Pastry Chef Manuela Rodríguez Viseras photographed by Neelam Khan Vela
Finest Pastry Outlets in Barcelona
Persevering with with the Better of Barcelona collection curated by specialists of their fields. This week we characteristic the pastry chef Manuela Rodríguez Viseras. I first met Manuela in Natas, a pink-walled ice cream store in 2019. Manuela’s flavours had been stealth genius. Just like the salt ratio in her mint chocolate ice cream.
At present, Manuela is the manager chef at Misión Café in Madrid. Along with this function, she freelances worldwide and is continually searching for out iconic pastries. Manuela studied trend earlier than staging in Albert Adria’s Tickets and Jordi Roca’s Rocambolesc. Then it was shortly onto paid work at Hoja Santa, Reykjavik and even an ice cream manufacturing unit in Atlanta Georgia. CV apart, what units Manuela aside is her fixed striving to be taught extra by means of programs most just lately one from Stanford College and a monumental curiosity.
Manuela’s Prime 10 Pastry Outlets in Barcelona record solely a few the plain favourites we all know. To Manuela, an ice cream fridge set to the best temperature for having fun with an industrially produced ice cream sandwich is well worth the detour. I can solely agree along with her.
Rose Coconut Cham Cham and choice of Baklava at Ayub
Pastisseria Ayub
I found Ayub 11 years in the past after I was a scholar at Espai Sucre, I did so out of sheer curiosity for rose water desserts, I wished to broaden my style buds, and a fast google search led me to their outdated area in Carrer Hospital 95 and it was love at first sight. They’re now on Carrer Sant Pau as of 2016, however the pastries are nonetheless pretty much as good as again within the day. The pistachio baklava is an apparent selection, it’s in all probability the very best I’ve had in Barcelona, however they’re not only a baklava store, the Gulab is out of this world and so is their jalebi, however my favorite factor there may be the rose coconut cham cham, it’s like a soaked cake however it’s not cake in any respect, it’s milk! You have to strive it for your self. The carrot cake is fairly good, and you realize these stylish desserts with an edible portrait and a frosted rim? They did it first. If something, simply go to Ayub, order 10 assorted pastries, write down the names, take them dwelling, go on google and get educated.
Pastisseria Ayub
Carrer de Sant Pau, 39
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In response to Manuela, the very best flan within the metropolis is to be discovered at Bar Roma.
Bar Roma
Bar Roma opened its doorways in 2021. Gala and Jordi have been serving constantly scrumptious desserts ever since, you possibly can inform that they’re each ridiculously gifted cooks and that they recognize the best, easiest issues in life. Go for the Milanesa sandwich however keep for the flan: it’s the very best within the metropolis. They serve it with a bit of sentimental whipped cream on the aspect to steadiness out the sweetness. This factor is insane, in the event you like flan as a lot as I do, don’t sleep on this one.
Bar Roma
Carrer de Valencia, 104
Tel. 932 22 99 25
Instagram Bar Roma
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Screengrab of the Xuico at Casa Vives.
Casa Vives
This can be a very conventional pastry store, there’s one in Rambla Catalunya and one other one in Sants, which is the one I used to go to. You’ll find all the standard issues right here from fruit tarts to palmiers, sable cookies, chocolate desserts and even sandwiches nevertheless, I feel the proper transfer at Casa Vives is to get a xuixo, the OG cronut. Flakey, and greasy, with crystalized sugar to scratch the roof of your mouth (just a bit) and a candy custard filling to appease all of it out!
Casa Vives
casavivesbcn.com
Rambla Catalunya 58, Eixample.
Carrer de Sants 74, Sants.
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Iberian fats Media Luna at Coush Armó
Coush Armó
Based just lately by Argentinian baker Francisco Seubert, additionally the top of Atelier Fuerza in Buenos aires. I am keen on Coush Armó! it’s small and cosy, the bread is at all times on level and the espresso is spectacular. I got here right here for the ricotta cake a few instances beforehand, it’s wonderful! Nevertheless, my favorite bake right here is the Iberian fats Media Luna. That is the croissant’s Argentinian cousin however made with pork fats as an alternative of butter. Traditionalists have butter media lunas in addition to Argentinian classics reminiscent of Alfajores and apricot crostata. They’re all wonderful. They’ve just lately opened up two further places, in Horta and L’Eixample respectively. Run don’t stroll.
Coush Armó (3 places)
Instagram Coush Armó
C/ Sant Marc 19, Gràcia
C/ Bailèn 134, Eixample
C/ Sant Tomás 37, Horta
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Milojas from Vila Mala, eaten on the rocks of Barceloneta seashore.
Forn de pa Vilamala
I really like when a spot is understood for one factor particularly, and on this case, it’s the milhojas, crisp layers of puff pastry enrobing a wealthy, thick, vanilla custard cream. It’s conveniently situated throughout from Vila Viniteca, in case you need to deal with your self to one thing savoury from probably the greatest native delicatessens within the metropolis. We took this one to go and ate it atop some rocks by the ocean. Mad romantic.
Forn de pa Vilamala
Carrer de Agullers 14
www.gremipabcn.com/fornvilamala
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The right temperature ice cream fridges at Kings
The ice cream sandwich at Kings
Shout out to Kings, the comfort retailer in Ronda Sant Pau, for having the very best temperature within the fridges for ice cream. I don’t know if that is intentional or not, however for the previous few years they’ve been constantly stocking completely tempered ice cream sandwiches, and I’ll combat anybody who dares say that’s not the proper temperature. Neglect about toothache right here, your ice cream sandwich is able to chunk as quickly as you pay, and that’s one thing value mentioning.
Ronda Santa Pau
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Truffles at Mauri together with the Sarah, Sacha, Bonastre.
Mauri
Oh, Mauri! I may write you a love letter. My first time at this place was as an IED scholar in 2009, and I’ve been going ever since. Loads has modified in my world, however that rooster lettuce sandwich is simply pretty much as good! Shredded room temp rooster will get tossed with iceberg lettuce, coated with mayo and hugged between three slices of the fluffiest white loaf bread. Untouchable, to be sincere.
I’m additionally a giant supporter of Sarah cake, made in France to honour actress Sarah Bernhardt, it consists of three layers of white sponge cake, calmly soaked in syrup, coated by buttercream and slivered almonds and dusted with icing sugar to complete.
Shredded rooster sandwich with mayonnaise and iceberg lettuce on fluffy white bread at Mauri.
Mauri
Rambla de Catalunya 102, Eixample
Tel. 932 151 020
www.pasteleriasmauri.com
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The almond fruit tart at Origo Bakery.
Origo
I really like this place, their loaf has a thick crust and the cardamom rolls are in all probability the very best I’ve had in Barcelona. Nevertheless, the true shining star on this place is the almond tart: topped with stone fruit (on this case plums) and an almond cream that will get baked and topped with slivered almonds. The bottom has the right thickness for it to snap whereas additionally retaining the filling nicely confined.
Origo
Carrer de Milà i Fontanals, 9. Gracia
www.origobakery.com
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The strawberry mochi at Shunka.
Shunka
Shunka, (not Koy Shunka) is a really sentimental place for me. A billion years in the past, after I labored in high-quality eating, I at all times discovered consolation on the finish of a tough month within the kitchen-facing bar at Shunka. I’d simply sit there and area out for a few hours whereas watching the cooks do the best knife work ever, however the very best half in any case that uncooked fish and torched toro was realizing that I’d finish my night time with a wonderfully made strawberry mochi. The mochi at Shunka is stretchy sufficient to be enjoyable however not rubbery or overly chewy and the filling is ethereal sufficient to really feel like a cloud in your mouth however not mild sufficient to really feel low-cost. I at all times get the strawberry one.
Shunka
Carrer Sagristans, 5. Gothic.
Tel. 934.124.991
www.koyshunka.com/Shunka
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Manuela’s go to breakfast at Takashi Ochiai
Takashi Ochiai
I’ve been going to Takashi since I used to be a scholar, it was in all probability the primary bakery in Barcelona to have mochi, matcha croissants, yuzu flavoured something and positively the primary to do wagashi. They’ve been doing it since 1983, lengthy earlier than the rise of the oat milk matcha latte and the crammed croissant craze that’s taken Spain by storm. The Matcha milkshake is fairly nice, however I’m low-key lactose illiberal so I can’t play with that. I at all times get orange juice and a foul soy milk cortado.
Pecan croissant, full of dense pecan praline and topped with a thick sugar glaze. Takashi Ochiai
I’m a giant fan of the pecan croissant, full of dense pecan praline and topped with a thick sugar glaze, that is what I obtained this time. I’m additionally a giant fan of their kasutera cake, however they had been bought out. The croissant is flakey however sturdy sufficient to carry an honest quantity of filling, very candy and never for the faint of coronary heart. I extremely advocate a go to to this bakery if you end up on this aspect of the Eixample.
Takashi Ochiai
Carrer del Comte Urgell 110
Tel. 934 53 63 83
www.ochiaipastisseria.com
Ochiai evaluate on Foodie in Barcelona (April 2018)
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Finest Pastry Outlets in Barcelona
Manuela was photographed by Neelam Khan Vela
Extra Pastry retailers on Foodie in Barcelona
Brunells (June 2020)
Forn Mistral (Aug 2019)
La Pastisseria (Jan 2014)
Mayer Bakery (March 2019)
Usagui Japanese Cafe (April 2015)
