Best Cafes in Madrid
Bar Mirador El Estanque
My first destination in Madrid is one of my favorite spots, El Retiro Park. I would like to start my trip here in a relaxed mood.This is one of the cafes near the pond in El Retiro where people row small boats. I sit at one of the empty tables and order churros. The churros is an excuse, I just want to sit by the pond. It is one of the places where I would recommend spending time because of its location rather than what you eat. And if you are lucky like me, you may come across live music from an uncle while you are sitting.
People rowing on the pond, people stopping to take photos around the pond, and the romantic music playing in the background draw me into peace. I keep thinking that it would be nice if a marriage proposal was made while rowing, but the possibility of falling into the water out of excitement and joy is a risk that I wouldn’t be willing to take.
Honest Greens Madrid
After wandering around El Retiro a little more, I return to the hotel and check in. My room is very large and full of little treats. My trip to Madrid seems to be getting better despite the cold. My new direction is Chueca region. We enjoyed walking around last time we were here, I even sat in one of its squares and drank coffee while my friend was endlessly shopping at Primark. My intention this time was the cafe in the courtyard of the Museum of Romanticism (Museo del Romanticismo), which was closed due to hours when we last went. On this visit, I learned that they have closed it completely in 2020.I am heading towards the square where I drank coffee before, but the building of a cafe I have saved is also under restoration. Has my luck suddenly turn around? 🙁
Honest Greens is one of the places we discovered by chance on our last trip, but since then, has become a regular in my visits to Spain. It’s a safe choice to me. I had banana bread with oat milk latte. The banana bread is one of the best I had recently.
My cafe tour ends for today. On the way back, I stop by Wow Konsept on Gran Via. This is almost a museum-like store where products of different and often expensive brands are sold. There is a different concept on each floor, footnote toilets are also very clean 🙂 There was also a rooftop bar on the top floor, but it seemed to be temporarily closed.
Café Del Art
My next stop in the morning is Cafe Del Art, one of Spottedbylocals’ local recommendations. This place blows me away with its decor. A ceiling decorated with greenery on a long table in the middle. Mostly wooden details, but materials reminiscent of the past, such as velvet chair covers, were also used. A wooden world map stands on the wall. Since it was a Saturday morning and I went at the opening time, I was able to find a seat, but it got crowded after I left.
I start the day with croissants and coffee at Cafe Del Art. The croissant is large, but to be honest, it is not the best I have eaten in terms of taste and texture. The coffee is also a little strong for me. The ambiance is so nice that even the food I eat tastes better than it actually is.
Hola Coffee
After Cafe Del Art, I go to El Retiro Park again. If I lived in Madrid, I would be a regular. Since it is Sunday, everyone is doing sports activities and the park is lively. As I leave the park, I pass by the green wall near Caixa Forum. There is Hola Coffee, another local recommendation, that I bookmarked near the park. The location of the second coffee of the day is thus determined.
This is a very small cafe. Both tourists and locals prefer it. In addition to normal chairs and tables, there are also seating arrangements that resemble benches. Their desserts look pretty good too, but since I’m not hungry yet, I just settle for coffee. The coffee is delicious but the cups are a little small. Of course, like almost all the 3rd wave coffee shops, the price is a bit high. You can also buy ground coffee here. Since it is small and crowded, I think it is not a place for long conversations.
La Bicicleta Cafe
After Hola Coffee, I walk towards the Palacio Real de Madrid. This place is also very lively and is a popular spot for tourists. Since it is not sunset time, I cannot find those beautiful views I have seen in my previous visit.
After visiting the stores of the familiar brands on Gran Via, I need to drink my third coffee of the day because I am tired and my battery is low. So coffee becomes a necessary destination. I dive into the streets of Chueca District via Gran Via again.
When I visited this area the day before, the front of Bicicleta Café was very crowded. However, when I luckily found a seat, I didn’t get what is so appealing about this place. The coffee is way too strong in my opinion, but I guess there are people who like it that way. Maybe it is the name attracts people.
La Rollerie
The last cafe I stopped at before leaving Madrid was La Rollerie. It has branches in different locations, I have chosen the one close to my hotel, Hotel Casual Teatre Madrid. Although it looks like a luxury restaurant, it actually serves more like a patisserie and the prices are not too high. Since this place is usually very crowded in the morning and at noon, I was curious to try.
I ordered carrot cake and mango smoothie. Especially the carrot cake was incredibly delicious, and even though it was late in the evening, it was still fresh. The smoothie was also not too sweet, just the way I like, and went well with the carrot cake. The service was a little slow late in the evening, I guess because they were tired.
