Coffee & tea – All our local tips

Chocolate lovers will have a place to go to have the Spanish hot chocolate, much thicker than in other countries…but so tasty!

The establishment uses only the finest cacao available, a mind-boggling selection of sweetmeats is categorized into “collections”: “flowers and herbs,” “liquors and digestives,” “gastronomic innovations,” and “spices of the Americas” to name just a few.

Aside from the coffee you have a store that sells all kinds of products made out of the best chocolate you can find… People who suffer from diabetes can also enjoy some products made sugar-free. They have new varieties of chocolates which have weird flavours!

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Cacao Sampaka | Coffee & tea | Hot chocolate € 4.00
C/ Orellana, 4 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34913195840
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 14:00 & 15:30 – 21:00

The busy Cafe Comercial is just off the Bilbao metro stop and by Madrid standards, huge. It’s central location makes it a great meeting place while the uniformed waiters are attentive.

You can feel the history of the cafe that has been around since 1887 – it was a meeting place for literary and artistic gatherings after the civil war (1939) and the second floor is still home to the Cafe Comercial Chess Club.

On nice days, they put tables out on the sidewalk. They have an extensive snack menu with sandwiches, and sliced ham and cheese, not to mention the variety of beverages to choose from. The prices vary from outdoor terrace to bar to tables.

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Café Comercial | Bars, Coffee & tea | Sandwiches € 2.50
Glorieta Bilbao 7 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915215655
Mon 07:30 – 00:00, Tue – Thu 07:30 – 01:00, Fri 07:30 – 02:00, Sat 08:30 – 02:00, Sun 09:00 – 00:00

I know this cafe is mentioned in the Lonely Planet guides, but I can guarantee that locals also go there for a good chat. Café del Real is old-bistro style with dark-red painted woodwork, cigarette stain-coloured walls and ceilings and proper bistro tables and chairs. It´s usually crowded in the evenings during the weekends as it´s really cosy and comfortable for a cup of coffee.

I personally prefer the upper floor, where you can seat close to the window and see the Opera building from a perfect view. It’s actually perfectly located, just in front of Opera metro station (in the city centre) and it´s a good alternative after dinner or for a cake in the afternoon (what we call “merienda” time).

Once you enter, your eyes will go directly to the fantastic cakes that are shown at the bar. Carrot, chocolate, cheese cakes are some of the options. Then you can also ask for different types of coffees or teas. If you ask for a beer or a coke, for example, they´ll serve you some peanuts, so it´s pleasant to combine the salty snacks with your drink.

The music varies a fair bit, depending on who is working. I love when they play classical or instrumental music. It makes it a relaxing place, although people speak loudly around you…In Spain we normally do, so get used to it… you´ll enjoy it in the end!!

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Café del Real | Coffee & tea | Cake € 4,75
Plaza de Isabel II, 2 | Sol | +34915472124
09:00 – 00:30 daily

Located on the 9th (top) floor of the commercial centre called El Corte Inglés (don’t worry, there are escalators or several lifts to get there), this coffee shop is one of the best examples of how beautiful Madrid is from the roof.

You´ll never imagine that inside a huge commercial centre, in its cafeteria, you´ll find such a fantastic atmosphere. But it´s real!! And there´re still a few privileged people who can enjoy it. I say “just a few” because the large window from where you can observe the whole city is available for a maximum of six-seven tables. The rest of the coffee shop is a regular venue where you can order your meals or drinks.

It gets so crowded during lunch time, that I won´t recommend it because you even have to wait your turn to sit beside the window. So the best moment to enjoy your coffee with “tortitas con nata” is just before dinner, in the late afternoon (between 16:00 – 19:00).

This is an ideal place for a drink while you see how it gets dark, either to impress your friends or your couple with an exquisite place. It´ll depend where you sit, you´ll be able to see the Royal Palace, the Opera, Gran Vía, or even Casa de Campo.

Enjoy the view!!

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Cafetería El Corte Inglés | Coffee & tea | Main meal € 12.00
Plaza de Callao, 2 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34913798000
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 22:00 (11:00 – 21:00 on holidays)

The CaixaForum Madrid is an art exhibition space sponsored by The La Caixa Foundation that opened in February 2008 as part of their social and cultural outreach efforts.

They’ve withstood all criticism and worries about keeping their amazing outdoor vertical garden green and lush despite Madrid’s sunny disposition. Designed by French botanist Patrick Blanc, this wall of green has 15,000 plants of 250 species covering a 460 m2 wall in the square in front of The CaixaForum.

The building itself was an old electrical plant, built in 1899 that has been reconstructed to be a funky rust-colored modern eye-catcher alongside classical beauties like the Prado and the Thyssen museums.

Inside you’ll find a permanent collection, several temporary exhibits, a café, a lounge area with a view of the garden and Paseo del Prado, and a bookstore.

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CaixaForum Madrid | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Shopping | Free
Paseo del Prado 36 | Castellana | +34913307300
10:00 – 20:00 daily

Best visited in warmer weather, this tiny pedestrian street near Conde Duque has several tapa restaurants to choose from. My favorite sight is seeing a group of older Spanish women enjoying their afternoon cañas (beers), a tradition that starts in teir youth and never stops. You’ll also find couples smooching and families pushing strollers.

For restaurants, you can choose from the more contemporary Canela that has brie and foie options, or Taberna de la Canasta and Tabernilla del Leon which offer more standard croquettas and fried potatoes. Calle Cristo is perfect to have a late afternoon or early evening snack before hitting the bars nearby or strolling down Gran Via.

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Calle Cristo | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants | Tapa € 8.00
Calle Cristo | Gran Via & Princesa
10:00 – 23:00 daily

Located across from the post office in Plaza de Cibeles, Casa America is also a beautiful and majestic building, encompassing an old palace, a restaurant, film and lecture theatres and exhibition space.

Their main goal is to share American culture (both South and North) with Spain. There is always something going on, be it a photography exhibition from Mexico, an independent film from the US or a singer from Argentina.

There are tours of the old palace that must be reserved ahead of time (€ 7.00) and a film and concert schedule with small to big acts. Concert and film prices vary depending on the gig, but exhibitions are free.

The entrance is on the backside of the building (walk up Castellana).

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Casa America | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Music | Free
Plaza de la Cibeles, 2 | Gran Via & Princesa | +34915954800
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 20:00, Sun 11:00 – 15:00

Just as when it opened back in 1931, the place is idyllic to have a tea with pastries or scones. Embassy has the “savoir-faire” of good old times. You will find around 18:00 all the grannies having their afternoon snack. There is also a delicatessen store nearby where you can buy the exquisite thin as a leaf sandwiches they serve.

If you are not a tea person you can sip a mimosa just enjoying the place that sets you back in the beginning of the twentieth century. You can also buy bonbons there; home made and natural.

If you don’t feel like staying there, just have a taste of the sandwiches or the excellent goodies they have and keep walking to the Colon square. Here you will find a little statue in a big pedestal commemorating the great Spanish explorer, Columbus.

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Embassy | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Coffee € 3.00
Paseo de la Castellana, 12 | Salamanca Area | +34915764877
09:00 – 21:00 daily

Deep in the heart of the multi-cultural Lavapies neighborhood, you’ll find Habibi, perfect for tea, hummus or belly dancing.

Habibi plays typical Lebanese music which is complimented Friday and Saturday nights after 23:00 with a belly dancer.

They open early for lunch and afternoon snacks of strong tea or coffee to enjoy with sticky honey-nut sweets. The food is a bargain for the price; it’s tasty with lots of fresh parsley and lemon juice on the tabbouleh salads.

Adventurous smokers can try the colorful hookahs to smoke “flavored” tobacco.

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Habibi | Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Lebanese) | Mixed platter € 8.00
Ave Maria 41 | Lavapies & Latina | +34915282569
Sun – Thu 13:30 – 02:00, Fri – Sat 13:30 – 02:30

Very creamy, natural, handmade and tempting in every season.

The ice creams of Heladería La Romana are simply delicious. I hardly recommend the pistachio one but not always you can find it because the flavours are constantly changing.

Indeed, some fruit flavours are only available if it’s the right season. For winter you also have semi-cold ice cream (less cold that the common ice creams) and cioccolata calda, excellent hot chocolate.

I love the one that have hazelnuts. Of course, you can take away the products or eat them seating in the shop that is modern and comfortable with a big showcase. These are not cheap but I think a visit is worth it.

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Heladería La Romana | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks
Santa Engracia 155 | Chamberi | +34915331495
Depends on the season

Madrid’s best second-hand English bookstore also has beer, coffee, quiz nights, snacks and great company.

J&J Books and Coffee is a well-known local haven for expats to collapse into friendly English conversations (Spanish is also spoken!) and to buy second-hand books. Wednesday and Thursday nights are “intercambio” nights to chat alternatively in Spanish and English, while Friday night turns into the rowdiest collection of intellectuals competing at trivia.

During the day the upstairs bar ranges from mellow to lively for coffee drinkers and book perusers, while the downstairs is full of thousands of books.

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J&J Books and Coffee | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Shopping | Coffee € 1.25
Espiritu Santo, 47 | Chueca & Malasaña | +34915218576
Mon – Thu & Sat 11:00 – 00:00, Fri 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 16:00 – 22:00

The first time I entered in La Flauta Mágica, it seamed to me some kind of antique, old-fashioned English pub, both the interior decoration when dominate the mirrors and dark green colours and the clients. But now, I really enjoy this pub.

I think is pleasant, close, and entertaining for all the activities that take place along the week. Story tellers, concerts, Mus (very popular Spanish card game) championships…

The pub is divided in two parts. First, the long bar and then, the dark space for seating for a drink, where you can enjoy performances. The performance area can be altered to the needs of artists, by for example adding a piano.

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La Flauta Mágica | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Beer € 3.00
Alcántara 49 | Salamanca Area | +34914012896
18:00 – 03:00 daily

A typical Spanish “Cafeteria” where you will see a “limpiabotas” (shoe cleaner) like in the old times with people having breakfast, lunch or just having a coffee… It’s a big space with wooden tables and waiters dressed like waiters were dressed in Madrid not so long ago.

Coffees are served in big mugs (”taza de desayuno”). You can also have also ham & cheese sandwiches grilled with real butter.

I go often there to meet friends; you can spend the whole afternoon sipping a coffee or a freshly made orange juice. In summer you have a terrace. You can also eat the typical “platos combinados”, huge dishes with everything (salad, a steak or fish and French fries). It is worth trying.

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La Flecha | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Coffee € 2.50
C/ Juan Bravo, 37 | Salamanca Area | +34915639846
07:30 – 00:00 daily

If you are looking for a quiet café, this is it! This is the perfect place to spend an afternoon just reading a good book or having a good conversation with friends.

The café is peaceful and the service is really nice. The prices are very low and you can also have a game of pool or darts. Just come and relax yourself.

The best? Their milkshakes. You will love them!

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La Hemeroteca | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing
Avenida Filipinas 14 | Moncloa & Arguelles | +34915343483
11:00 – 02:00 daily

This place is not well known if you are from out of town. Locals know it as a place with good music to chill out in the afternoons after a day of work in the city.

It is just near Avenida de América where you grab a bunch of buses to go up to the north east of the country. It also offers tasteful red and white wines. The place is perfect for grab some appetizers (including the “sobreasada” with honey my favorite!), have dinner or chat with friends.

The place is really nice and you can have really delicious salads prepared in a Mediterranean style! The owners of the place usually are present and take care that everything is just right. Just great to play cards on Sundays!!

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Parada y Fonda | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Wine € 2.50
Castello, 124 | Salamanca Area | +34914116808
Sun – Wed 08:00 – 02:00, Thu – Sat 08:00 – 03:00

For obvious reasons, San Ginés is a big hit. The best thing after a night of dancing/a day of sight-seeing/anytime really, is a cup of thick chocolate with churros to dip in it (churros are like long crispy donuts).

This classy chocolatería has been around since 1894 and though maybe it’s not the finest chocolate in the world, it does the trick. Indoors they have white marble floors and tables, but the best part is sitting outside on the terrace in the tiny pedestrian street.

In addition to chocolate and churros, they have porras which are thicker than churros and daily homemade cakes. If you really like the thick chocolate dip, you can buy the mix to make at home.

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San Ginés | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Chocolate & 6 churros € 3.20
Pasadizo de San Gines 5 | Sol | +34913656546
Mon – Fri 09:30 -06:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 06:00

Sula opened a couple of years ago but it is now a place where you can enjoy the best ham. Joselito (trade mark) is a top quality cured ham class “ibérico”. It’s expensive but worth every bite. The staff uniforms are created by Spanish fashion designer Amaya Arzuaga. They have just renovated their wine’s list!

The two-level space has a shop stocking superior items like “jamón ibérico” and sells 200 different Spanish, French and Italian wines. The kitchen, overseen by the great Quique Dacosta of Alicante’s El Poblet, serves amazing modernist “tapas” like the Foie gras mousse with a rum-and-Coke reduction. It offers a varied range of freshly prepared “tapas” using only the best ingredients from the Mediterranean cuisine.

The clientele of the restaurant can be quite snobbish but all the courses are delicious.

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Sula | Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Meal & wine € 45.00
C/ Jorge Juan 33 | Salamanca Area | +34917816197
Mon – Sat 13:30 – 15:30 & 20:30 – 23:00

Arabs inhabited the Iberian Peninsula for eight centuries. Christians that live in Arabic territory of Al-Andalus some centuries ago were called mozárabes. This can help you understand what this tabern is: Spanish with an Arab air.

Here you can find good tapas as “Croquetas de jamón” (€7.50), “Tostas de paté casero” (€2.80), “Carne asada a la pimienta” (€7.00) in a warm ambient.

They have a few wooden tables, arab-inspired lamps, brick walls and wonderful stained-glass windows. Ideal for cold afternoons for eating something and drink a liquor, wine or a the.

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Taberna Mozárabe | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Coffee € 1.40
c/ Reyes 6 | Gran Via & Princesa
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 02:30

What better chocolate than the kind made locally? Valor Chocolate is Spain’s oldest (and only if I’m not mistaking) chocolate/coffee shop franchise which dates back to 1881 and has some mighty tasty options from dark, dark chocolate to white chocolate.

In the summer, go for the chocolate granizado – a glass of iced chocolate yumminess “guaranteed” to come to the table at sub zero temperatures. Whereas a few months ago, when it was freezing and raining outside, I ducked in for a cup of rich hot chocolate scented with cinnamon. You can also order from a huge menu of dessert options and buy chocolate bars and sweets to go from the counter.

There are two branches in Madrid and a handful around Spain, this one is just off the busy Plaza Callao.

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Valor Chocolate | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Chocolate & churros € 3.95
Postigo de San Martín, 7 | Sol | +34915229288
Mon – Thu 08:00 – 22:30, Fri 08:00 – 01:00, Sat 09:00 – 01:00, Sun 09:00 – 22:30