Hidden in a tiny, curving side-street, 3 minutes from Madrid’s central square La Puerta del Sol you will find the Antigua Pastelería del Pozo; get your cameras ready, because you will want to take photos – it’s beautiful!

I’ve been buying pastries in this magical place for over 20 years, but it’s been around much longer than that. Opening as a baker’s in 1810, it became a cake shop in 1830, and little has changed since then. It has all the original decor and fittings, and the traditional recipes and flavours have remained the same too. 

Their speciality are “empanadas”; shortcrust or flaky pastry discs, filled with tuna or meat. You can find these all over Madrid, but few can compete with El Pozo’s. They also specialise in seasonal cakes associated with religious festivals – in the photo you can see Roscones, traditional at Christmas – they smelled heavenly.

Something I have always loved about pastry shops in Madrid is the way they wrap things up and tie them with white string… you feel like you are carrying a little present home with you, even if it’s only a couple of croissants. And talking of croissants, Pastelería del Poza makes delicious, buttery ones, just the thing to sustain you while you are wandering around this historic and central area.