Federal takes its name from a small town in northern New South Wales, halfway between Possum Creek and Goonengerry, where there is not much to do except dream and watch the rain fall on quiet streets and the phone box. The Spanish group is a brunch and specialty coffee restaurant and invites you to imagine you are in that town while you eat. It has three sites in Barcelona, in the Gothic Quarter, in Sant Antoni near the market, and in Poblenou, with more in Madrid, Valencia, Sitges, Palma and Murcia, and a page for opening a franchise.
The menu is brunch, lunch with local produce and cakes, in Spanish, Catalan and English. You are welcome alone, with friends, with children or with your dog, and you can bring a laptop to the shared table, though it is not a coworking space: seats for computers depend on each site and Wi-Fi may be limited by time or at weekends. The Sant Antoni restaurant also runs evening Sunsets sessions from Thursday to Saturday, with reservations by phone. There is a monthly playlist, Federal Radio.
The house coffee comes from Federal’s own farm, La Esperanza, in Huila, Colombia. It comes from small producers at 1,500 to 1,900 metres, washed, of the Castillo variety, and gives a clean, sweet cup of panela, cane sugar and chocolate with nutty hints, round body and balanced acidity. It is sold to take away and is roasted in Barcelona.
Photograph: Federal