Streetlife: Marià Aguiló
FLORETA
Marià Aguiló 50. www.floreta.es
Opened by Xavier Jovells and named after la flor del guisante (pea flower), this restaurant offers traditional cuisine, exceptionally prepared. Savour typical Spanish dishes such as bacalao, pulpo, anchoas and albondigas, but don’t let the food and bargain prices conjure an image of what this restaurant should look like. The interior design of Floreta does not resemble the typical Catalan tapas bar. Floreta has an aquatic feel. Chandeliers of white and blue twisted pieces resemble coral and hang above the bar, whilst blue and silver 3D circles dot the walls like portholes through which you could look out to sea. The only recognisable decorations are the few jamón legs hanging in the corner.
VIDA MEVA
Marià Aguiló 68. www.vidameva.com
There are a lot of organic health food stores in Barcelona, but Vida Meva is probably the only one that receives its products literally from the farmhouse door. Cristina and David, who opened the store four years ago, take their car and personally drive to each distributor to collect their orders. Because 90 percent of their products come from small, Catalan farmers, they only sell what’s in season. “Right now, we don’t have tomatoes because tomatoes are a summer vegetable,” Cristina said, matter-of-factly.
IDEAL
Marià Aguiló 99.
Entering this cafe to the tinkling of wind chimes, it is instantly clear how ideal it is for families. With a colourful, miniature carousel and Ferris wheel perched on a wooden shelf amongst glass jars of cereals, and a bookcase full of toys opposite the dining tables and chairs, parents can chat over coffee and a homemade pastry, or enjoy something from Ideal’s surprisingly big menu of cremas, bocadillos, salads and quiches, while their kids remain close and entertained. Jon and Cindy, a couple visiting from San Francisco with their infant son, said, “Travelling with a baby is hard—hard is in fact an understatement—but places like this make it possible to stop and appreciate where we are, to enjoy ourselves while on vacation as a family.”
LA PETITA
Marià Aguiló 115. www.lapetita.com
For nearly three years, this bookshop has been providing the throngs of children growing up in Poblenou with educational, enchanting and beautifully illustrated books. La Petita offers books in a variety of languages, and the owners read titles from cover to cover before putting them on their shelves. Miguel and Julia were previously employed as journalists. Miguel explained, “Now writing just compliments our lives,” which currently revolve around getting kids excited about books. According to Miguel, business is good. Kids still need books to hold, pages to turn. “The most amazing thing is not that we have customers, but that we have regular customers who come in every month,” Miguel said with pride.
PEDRA PAPER TISORA
Marià Aguiló 118. www.pedrapapertisora.com
If you’re looking for special toys and original games for your little ones, this is the shop to explore. Laura, mother of two, does not sell anything in her toyshop that she wouldn’t want her own kids to play with. “I’ve sourced all sorts of toys—puppets, puzzles, train sets—that are handmade, using as little plastic as possible,” she said. The majority of things in the shop don’t have batteries either. “I think kids should play with their toys, not have toys play with the kids.” The ‘best-sellers’ are things that let kids be creative: crafts where they can use all the colours and sparkles they want, or princess and knight costumes to dress up in and play make believe.
MÉSDVI
Marià Aguiló 123. www.mesdvi.cat
Sommeliers Xavi and David hope to bring the world of wine to Poblenou. Xavi said, “I’m an architect and David is an economist, but we both love wine. A few years ago we decided to study more about it, and then, without noticing, it took over our lives.” Starting out as a wine bar, and slowly expanding into a restaurant, MésDvi still has a unique menu saturated with wines (70 percent from Catalunya, but also some Spanish and international wines) and only part of a page dedicated to food. Looking past the red ceiling lamps over the bar, there is also a chalkboard with about 14 wines to try by the glass.
LA PUBILLA DEL TAULAT
Marià Aguiló 131. www.lapubilladeltaulat.com
This small corner restaurant defines cosy and inviting. Miguel—the expert chef who learned his way around a kitchen from assisting his father and previous owner of La Pubilla del Taulat, Angel López—is in charge of buying products and preparing tapas. Toni happily serves the public, making people feel at home while out to eat. Together they have attracted local and international customers who come back time and time again.