Pals cafe. Specialty coffee and breakfast — Restaurant in Valencia

I visited this place specifically because I knew it was opened by Ukrainians, and I wanted to support them. However, my first visit was quite disappointing. The service was poor, and I can confidently say — this is not the kind of Ukrainian hospitality I’m used to! The Ukrainian girl at the counter didn’t smile, didn’t greet me when I placed my order, and when she brought the coffee, she just silently dropped it on the table.

I decided to give it another chance before writing a negative review, thinking maybe it was just a one-off. On my second visit, a Spanish guy was working — he was friendly and smiling, which was a relief. But the coffee was again brought by a different Ukrainian girl, who also seemed completely disinterested and cold. My friend’s flat white took ages to arrive and only came after we reminded them — meanwhile, other customers who ordered after us were already served.

The space itself is very noisy, smells strongly of the kitchen, and doesn’t have a pleasant atmosphere. Honestly, I just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

To be fair, the coffee is good, and the Spanish staff are the only ones who manage to save the service experience. Perhaps some staff training in customer service, communication, and hospitality would help. In Kyiv, I’ve never experienced anything like this — even if you have to wait for your order there, you’ll definitely get an apology, and sometimes even a little something extra as a gesture...

I had a few hours to kill before heading to the airport and Pals Cafe was the perfect last stop. It’s nearby a metro station and very laptop friendly, which made my travel day much easier.

I arrived just before the lunch rush and was lucky to get a table in the far back with a socket next to me. The staff originally tried to seat me at the communal work table, but it was taken, so they placed me at a regular table instead. It probably worked out better anyway since I had a small luggage with me and needed a bit of extra space.

I ordered a batch brew black coffee and a pistachio Basque cheesecake. The coffee was great and paired nicely with the cake, though I would have preferred the cake to be a bit earthier and nuttier but that’s just my personal taste.

The cafe is popular and fills up quickly, so come early if you want to secure a table. The staff were helpful, but a bit more warmth would have made the experience even nicer, though it could have just been a language barrier thing.

Overall, a great stop to relax, get some work done, and enjoy a solid coffee before heading to...

I went here today and had a cappuccino and an Eggs Royale (which is a fancy iteration of an eggs benny). The food was incredibly tasty. The espresso in the cappuccino didn't seem to be pulled correctly bc it wasn't very strong. I then had a cup of batch brew bc I really like to try specialty coffees and it was pretty good.

The service was very slow and disorganized. It makes me think that it being such a new place, maybe they don't have the right operating systems in place to make it more smooth Not to mention it was a weekend and the kitchen space is super small.

That said the head server there was very apologetic and very nice. We had nowhere to be so we didn't mind. The excellent taste of the food and the reasonable prices made it still worth it for me and I will be returning there...