Review: Corgi Cafe Barcelona
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Before we adopted our cute little old man Ricky, we went to a lot of dog and cat cafes. Now, we have a demanding toy poodle at home, and we feel it would be mean to cheat on him, so we only go to pet cafes if they have a capybara or alpacas or other weird animals. But it’s not cheating if we’re on vacation, right?
A few years ago, we went to Corgi in the Garden in Bangkok. As we love chubby corgis, this seemed like a natural fit for us, but we didn’t really like it. The dogs didn’t play, just sat there waiting for treats so people could take pictures with them. Like the elephant sanctuary we went to in Thailand, it was basically a petting zoo set up for photo ops. And like most dog cafes, the cafe part took a backseat.
That’s why we were excited to see photos online of a dog cafe in Barcelona that not only featured corgis, but food and drinks that seemed like they’d be good enough for a non-puppy cafe. We decided to investigate for science.
Welcome to the Corgi Cafe
Set against a gorgeous square, the Corgi Cafe stands out because of its bright pink decor. Normally, I’d think all the pink flowers and stuff were a bit much, but this place felt really comfortable and relaxed. The atmosphere was one where you could easily take a load off from the busy shopping and tourist muck of the nearby Rambla and Gothic Quarter areas. And since it was a short walk from Hotel Bagues, it was a perfect place to grab a quick lunch.
The first thing you see when you sit down is a list of rules regarding the dogs. They aren’t all there all the time - in fact, there was only one dog there while we were there, and I didn’t even see him at first. Eriko said she did. The reason he wasn’t visible is that this isn’t a normal pet cafe. The dog is not there for you, he’s there to do his own thing. You can pet him if he comes up to you, but you can’t just go over and pick him up and feed him and all that. He’s not a zoo animal. And you know what? I appreciated that. Let him do his thing, I say.
Like many cafes and restaurants these days, the menu is found on your phone with a QR code. It’s also available online, so you can check out the various stuff they have. It’s a pretty extensive menu, and has some unique drinks. But would they pass the test of Coffee Boy Gregg?
Drinks at the Barcelona Corgi Cafe
As you can see, they know how to make a latte here. Wonderful. Eriko got a strawberry lemonade, and she said it was really good. No complaints there.
They also have a special deal where if you write a review online and show it to them, they’ll give you a free drink or “Corgi ball,” which was a little sweet ball made of healthy stuff. It was pretty darn good, but not enough food. We wanted more.
Food at the Corgi Cafe
The food menu is pretty extensive, with brunch favorites like pancakes, bagel sandwiches, and even shakshuka (we tried making this and it was really easy and really good). Eriko got the Halloumi toast with avocado puree, spiced cherry tomatoes, and fried halloumi cheese, garnished with sesame seeds. Other than the cheese, it seemed pretty healthy, and she loves cheese, so she liked it.
Okay, so at this point, I need to be honest with you. I did not set out in life to become an acai bowl guy. That was never my goal. And yet here I was, ordering my second açaí bowl of the week. I can’t help it. They’re delicious.
The acai sludge was a bit cold for my teeth in this one, but the blueberries, strawberries, banana, granola, and coconut were all fresh and light, and in the proper proportions. I felt healthy and not weighed down by my food. It was also big enough to satisfy me until dinner that night, which is an achievement.
What makes the quality of food here so remarkable is that it doesn’t have to be good. They’ve got a gimmick in the dogs, and that will draw people in. Most pet cafes just give you a crappy machine-made coffee and call it good. But the Corgi Cafe makes great drinks and great food, good enough to compete with any non-dog cafe in the area. That’s something to be commended. Even if they didn’t have a corgi, I’d eat here.
But they did have a corgi, and he made an appearance. He shot under the table at the end of our row and did a slalom through the legs of the customers, including me. He was a small corgi, not as big as the big-butt boy who lives in our neighborhood. He was cute. I love him.
Verdict: is the Barcelona Corgi Cafe worth a visit?
If your goal is to spend time with puppies, this is not the cafe for you, as you don’t get much corgi action for your money. But that’s probably best for the corgi, as he gets to live a nice life free from the pressure of people always sticking their hands in his face. It reminded me of the golden retriever cafe in Kyoto, where the dogs just sleep and sometimes get pulled around on the floor by the owner. We didn’t pet this corgi or take pictures with him, but we got to see him have his version of fun. Unlike some other pet cafes, this one made us feel good about ourselves.
The food and drinks were great, the staff friendly and prompt, the restaurant clean and relaxed. You can’t ask for much more. If we lived in Barcelona, we’d come here for lunch all the time. For tourists, it really comes down to whether you like this variety of cafe food and whether you like the concept of a corgi cafe where you might not interact with the corgi. You might be busy with Spanish food during your trip. But if you want a light, healthy lunch to make up for all the churros and ham and tasting menus you’re having during your time in Barcelona, give the Corgi Cafe a try.
Where to find the Corgi Cafe in Barcelona
Address: Pl. de la Vila de Madrid, 4, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Phone: +34 673 95 85 82
Hours: 9am-5pm
Instagram: Corgi Cafe Brunch Barcelona
The Corgi Cafe has a couple locations around Barcelona, but we went to the Gótico one. The cafe was pretty full while we were there, but this may have been because it was a busy week in Barcelona. I don’t know if this is the type of cafe where you can just chill with a book and sit there forever, but there were two tourists next to us who wrote reviews to get free drinks and got nothing else, so I can tell you this is a place where you won’t get hassled if you don’t spend much money. Thanks to the Corgi Cafe for doing right by their dogs and by us, and big props to the people in Barcelona for being way nicer to travelers than their reputation might suggest.
