Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Midas Tümülüsü (Tumulus MM)
The Devil's Column
Weightlifting Hall of Fame
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
2 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
3 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
4 days ago
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain Barcelona Cal Boter
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Cal Boter

Start your day with a Catalan-style “fork breakfast”—complete with booze—at this rustic restaurant.

Barcelona, Spain

Added By
Austin Bush
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Introducing the real breakfast of champions: grilled lamb chops and beans.  
Introducing the real breakfast of champions: grilled lamb chops and beans.  
Check the chalkboard specials to see what’s coming out of the kitchen that morning.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
Hand-painted tiles and vintage ads give the interior a classic feel.  
A Catalan “fork breakfast” is not for the faint of stomach.  
A salad of sliced onions and bread rounds out this rustic spread.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
Nothing like starting your day with a glass of red wine.   Austin Bush for Gastro Obscura
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the old days, a bowl of Cheerios wouldn’t have cut it. If you were a laborer in Barcelona in the early 20th century, you would likely have begun the day with an esmorzar de forquilla, or "fork breakfast.” The term refers to hearty, heavy, meaty breakfasts typically paired with wine. 

Many of the places in Barcelona that used to serve esmorzar de forquilla have closed, but a few cling to the legacy. Every morning, from 9 a.m. to noon, Cal Boter, in the working-class Gràcia neighborhood, opens its doors to those who need a bit more to start off their day. A chalkboard menu spans dishes such as braised oxtail, tripe or pig trotters with snails, grilled lamb chops, baked salt cod with aioli, stewed pork cheeks and other dishes that would have the brunch crowd running in the opposite direction. 

Starters include the ubiquitous basket of bread and a simple but delicious salad of sweet onions bathed in olive oil, and sides include French fries or beans. (Esmorzar de forquilla generally doesn't include rice, pasta, rice or soup.) This is breakfast, so yes there’s coffee, but even more so, there’s wine, served in a porró, Catalonia’s iconic glass vessel that negates the need for a glass.

Cal Boter, which dates back to 1986, has a classic feel via hand-painted tiles and vintage ads. The long space extends to a cozy dining room illuminated via skylights. These days, there aren’t so many laborers in Gràcia, and esmorzar de forquilla customers might include an older generation of locals, perhaps reading the newspaper with a porró, and the odd tourist. 

Related Tags

Restaurants Breakfast

Know Before You Go

Cal Boter’s “fork breakfast” is available from Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Community Contributors

Added By

Austin Bush

Published

December 11, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Cal Boter
Carrer de Tordera, 62
Barcelona, 08012
Spain
41.402131, 2.162504
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Taller d'Oleguer Junyent (Oleguer Junyent's Workshop)

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Festa Major de Gràcia

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Sewers of Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Barcelona

Barcelona

Spain

Places 65
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Taller d'Oleguer Junyent (Oleguer Junyent's Workshop)

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Festa Major de Gràcia

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Sewers of Barcelona

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Barcelona

Barcelona

Spain

Places 65
Stories 2

Related Places

  • In this salad, rice gets topped with pinches of toasted coconut, dried fish, finely-sliced herbs and vegetables, bean sprouts, a tiny knot of noodles, crushed black pepper and dried chili. 

    Yala, Thailand

    Thai-Islam Phochana

    Start your day with sticky rice sweets and aromatic curries at this classic Thai-Muslim breakfast spot.

  • This isn’t your mom’s French toast.

    Madrid, Spain

    La Casa de las Torrijas

    Kingly French toast comes soaked in milk or red wine, then drizzled in a citrus-perfumed syrup.

  • Kenosha, Wisconsin

    Franks Diner

    Behind a modern brick exterior lies the oldest continuously-operating lunch-car diner in the United States.

  • Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Rung Rueang

    The porky tom yum soup at this Sukhumvit Road institution has a cult following.

  • The local catch is delicious fried as well.

    Charlevoix, Michigan

    Terry's of Charlevoix

    Line up for ample portions of freshly caught whitefish, walleye, and perch from the Great Lakes.

  • The Cathedral Café has been serving its community for more than 120 years.

    Fayetteville, West Virginia

    Cathedral Café

    Soak in the sacred vibes at this beloved food and coffee hangout inside a former church.

    Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism
  • Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.

    Onekama, Michigan

    The Glenwood

    Savor Great Lakes produce, fish, and spirits at this local favorite in a century-old warehouse.

  • Grab an old-school burger and a shake.

    Bristol, Virginia

    Burger Bar

    With roots dating back to 1942, this retro diner was where Hank Williams is said to have uttered his last words.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.