In 1951, Pedro Conesa opened a grocery store in Sant Jaume square in Barcelona that soon became the city's first frankfurt. Conesa, who was from the Gòtic, and traveled often, met the German frankfurter sausage and brought it to Barcelona, where this type of sandwich was unknown. People asked for them as ‘kanfort’ or ‘francort’. The founder's son, Josep Conesa, started working there at fourteen years old and very soon his wife, Marta Cortadella, joined the business.
In 2025, just a year ago, this couple retired and, far from a sad end, Juan Cano and Christian Domínguez, uncle and nephew, took over the emblematic establishment Conesa Entrepans. As Domínguez explains, sandwiches and the passion they share for the motor have united him and his uncle their whole lives.
This 2026, the premises celebrate 75 years and do so with two new owners who, despite not being from the Conesa family, know closely the art of the sandwich. On the one hand, Cano, from Badalona, has been working at the company for 36 years, since he finished military service, and Domínguez, from Sant Adrià de Besòs, has been doing so for 20. He started as a young man helping there in the afternoons. “As a child I found the time from wherever to come to work. I started preparing the goods, controlling the fridge, collecting glasses and, little by little, I moved on to making sandwiches”, comments the nephew.
“The neighborhood has changed”
It's been just a year since uncle and nephew run the business and, as Domínguez expresses, they feel very grateful because “they continue to have clients from here”. Despite the thousand efforts that the transfer has entailed for them, they are proud to continue “being “a ‘neighborhood sandwich shop’”.
Now, however, they also criticize that the Gothic Quarter "has changed." And it is that Conesa Entrepans is one of those miracles of Ciutat Vella, as could be Sombreria Ubach, which dates from 1924 and is located nearby. Sant Jaume square has lived them of all colors and there is no need to travel to the fifties to check it. Domínguez, who has worked there since he was sixteen, explains that in the last two decades he has observed how the neighborhood was losing local brand: "When Pessebres Deulofeu closed, they put a Starbucks and for us it was a shock. Also, nearby, there was a lifelong photography shop that closed and has been passing from hand to hand. Now there is Torrons Vicens, which bring a bit of warmth, but before there was a t-shirt shop," he laments.
Another substantial change is that seventy years ago the competition was local and not from large multinationals. “We cannot pay the rents as they do,” says Domínguez. They have two giants nearby: a McDonalds on Ferran street and a Pans and Company in Sant Jaume square. These businesses, he assures, have not directly made them change the menu. When they have changed it, it has been because “society now wants another type of sandwich.” Domínguez continues relating that, until twenty years ago, the offer was more reduced and one chose between the frankfurter sandwich, loin, cheese or local sausage. “Now people want them combined, with onion, for example. If before half of what we sold were frankfurters with mustard, now they represent 20%,” he details, and adds that what they have not changed are the griddles with which they toast the bread: “We have been using them for sixty years and we ourselves fix them when they break down, thus giving them more life.”
What are the sandwiches that sell the most now? As this restaurateur explains, the most famous are the Botifarra d’alls tendres, which has mushrooms, porcini, caramelized onion and the emblematic “Marta’s sauce”, the one Marta Cortadella used to make, which they continue to make like the first day, and also the Català, which has local sausages, Gouda cheese, caramelized onion and julienned peppers. According to them, this last one is very popular with tourists who want “something typical of the country”.
The sandwich of politicians and actors
All these sandwiches have also served to feed more than one hungry politician of those who have frequented, at different times, Sant Jaume square, such as, for example, Carles Puigdemont. “With all the hustle and bustle of independence, one day he left the Generalitat late and around half past nine he came in to have a Català”, recalls Domínguez.
This establishment has also been visited in recent years by Jordi Pujol, Ada Colau, Jaume Collboni, Miguel Bosé or Joan Laporta. “Laporta has made more than one sandwich at the establishment's window”, he explains. And among the international stars we find the couple Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth. “They came on vacation to Barcelona with their family and ate a sandwich inside”, comments Domínguez.
Speaking of the city's tourism, the current owner observes that, unlike years ago, now there isn't a specific time to serve sandwiches, any is good: "In the morning, at 8:30 a.m., many Asians come and around eleven or twelve the national people who have breakfast gather with the tourists who are already having lunch", he details. In summer, however, "you don't know what time they will come, there is work all day", and adds that this is "a symptom of the city's diversity".
Sandwiches for marked days
This week they will experience one of the most special events: Sant Jordi's day. A day that is added to significant dates like Christmas, especially the Santa Llúcia Fair, or the La Mercè Casteller Day. “The castellers, every year, wait for us at 8:30 am for breakfast,” he says with pride.
Many are the anecdotes that the Conesa family, Juan Cano, Christian Domínguez and their workers have experienced and that are still sensed in the workshop. To finish, the one from Sant Adrià explains that the best thing about this business is the work environment, especially for the strong relationship forged with his uncle. “We have a very good relationship, he has always helped me and with the workers we are very happy. In the end we spend more hours there than at home. We are a small family”, he concludes.
