Ubik Cafe has created an alternative concept of bookstore where you can be inspired and have a coffee at the same time
When we were in Valencia, one of our goals as we visited the city was to find some hidden treasures. I am personally of the opinion that it is not a bad thing to visit the tourist attractions, but I really love when I discover a café or restaurant that is filled with locals or has a different sort of vibe. Such was the case with Ubik Café, which we found thanks to the blog Not Hemingway´s Spain. This is a café that is most definitely worth checking out.
Located in the neighborhood of Ruzafa, Ubik Café has a very plain appearance from the outside. There are several tables sitting on the sidewalk where you might enjoy a snack while also enjoying the nice weather, but as we arrived in the late afternoon and the weather was turning chilly, we ventured inside. The old wooden floors are well worn and the book shelves are made out of recycled wood and cardboard. As you walk inside, you come upon a space used for workshops. The day we visited, there were kids from ages 4 to 10 learning about Matisse and art while parents looked on enjoying a coffee or a snack from the cafeteria.
The furniture in the café cum bookshop is also a mix of different styles and things that were found possibly in a thrift shop or on the street. There are tables that look like they used to be used in an elementary school, and another chair made out of cardboard. On the walls, artists have painted murals (one of them even continues into the rest room and goes from the women´s room to the men´s room.) This, of course, begs the question of who is expected to see the full mural.
There is a bar that serves beer, soda, coffees, and snacks, and the waiters are laid back, but friendly. We ordered coffee and a piece of chocolate raspberry cake to share as we sat and observed our surroundings from a second hand couch. Next to us was a university student writing furiously on his laptop, and we began to discuss our ideas for El Boquerón Viajero. In other words, this was the type of location that inspires you to create, think, and generally gives you permission to be yourself, the possibility to dream and make your own path.
We would ruskommend the Ubik Cafe for anyone who is looking for an off-beat place to rest and browse through their unique book shop. They say that Ruzafa is the artsy ‘hipster’ area of Valencia and the Ubik Cafe fits right in. We found interesting info about Ruzafa on the LivingValencia blog. We ruskommend Ubik Cafe with 5 boquerones – definitely a must for those who enjoy going off the beaten path!