While Barcelona offers a rather limited choice of British afternoon teas, it is still a foodie’s dream come true in terms of choice and quality. Let’s review the Majestic Barcelona brunch, a truly “majestic” culinary experience:
February 2020 update: Champagne is not free-flowing anymore. Guest now get a welcome drink of Moët champagne.
Sunday Brunch & After Brunch at the Majestic Hotel & Spa, Barcelona (five-star hotel)
Overall rating: ★★★★★
Sunday Brunch price: 59€/person
Food refills: Yes (All-you-can-eat Buffet); Beverage refills: Yes (Juice, Hot drinks…)
Brunch Hours: 12:30 pm to 4 pm (Sundays only) at El Restaurante del Majestic
The Setting ★★★★★
This gorgeous palatial hotel is located on Passeg de Gracià, in the heart of Barcelona. The avenue is home to the city’s most famous pieces of architecture, including Gaudi’s celebrated Casa Amatller, Casa Batlló and Casa Milà.
It is among Barcelona’s most prestigious locations and is thought to be the most expensive street in Spain.
El Restaurante del Majestic ★★★★★
The Restaurante del Majestic is a brilliant brunch venue, with big tables and plenty of space for small or big parties alike. The premises have been recently refurbished and feature plenty of natural light, enhanced with the many mirrors scattered all around the restaurant.
If you book in advance and if the weather permits, I recommend asking for the terrace. There is no view but I just love the greenery and the relaxing atmosphere. It’s also less likely to be noisy, always a bonus point when in Spain.
Bar Terraza La Dolce Vita ★★★☆☆
The afterbrunch is served on the rooftop “La Dolce Vita”. Do not expect anything much from it aside from a nice view of Barcelona: the terrace is rather small and you’ll need quite a bit of luck to get a table outside the veranda.
As a brunch customer, you are entitled to a discount on any drinks you order. That’s pretty much all this afterbrunch is about, so if you fancy a nice rooftop I’d rather recommend the El Palace Hotel rooftop, which has a much bigger terrace with a better 360° view of Barcelona.
The Majestic Barcelona Brunch
The Tea & Beverage Selection ★★★★★
In terms of beverages, this brunch is the most generous I ever had. Guests get unlimited refills of Champagne, juice, tea, wine, Gin & Tonic… Only cocktails and à la carte beverages are extra.
I’m no alcoholic drinks expert but my fellow brunchers loved the “Moët & Chandon champagne” and all the other alcohols, which were very decent for a free-flowing event. Same goes for the soft drinks on offer, despite the limited choice in terms of fruit juices.
The Damman Frères tea selection is rather small (English Breakfast, Gunpowder, Rooibos) but the quality is very good even for tea bags.
The Cold Savouries ★★★★★
The starter buffet offers more than you’ll be able to handle: charcuterie (ham, saucisson…), seafood (oysters, king prawns, clams, smoked salmon…), vegetable salads, cheese as well as some delicious entrées and small bites of all sorts (soups, verrines, fish…).
I recommend focusing on the cold savouries since there as some really good ones there and that the overall quality is most excellent. Whether you prefer to stick to the light stuff or the heavier stuff is entirely up to you but keep in mind that this is just a starter buffet.
The Hot Savouries ★★★☆☆
I’m a tough customer when it comes to buffets, but especially so for slow cooking hot dishes. The Majestic hotel’s brunch did not make me change my mind, the hot savouries are the most disappointing aspect of this brunch.
They’re not bad per se but hot savouries and buffets just don’t mix well. That’s why I am particularly fond of brunches which let you order à la carte straight from the kitchen, which isn’t the case here.
If you have a small appetite and already had plenty of cold savouries, feel free to skip this part and move on straight to the desserts.
The Desserts ★★★★★
If you have a sweet tooth, this brunch will most likely please you. There is a solid choice of cakes and sweets, with enough variety to satisfy all needs: Chocolate pastries, fruits salads, petits-fours, tarts, marshmallows… The desserts are also original. Nothing feels run-of-the-mill.
I especially enjoyed the chocolate & fudge rocher, which was scrummy and just sweet enough. There are many cakes to choose from so it’s unlikely you’ll manage to try them all, unless you skip the savouries.
It may disappoint some of you but there were no pastries such as croissants or pain au chocolat, it’s quite uncommon for a European brunch but hardly an issue.
Service ★★★★★
The staff is politely efficient and speaks great English, whether it’s the waiters or the kitchen team.
There are enough people to make sure that nothing is missing, whether it’s a full glass of Champagne or a clean set of plates. Everything is perfect and you’ll feel like spending the whole afternoon there.
Conclusion & Overall Mark ★★★★★
In terms of value for money, the Majestic Barcelona brunch is the best I ever had. Free-flowing Champagne and such delicious food at a five-star hotel is simply a steal.
The only downside is the afterbrunch because there is no actual afterbrunch, you’ll simply get a discount on cocktails ordered at La Dolce Vita rooftop bar and you may not even get a terrace table as the venue is small and crowded on sunny Sundays.
This is the best Sunday brunch buffet in Barcelona (at least in a five-star hotel) in terms of price/performance ratio, with the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona in tow.
+: Free-flowing drinks, incl. Champagne
+: The cold savouries & desserts’ quality
+: The large choice of food
+: Excellent service
+: Exceptional value for money
-: The hot savouries
-: The afterbrunch
Email: brunch@hotelmajestic.es
Phone number: +34 934 88 17 17
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