Barcelona with Jordi Mestre from Nomad Coffee 🇪🇸

Barcelona is one of those cities which voids the question, “Do you like the beach or mountains?” Nestled between the Mediterranean and the range Montserrat, Barcelona unfairly offers both in world-class varieties. In amongst its streets, the city has art and architecture from the Middle Ages and from this morning.

*Jordi Mestre founded Nomad Coffee in his hometown of Barcelona in 2014. Photos courtesy of Nomad Coffee*

When I lived in southern Europe, it was to Nomad that I held a coffee subscription. Founded by Jordi at the forefront of specialty coffee in Barcelona, Nomad has been setting the pace for coffee in Spain since 2014.

Filter: What do you like to do for fun around Barcelona?

If I get to stay in the city for the weekend I like to explore popular bars and restaurants, where I can have a beer and some anchovies, or other fish and seafood options.

Jordi Mestre founded Nomad Coffee in his hometown of Barcelona in 2014. Photos courtesy of Nomad Coffee

Filter: What are your go-to bars and restaurants?

I like posh bars, authentic bars, where I can eat decently some great products. I like bars and restaurants like Bar El Pollo, Mari y Rufo, Bodega Carol, Granja Helena, Xarcuteria Valentí, Denassus, La Cañada, Taberna Can Margarit, Kiosko Universal, Vaso de Oro, La Cova Fumada, El Racó del Mariner, and so on.

Filter: If a good friend came to visit, where would you be sure to take them?

I would like to get a bike for my friend and visit different areas in the city cycling around town. Probably my favourite plan would be cycling along the seafront and getting some nibbles in the chiringuito just outside Barcelona, Banys Verge del Carme in Montgat.

Filter: What do you like to do to escape the city?

Escaping the city is probably my second favourite thing to do here. I like to visit Costa Brava when it's quiet, so any time but summer. I love the beach in winter, it is so much more relaxing and the midday sun is just perfect for a winter picnic.

In the summer season I much rather go to the mountains. We own a shed in the woods and there is no tourism of any type in that area, nor signal for our phones... so it is just nature, cooking, reading, walking, and siestas.

Filter: What touristy things in Barcelona are worth the hype?

Touristy activities in Barcelona are now extremely overcrowded, we have a serious problem with tourism in the city these days. Not just for those who live in Barcelona but also for tourists, they just can't enjoy their holidays if everything they do and visit is that busy. So I would strongly recommend coming off-season.

Filter: Where are your favorite quiet getaways there?

I like mountain cycling too, so if I want to have a morning get away activity I would cycle to the top of the city mountains, by the Tibidabo theme park.

Filter: What's another coffee shop around there that you really admire, and what about them stands out to you?

I like the new Right Side Coffee Bar, I like how serious they take their coffee and the light coming through the massive windows.

Filter: What makes Barcelona feel most like home to you?

I like the weather and the size of the city, it is a very convenient size. Also, as I said before, one of the things I like the most is to escape the city—we have great countryside and beach towns just an hour drive from Barcelona.

Filter: How did you end up in the Barcelona coffee scene?

I am from Barcelona, I lived in a town 100km away from Barcelona when I was 4-7 years old. Also lived in London in my 20s, where I got hooked by the specialty coffee world. I learnt the barista job, I competed in the national and world barista competitions and ended up roasting for a small roastery in East London. What a journey in just a few years.

Then, I decided to move back to my hometown and be part of the first projects pushing the specialty coffee scene in Barcelona.

Hence, I opened the Nomad Coffee Lab and started roasting just for my bar.

Filter: If you could move to any place in the world just for the coffee scene, where would you move?

I probably would move to Japan, I loved the coffee scene there. I like those tiny cafes that take their coffee very serious and also the quiet ones that make you want to stay there forever.

I got in love with Bollard Coffee, right opposite the port of Tamano town. Having a coffee there with the sea breeze and the sun on your face. It is one of the best feelings and coffee memories ever.

Filter: Anything you’d like to add?

I like to be asked about the Barcelona coffee scene, just because I feel so proud of being part of this coffee scene. It is one of the best I know. It is young and emerging, but at the same time the quality standards of the roasters are super high. Great coffees and great roasting skills.

Glad to be able to cycle around and taste great coffees in my own hometown.

Thank you Josh man!

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Nomad Coffee operates 2 locations in Barcelona and an extensive wholesale distribution to cafes around the world.

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