Streetlife: Carrer de Galileu
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El Pa Sencer
Housed in one of the oldest buildings on the street, with exposed brick walls and rustic wooden fixtures, this cafeteria is the headquarters of the Ateneu Popular de les Corts, a social, cultural and political project founded by a group of neighbours. Although a meeting place for local progressives, the cafe caters to a wide range of customers, from office workers to students. “We want everyone to feel welcome,” said owner Josep Ribas. On the menu you’ll find ecological coffee and pastries, as well as artisan beer and tapas, and all its produce is locally sourced whenever possible.
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Esenzia Ecològic
Susana Iglesias, owner of Esenzia Ecològic hair salon, uses only sustainable, natural and ecological products, which avoid animal testing and are free from parabens, perfumes and other synthetic ingredients. Special treatments include a restructuring hair mask fused with essential oils such as orange, eucalyptus, lavender and cinnamon, and a clay mask for the scalp. Recycled wood flooring, bamboo-clad walls and a big selection of teas to sip on during your appointment create a soothing atmosphere where you know your hair is in good hands.
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Elements Tattoo Bcn
Run by artists Oscar Voltio, Alex Treze, Raquel C.hita and Andrew Tattoo, Elements Tattoo BCN gives customers what they want, whether it’s a simple design, elaborate creation or entire sleeve. They once obliged a customer by tattooing a Nineties-style Nike Air Max shoe on his calf with ‘Run.Da.City’ written underneath. Another asked for a rainbow cupcake with a candy heart stuck in its icing saying ‘Eat Me’ on her forearm. “You can always come here for advice or to have someone help you sketch an idea,” said regular customer Sara, 27, from Barcelona, “and because of their amazing skills, your tattoo will come out just as you imagined it.”
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Chennai Masala Dosa
Specialising in dishes from the south-eastern city of Chennai, this family-run restaurant stands out from the mostly northern Indian cuisine found in the city. “We were the first restaurant in Spain to serve food from Chennai,” said waitress Amritha Rajkumar. Customers can opt for one of 25 varieties of dosa or try a little bit of everything with a thali, a typical Indian meal made up of a selection of curries, spicy sambar, rice and raita. The dosas are made from a rice flour and lentil batter—meaning they’re vegan and gluten-free—then stuffed with a variety of tasty fillings including mutton, prawns, paneer and mixed vegetables. Wash it all down with a refreshing mango lassi or fragrant masala chai.
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Arc Iris
With vibrant green ‘grass’ on the floor, fruits and vegetables mounted on canvases adorning the walls and a real orange tree taking pride of place by the bar, Arc Iris is like a garden. In fact, it’s a vegetarian restaurant, and this is one of three branches in the city. Manager Ekaterina Shturmina explained, “We want people to be able to eat healthily all the time.” With its creative takes on traditionally meaty meals, as well as limited-edition menus based on the cuisines of different countries, a visit to Arc Iris never has to be the same. This is a good alternative to the often expensive veggie and vegan restaurant options in the city, with a half menú (two courses, plus dessert) for €7 and a full menú (three courses, dessert, bread and a drink) for €9.50.