Barcelona · Spain
Els Quatre Gats
A practical guide to Els Quatre Gats in Barcelona: the Modernista café where Picasso first exhibited in 1900, what to order, what it costs and why to go for coffee rather than a meal.
Worth it for a coffee in the Modernista room where Picasso exhibited. As a restaurant it has a reputation for being expensive for what it serves; go for 25 minutes, not for a meal.
Els Quatre Gats, The Four Cats, is the Barcelona café where Pablo Picasso, at 18, held his first solo exhibition in February 1900. It’s on the ground floor of Casa Martí, a Modernista building by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and between 1897 and 1903 it was the headquarters of Catalan Modernisme. Today it runs as a café and restaurant with its period decor recreated.
Our experience
On our last full day, after the montaditos at Quimet i Quimet, we took the metro and at 2:27 p.m. we walked in for coffee. We planned it as the bridge to the Picasso Museum, a five-minute walk away, where we had a 3:15 p.m. ticket: first the room where Picasso exhibited, then his work from those years. We ordered coffee and a crema catalana to share, and gave it about 25 minutes. That day we also covered the three great names of Modernisme: Gaudí at the Sagrada Família, Domènech i Montaner at Sant Pau and Puig i Cadafalch here.
A bit of history
Four men opened it on June 12, 1897: manager Pere Romeu and the artists Santiago Rusiñol, Ramon Casas and Miquel Utrillo, with Le Chat Noir in Paris as their model. The name came from a jab: in Catalan, “quatre gats” means hardly anyone. Gaudí came here, Albéniz and Granados played the piano, and there was shadow-puppet theater and a magazine of its own. Picasso drew the menu cover, and in 1900 he hung his charcoal portraits on these walls. The café closed in 1903 over money problems. In 1989 the interior was restored and it reopened.
What to know
Reviews agree: the room is beautiful and the coffee is good, but meals are expensive for what reaches the plate, and service gets rushed at peak times.
What to see, in order
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The Casa Martí facade
Northern European Gothic in a Modernista version, by Puig i Cadafalch: pointed arches, carved stone, wrought iron and a Saint Joseph on the corner. Look at it from across the street.
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The tandem painting
Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu pedaling a two-seat bicycle. It's the café's signature image; ask for a table where you can see it.
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Picasso's menu covers
Picasso drew the menu cover in 1899, one of his first published works. There are reproductions in the room.
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Cortado or cafè amb llet
The thing to order. The coffee has a good reputation.
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Crema catalana
Custard with a burnt-sugar crust. To share, it's the best dessert on the menu.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- If they seat you in a back room, politely ask for a table near the tandem painting.
- If they put tomato bread on the table without your asking, send it back right away if you don't want it: they charge for it.
- If you ever eat here, ask whether the price of the sharing dishes is per person or per platter.
- Watch your bag on Carrer de Montsió: people stop to photograph the facade and pickpockets work the crowd.
Do
- Go for coffee and dessert, like we did.
- Pair it with the Picasso Museum the same day: his career started here and the work from those years is over there.
- Buy a postcard if you want a souvenir; it's the only thing in the shop at a fair price.
Don’t
- Don't order cocktails: according to reviews, the premium gin and tonic runs up to €25.
- Don't fall for the tourist menu or the pricey ham and cheese tapas.
- Don't listen to anyone on the street who says it's full and wants to take you somewhere else.
Frequently asked questions
Is it true Picasso exhibited at Els Quatre Gats?
Yes. In February 1900, at 18, he hung his first solo exhibition here: dozens of charcoal portraits of his friends, unframed, straight on the walls.
Is it worth eating there?
For coffee, yes. As a restaurant, reviews find it expensive for what it serves; the room is what you're paying for.
Do I need a reservation?
Not for coffee. For lunch or dinner, it's a good idea.
What are the hours?
It's open every day, and the café runs straight through the afternoon until 1:00 a.m.