Green Up — Restaurant in Barcelona

I’m an American and literally just moved into the neighborhood. I was about to start a very busy day with no break for lunch, so I needed something substantial. The night before, I’d picked out a different restaurant entirely for a great big fried breakfast. But, like so many restaurants in Barcelona, at least in August, it was closed in spite of what Google said.

I stumbled down the street to Green Up. I was under-caffeinated and still a bit jet lagged. I didn’t even know I was moving to Spain until five months ago, and, like so many Americans, I had almost no Spanish. What few Spanish words I did have stayed in bed that morning. All that came out of my mouth was, “Uhhh...” After establishing that I spoke English, la camarera asked if I would like an English menu. I did get to practice my Spanish a bit in the end when I needed la cuenta. I need all the practice I can get.

This is not a fried breakfast spot. That’s probably for the best. Do we really need as much fried food as we think? I had an avocado toast, a cappuccino, and a smoothie. I was worried I might need to order two meals given that I would not be able to eat again for 12 hours, but it was surprisingly filling. Everything was delicious.

A couple of tips for the staff/owners on the food: the key to good mashed avocado (“guacamole” in the western hemisphere) is to use plenty of lime (or other citrus) juice, partly to keep it from oxidizing, and partly for taste. I also think you could probably do with better or fresher coffee beans. I’m super picky, though. Sorry.

Overall, everything was excellent. The bread in the toast was good. The smoothie was great. I come from a part of the US where the tap water comes from a mountain reservoir and tastes really good. I can’t bring myself to induce plastic waste by buying bottled water, but after a few days of Barcelona tap water, which seems to have a lot of minerals which are probably safe but not great tasting, I really needed a break. The cold, canned water was a big relief. Also, the compostable straw is a nice touch. This is a neighborhood gem. I will...

A cozy little place with pleasant staff.

There's always a nice soup and always a dish to choose from - simple but tasty. Whenever I want something light, I think of this place first.

On top of which, if you like fresh juices - you will love theirs.

The only downside is that you might want to keep eating another yoghurt with honey and fruit when you are not even hungry anymore.

Definitely well...

Fresh cafe next to Diagonal. Fast service and a very convenient desk facing the street, so you don't need to actually enter the cafe. Inside we find a calm atmosphere based on wood tones; nevertheless, it's one of the few occasions where I recommend to eat on the tables on street as it is a relax covered corner...