Dedication to Quality
Aspects such as geographical origin, cultivation altitude, variety of grains and processing methods are essential. Specialty coffee producers implement careful agricultural practices and harvesting processes that preserve the integrity of the beans. Professional cupping evaluates coffee in terms of aroma, flavor, acidity and body.
Specialty coffees must obtain more than 80 points out of 100 on the scale created by this organization to establish the quality of the product. To do this, there are tasters certified by the Quality Coffee Institute and known as Q graders, a type of coffee sommelier, who carry out blind tastings where they pay attention to the quality of the bean, the attributes, the flavor or the aroma.
The essence of BØLGE
Bølge is not just another cafe. Through this project we wanted to make you feel the warmth of what we call our home. We have escaped the bar counter to which we are accustomed and opted for an open residential-style kitchen to bring you a closeness never before seen in a cafeteria.
Bølge is summed up as pure product quality. Through this project we will offer you a culinary experience in which care for each ingredient and seasonal product will reign. Homemade pastries, toasts, sandwiches and a magnificent selection of hot and cold drinks are the basis of our menu. Something as simple as having sourdough bread toast for breakfast with butter and jam made by us that same morning, is only possible in Bølge. We avoid ultra-processed products and make our products every day in front of our customers.
The history of our place
The location of our project has always been known as the Bay Sala Gallery. The façade of the premises has remained in the same state since it was opened in 1971 by Juan Bayón, son of the painter Bay-Sala. From its opening to its closing, the gallery has been a cultural reference in the city of Bilbao, hosting regular exhibitions and a meeting place for numerous artists.
The façade, with more than 50 years of history, is composed of a dark stone finish and solid wood carpentry, adorned in turn with sculptural decorative elements. The authorship of the façade friezes is attributed to the painter José Arrue, and they date before the Civil War. In the central pilaster of the façade a sculptural figure of heraldic character emerges.
The painter Agustín Reche, recognized for his hyperrealist style, characterized by offering a unique look at Bilbao and becoming a chronicler of the city’s urban landscape, portrayed the place in 1986 in one of his paintings that can be seen in this publication .In addition, the place has been represented in the comic strip Don Celes, by cartoonist Luis del Olmo Alonso, “Olmo”. The vignette once again records the façade as it is known today and positions it as an iconic and recognizable location in the city.
