watch them work and witness their excitement at showing me their specialities and techniques firsthand.

To preserve the quality and authenticity of their products, everything is freshly made, and I was assured by the owner, Carles Liebot, that everything sold at Brunells, including the chocolate, is produced in their kitchen. They are then baked in what is rumoured to be one of the oldest functioning ovens in the city, dating back over 100 years. It’s their most prized feature—understandably so, as it measures almost 25 square metres, with heat billowing out from its gaping mouth each time a tray is expertly placed within it.

The recipes used today have been passed down from generation to generation, all using the freshest and finest ingredients. The cases and countertops of the shop are covered with breads, pastries and torrons, but also items they have mastered like no other bakery in the city. Try the coca de llardons (similar to a puff pastry topped with sugar and nuts), panellets (sweets typically made with marzipan), and encenalls (a crunchy nut cookie). The star, however, is the Xuixo—a famous pastry from Girona with a fun and interesting history. Deep fried, filled with crema catalana and topped with crystallised sugar, it’s not one to be missed.

Princesa 22. Open Tues-Sat 8.30am-8pm, Sunday 8.30am-3pm.