Belchica Bar

L'Eixample, Barcelona –

Patrons in search of excellent Belgian beers need look no further than Belchica, a café in L’Eixample that carries no less than fifty of Belgium’s best brands.

Stella Artois, Hoegarden, and La Chouffe are always on tap, while bottled varieties include amber, dark, and honey beers as well as rare brews like St. Bernadus Abbot Ale.

Although the space could use a new coat of paint, the faded blue and green walls and well-worn furnishings give Belchica a lived-in vibe that seems to agree with the expats and students who regularly congregate at the bar.

Some color is added, however, by the rotating exhibits of modern art by local artists, all of which is on sale.

A back room contains some sagging sofas – usually occupied by more mature patrons musing over newspapers with pints in hand – as well as a projection screen that is wheeled out for special occasions like FC Barcelona football matches.

The decent prices, well-chosen music, and all-around laid-back vibe – not to mention its location just outside the chaos of Barcelona’s Old Town – are no doubt the elements that have made Belchica an international favorite.