Gastronomy can become a tool for social cohesion. Under this premise, La Colmena confectionery opens every day, having filled the pantry of the Gothic Quarter residents for over a century. From Plaça de l'Àngel, the Roig family sells dozens of candies and sweets, among which the burnt cream nougat stands out, recognized as the best in Spain in 2022.
The business's origin dates back to 1849, when the first owner, Rosendo Abella, inaugurated it. At that time, the pastry shop was known as Ca l'Abella and the establishment was located on Baixada de la Llibreria, just opposite its current location. It wasn't until 1868 that the Costa family acquired the shop, relocated it, and named it La Colmena.
Later, the pastry shop changed owners, becoming Morató i Santpera's in 1912 and the Camps family's in 1921. Until, in 1927, brothers Josep and Francesc Roig acquired the business, which is currently managed by their grandson, Josep Maria Roig.
Between tourists and locals
The Sant Joan coca, the Three Kings' cake, Sant Jordi's bread, and the Lenten fritters are some of La Colmena's most successful products. "Our lifelong mission is to promote local tradition through gastronomy," explains Sílvia Roig, from the fourth generation of pastry chefs. Although she points out that half of the customers who visit the premises are tourists strolling around Barcelona Cathedral, Roig emphasizes that on special dates, the neighborhood trusts La Colmena to sweeten gatherings with friends and family. "When more customers from the neighborhood come is on special holidays," she adds.
Precisely, last year the City Council recognized La Colmena with the Barcelona Sustainable Tourism award for its role in preserving cultural heritage. The award highlights the confectionery's work in transmitting traditional Catalan recipes, especially in a context where it is increasingly difficult to maintain the legacy of craftsmanship. "It is necessary to protect emblematic businesses, which have disappeared in recent years due to rising rental prices and the lack of generational succession," Roig emphasizes.
Despite the proliferation of bakery chains, La Colmena keeps the neighborhood spirit alive and collaborates with entities such as Casal dels Infants or Fundació Roure, making sweets a pretext to strengthen ties with the community.
