When looking for a great cafe scene, most people would not think of Madrid first. However, after moving there, my sister started raving about the great coffee shops in the city. So during my recent month-long visit, checking out great coffee shops and brunch spots was our daily routine. We managed to get our coffee fix between sightseeing, wandering around neighborhoods and enjoying the lovely weather. We always made time for a proper specialty flat white, cortado or a black coffee.
We came up with this list of great coffee shops that I want to share with you. The list is arranged by neighborhoods to make it easier for you to stop by while exploring those areas – great coffee is never too far in Madrid.
Before we start with the list, check out my guide to coffee culture in Spain with the tips on visiting the coffee shops.
- Tips for Visiting Madrid Cafes
- Best Cafes in Malasaña: Trendy Specialty Coffee and Brunch
- Specialty Coffee in Malasaña
- Best Brunch in Malasaña
- Sweet Shops in Malasaña
- Best Cafes in Chueca: Stylish and Colorful
- Specialty Coffee in Chueca
- Best Brunch in Chueca
- Sweet Shops in Chueca
- Best Cafes Near Sol: Specialty Coffee in the Heart of Madrid
- Specialty Coffees around Sol
- Best Brunch around Sol
- Sweet Shops around Sol
- Best Cafes in Lavapiés: Coffee Near Prado and Antón Martín
- Best Coffee in Lavapiés
- Best Brunch in Lavapiés
- Best Cafes in La Latina: Great Coffee Between Tapas Stops
- Specialty Coffee in La Latina
- Best Brunch in La Latina
- Best Cafes in Salamanca: Elegant Coffee Shops and Brunch Spots
- Specialty Coffee in Salamanca
- Best Brunch in Salamanca
- Best Food Tours in Madrid
Tips for Visiting Madrid Cafes
Opening Times
- Many of the Madrid specialty coffee shops and brunch places don’t have siesta closing, which I personally love, as I like grabbing coffee whenever I feel like and afternoon is often that time. But be sure to check because some still close in the afternoons.
- Many specialty coffee shops stay open as late as 8-9 pm. However, if you are visiting the brunch spots, then expect 5-6pm closing time, as a rule.
Reservations
While you absolutely don’t normally need reservations at the cafes in Madrid, you might consider it in exceptional cases. If you really want to visit any of the popular brunch places during the hours of 11am-3pm, you might want to reserve to avoid long waits. I have never even attempted reserving – I felt it’s unnecessary with so many alternative options available, if we didn’t find a place at one particular spot.
Prices
Prices are almost always reasonable, unless you visit an extremely fancy restaurant I guess – never tried that so can’t report exactly. We didn’t even check the prices in coffee shops, because they are pretty standard depending on the type of coffee you want. I don’t remember any being over 3.50 EUR and that’s a stretch.
Service
Service in Madrid cafes is usually direct and to the point. Staff may not be overly chatty or smiley, but that doesn’t mean they’re unfriendly.
For more detailed tips on coffee culture in Spain, see my comprehensive guide.
Best Cafes in Malasaña: Trendy Specialty Coffee and Brunch
Let’s start with the trendy neighborhood Malasaña, where you will almost automatically end up at some point. It’s close to so many sites – the Royal Palace, Debod and the museums, full of little streets, and packed with cafes. If you like hopping between specialty coffee spots and relaxed brunch places, this is probably where you’ll spend quite a bit of time.
Specialty Coffee in Malasaña
We absolutely can’t talk about Malasaña coffee shops without first mentioning Toma. It’s one of the pioneers of Madrid specialty coffee scene. Not surprisingly its small space is always busy. Coffee is great – they offer strong flat white with just the right amount of milk. You can get several vegan milk and pastry options here.
Toma now has 3 branches: one in Malasaña, second and third branches northward in Chamberi area.
I had not seen Masamune recommended on any lists, so we accidentally ended up here, when we needed coffee before the visit to the Museo del Romanticismo. So I just googled specialty coffees nearby and we blindly went to Masamune. To my great surprise, it ended up being one of the best coffees I’ve had in Madrid. My flat white was strong and creamy. So I don’t have to say that I dragged my sister there, right? I highly recommend this modern coffee shop.
This little cafe was one of my favorites. I liked their coffee and pastries. Also great vibes. We ended up here a couple of times when we needed a break while shopping. I am not a fan of shopping, so this coffee shop has a perfect location, at a stone’s throw from Gran Via. It’s often very crowded though, so you may only be able to get a takeaway during the busy times.
This appealing coffee shop has cool window seats and generally great vibes. Their black coffee is good, but I have to admit I wasn’t a fan of the flat white, as it was too milky for my taste. If you like less strong flat whites though, you should order one.
If you are looking for an old-fashioned coffee shop, instead of modern specialty scene, check out this cafe. Their historical décor, music and coffee options can help you feel Madrid in its old charm.
A modern unpretentious cafe with great specialty coffee and brunch options.
This coffee shop already looks very appealing from outside with its colorful wall graffiti. At first glance, you might think it’s tiny but it’s actually quite spacious for the area. Come to try their specialty coffee and pastries.
Best Brunch in Malasaña
It’s difficult for me to decide whether to include Hanso among the coffee shops or the brunch places. It’s great for either. They have great specialty coffee and delicious brunch options. This was the first brunch place we came to first time I visited Madrid, but trust me I am not subjective.
This is one of the quirkiest cafes in Madrid. You should definitely visit for the interesting décor – yes, they do have a bicycle hanging on the wall and strange skull graffiti. Plus, the brunch food was good with great options for toasts, eggs benedict and bowls. Now, I wasn’t exactly a fan of coffee though, so keep this in mind and grab your coffee in the nearby specialty shops instead.
Another one of my favorite brunch places. Everything we tried was tasty from eggs benedict (I know I mention it a lot but I love it 😊) to pancakes and bowls.
Federal already has three branches around Madrid – in Malasaña, in Centro/La Latina and in Salamanca. All branches are rather popular, so you might have to wait for your spot, if you come during a popular brunch time, especially on the weekend. Also keep in mind that they close the kitchen at least an hour before the closing time. We actually arrived more than an hour before once, but didn’t get a chance to order food.
One more interesting note that is not like other cafes: they have two separate menus – for breakfast/brunch period and for lunch/dinner. I think they switch at about 2pm.
While Brunchit is already a big chain around Spain, it’s no less beautiful and delicious. So I will mention a few of their branches. We visited this branch on a particularly tiring day, when our train was delayed indefinitely and we were unable to go for our day trip. They served us specialty coffee and a generous portion of brunch.
Sweet Shops in Malasaña
While this is not a cafe as such, this gelateria is definitely not to be missed. You must try their palette or board – not sure what to call it, but you get this pretty thing with several flavours of your choice. It’s delicious.
Best Cafes in Chueca: Stylish and Colorful
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Chueca neighborhood is colors. The cute little streets are colorful and very lively. And you also have numerous cool coffee shops and brunch spots to check out.
This neighborhood is also particularly busy any day of the week. We often had to look around for a free table here, but some of the best cafes in Madrid are exactly in this area, so they are worth the hassle.
Specialty Coffee in Chueca
Did you know that Osom Coffee is awesome? Yeap, that’s how we remember this cafe with delicious coffee. It’s a small coffee shop and always very crowded, we barely got the seats a couple of times and had to move on some other times.
Osom does have more branches too. One of them is in the same neighborhood, a bit further towards del Prado. Another one is located in Anton Martin neighborhood – more on this later.
Japanese-style cafe with specialty coffee and delicious pastries. Visit especially if you love matcha and Japanese sweets, like mochi and cheesecakes.
One of the most popular and picturesque cafes in Chueca if not all of Madrid, Faraday has a quirky décor, jazz music and good specialty coffee. They decorate with vinyls. Plus they have various games you can play, like chess.
This beautiful vintage cafe may not offer specialty coffee, but they will serve you a strong coffee with delicious cakes. Plus, the décor is amazing, you feel like you stepped into the 19th century. Everything from the lamps, armchairs, different types of old tables, bookshelves, the wall art makes you feel cozy.
Best Brunch in Chueca
I can’t help but start with the best brunch restaurant in Madrid. In fact, Zenith has two branches in Chueca – a bigger one on c. de Valverde and another one on c. del Desengano. Choose either of them, they are very much the same.
We have visited several times with parents, as well as alone. We tried so many things from pancakes to salads to bowls to eggs benedict and we invariably loved everything. On top of this the brunch comes with a good coffee.
Natif Coffee & Kitchen Specialty Coffee
This is one of the cafes which is very difficult to classify as either a coffee shop or a brunch place. Both coffee and food are great here. Even located next to Osom, Natif’s coffee is no less delicious. They have a lot of brunch options, like shakshuka and pancakes.
I love the modern sleek décor. But the downside is that the location is very popular, so you will highly likely have to wait for a spot to open up, unless you come at a less popular time – I am not sure there’s a lot of slots like that though.
Another one of my favorite brunch spots. We tried bowls and pancakes and not only were they amazing, but also large. This cafe is also beautifully decorated. You may want to visit just to get the Instagram photos. We sat on the window seats and it was great to watch the street and the cafe.
As if Chueca lacked great coffee and brunch spots, another one of our favorites is also located here. It is one of the cutest cafes in Madrid hands down. The vibe is very sweet and cozy. You just want to sit there for hours and never leave – I have to admit we did spend a lot of time there. In addition to great specialty coffee and pastries, they offer nice toasts with sourdough bread.
While Chueca definitely has numerous options for brunch spots, I will still have to mention this beautiful Instagrammable cafe chain with huge brunch portions.
Sweet Shops in Chueca
This pastry shop was founded over a century ago. It still has gorgeous vintage décor. So definitely check it out. Their pastries are also delicious – we tried the chocolate cake.
Best Cafes Near Sol: Specialty Coffee in the Heart of Madrid
Sol is technically just the very heart of Madrid, not really a proper neighborhood. It’s busy, touristy and always loud, but don’t let that put you off. There are still a few very solid specialty cafes tucked between souvenir shops and historic buildings.
Specialty Coffees around Sol
First of all, the location of this cafe is amazing on a secluded piazza. We visited on a sunny afternoon and loved the area. The cafe has a very interesting décor with bricks. We were happy with our coffee fix in such a relaxed atmosphere during a long sightseeing day.
I know the name is strange, isn’t it? But there’s nothing brutal about this cafe. The sleek modern cafe offers specialty coffee, as well as brunch options. I was happy with the coffee after a long day of sightseeing, but to be honest was not much impressed with the toasts. They were not bad of course, but I guess I was too spoiled with amazing brunches in Madrid.
With its great location off Gran Via, where you don’t find too many independent specialty coffee places, Geisha is definitely a spot to check out. They also serve snacks, if you want to grab a bite.
Best Brunch around Sol
This is a second branch of Hanso I mentioned in my Malasaña list. We visited this branch as well and loved it no less. Do try their toasts with avocado and salmon, as well as the mousse cake.
You might be surprised why on earth am I including a market on the list of great brunch places. But trust me Mercado San Miguel definitely deserves a highlight, not just a spot on the list. The 1916 beautiful Art Nouveau style building offers a number of food counters, where you can buy tons of different types of lunch and eat it standing at the high bar tables. We tried a few things but kept coming back for the selection of delicious olives and for empanadas. Oh, and don’t forget the tasty cakes. If you are in the area, even if you aren’t hungry, come here for the vibes.
Ps. If you, like me, don’t like markets and can’t take the smells, you can be reassured. This is not the type of a market you imagine, it’s just a giant space with food stalls.
Another branch of Federal – we already discussed one in Malasaña. This branch is even more spacious and has great outdoor seating on the square. We really enjoyed those outdoor spaces during the warm autumn days.
As with the other branch you will find two menus – for morning and for later in the day. They have many different options you can try. But honestly we were not impressed with the pastry selection.
Sweet Shops around Sol
No Madrid guide will ever be complete without mentioning this historical chocolateria. It now is a collection of several cafes all called San Gines. If you want a place to sit, there’s almost always a queue. Otherwise, you can grab the churros with hot chocolate to go if you like. That’s actually what we did and had to wait about 5 minutes in the queue even for that. I am not really a fan of oily churros, but they were pretty good with hot chocolate not overly sweet. Either way, even if you don’t like sweets, you have to visit at least once for the vibes and a century old tradition.
If you want to visit a beautiful 19th century cafe with colorful walls, marble tabletops and the old-style beautiful china, then El Riojano is your vibe. We first didn’t realize that the sweet shop had a beautiful cafe inside and accidentally discovered it. I have to admit we were not fans of their sweets – but we generally don’t like old style pastries that are extremely sugary. So you have to try yourself to decide whether they are for you or not.
Best Cafes in Lavapiés: Coffee Near Prado and Antón Martín
This area is very diverse and international. It’s also right next to the Prado and Reina Sofía, so if you’re doing a museum day, this is where you’ll likely stop for coffee at some point.
Best Coffee in Lavapiés
Located near Anton Martin station, this is one of the best coffees in Madrid. The space is beautiful and atmosphere is very welcoming. They also do offer brunch food, however, haven’t tried it yet.
This is a second branch of the awesome Osom. As we already discussed, their coffee is wonderful – strong and just right.
This branch has a great location for museum goers to get a break with great coffee and brunch. However, it’s no more spacious than its Chueca counterpart though, so it can get crowded.
This tiny quirky coffee shop is another spot to get a break during your museum exploration. Don’t forget to check out the handwritten notes on the walls. They also offer meals and pastries with the coffee, but we haven’t tried them. Coffee though is pretty good.
I really liked the vibes and décor of this cafe. It’s certainly a beautiful and cozy spot to have a break from the museums. Their coffee was good – well, not the very best, my flat white was too milky tasting for my taste, but still good.
One of the best specialty coffees in Madrid with various blends on offer. Don’t forget to grab pastries as well.
Best Brunch in Lavapiés
One of my favorite brunch spots, which I actually managed to go to only once – somehow never made it there until a few days before I left. We absolutely loved the atmosphere – we sat at the relatively secluded table at the window. The décor is beautiful, soft and cozy. Their toasts were delicious – the options were actually nontraditional, so we tried beetroot and halloumi ones and loved them. Last but not least, coffee was well made!
While this gorgeous cafe at the Modern Art Museum is classified, as a restaurant, it honestly is more of a cafe. I can’t rave enough about its red-colored spacious interior, which perfectly fits the vibes of modern art.
This spot is barely ever listed among the great cafes in Madrid, which baffles me, because it’s so beautiful and Instagrammable. I actually discovered it, while looking for our morning coffee and breakfast spot before visiting the Reina Sofia. All four of us, parents included, enjoyed the vibes, coffee and the food. Interestingly, the prices were also not higher than in other cafes around, which surprised me considering the fact that it’s located at the entrance of the museum.
The cafe is very cute with quirky décor. We actually came here on one afternoon and were watching girls posing for photos for half of the time we spent there. We admitted that was not surprising because the place is really attractive.
Keep in mind that while tasty, their brunch portions are pretty small – they are also accordingly priced. So if normally in brunch restaurants you get one toast, here you might need two. They are very tasty though.
Pascal Specialty Coffee & Brunch
First of all, this cafe is surprisingly spacious in an area, where brunch places have space issues. We were impressed by the brunch options – we tried the eggs benedict, toasts and granolas.
This cafe is more of an honorable mention. While it doesn’t offer a great specialty coffee or amazing brunch food, it is a beautiful cafe inside the Palacio de Cibeles. We ended up here, while waiting for our time slot to go to the viewpoint of the Palacio. I am not sure why the place has so many bad reviews. The staff were not all smiles, but that’s pretty normal in Spain. Coffee was good enough – well, at least the black coffee was. I wouldn’t recommend cappuccinos or lattes here, as they weren’t made particularly well. Overall, it was worth it for the décor, as a nice stop.
Best Cafes in La Latina: Great Coffee Between Tapas Stops
La Latina is mostly known for tapas and Sunday markets, but you shouldn’t overlook it for coffee and brunch. Between the old streets and buzzing terraces, you’ll find some great specialty spots and surprisingly good brunch cafes.
Specialty Coffee in La Latina
This is one of my favorite cafes. We visited the first time during the El Rastro – a weekend flea market happening in this area on the weekends. The cafe is at the square, which was full of market stalls. The cafe was very busy but we didn’t have to wait more than 5 minutes for the places to sit.
The cafe is very charming. Atmosphere is lively. We enjoyed their specialty coffee, as well as pastries and can highly recommend.
This is one of the best specialty coffees in Madrid. They have two branches – the second branch is just around the corner from the first location.
Similar to other cafes in the area, this one is also particularly busy during the El Rastro market on the weekends. With its tiny space, I wouldn’t count on finding anywhere to sit, so you will likely only manage to get coffee to go. I have done so several times.
A wonderful neighborhood cafe. As some other coffee shops in the area it has a tiny space, so you can’t really sit here with your laptop and work. But you can grab great specialty coffee and really tasty sweets – pastries and chocolates.
Funnily, this cafe proves to be what its name suggests. The atmosphere is very quiet and “slow”. You can easily relax in this vintage old cafe with wooden décor. It doesn’t feel like a cafe with to go coffee but more like a place to slow down. You can get great specialty coffee, as well as brunch food here.
Best Brunch in La Latina
As mentioned above about Carmencita’s other branch, this cafe is also very cute, with beautiful décor in pastel colors. The staff was particularly welcoming. Plus, its brunch food comes in huge portions. I have to admit I wasn’t able to eat even half of what I ordered.
One thing I have to exceptionally note – their bathrooms had free hygienic pads available for customers, which I always highly appreciate.
Ruda Cafe offers brunch options in the heart of La Latina. You can visit during El Rastro on the weekends. With limited opportunities to find brunch spots in this tapas-focused area, Ruda offers good toasts and pastries. Also come for the good strong specialty coffee.
Ruda has a second branch not too far from the first one.
Best Cafes in Salamanca: Elegant Coffee Shops and Brunch Spots
Salamanca feels very different from the rest of the center. Instead of cute streets, narrow balconies and quirky décor, you will find wider streets, nicer buildings, more boutiques. The cafes here reflect that too with stylish interiors, good specialty coffee and calmer brunch settings.
Specialty Coffee in Salamanca
This specialty coffee shop looks very different from most other Madrid cafes. In fact, when we first entered we thought it was a hotel lobby rather than a specialty coffee shop. Its décor looks more upscale and spacious compared to most cafes listed in this guide. We tried their flat whites, which were great.
While I haven’t visited the East Crema branch in Salamanca, I do love this coffee shop chain and this branch is very conveniently located. You have to try their flat whites and cappuccinos, they are made perfectly.
Hola is actually one of the well-known specialty coffee spots in Madrid. With another branch in Lavapiés, it’s famous for its strong coffee options.
I haven’t gotten a chance to try this very famous coffee, but I keep seeing it on many lists and I need some new options for my next visit, right?
Another well-known option in Salamanca that’s still on my list for next time.
Best Brunch in Salamanca
Norah offers a beautifully decorated modern brunch space. Come for Salmon toasts and eggs benedict, as well as good coffee.
With much simpler décor than its counterparts in the posh Salamanca area, this brunch spot offers tasty food options.
Want beautiful Instagrammable pink décor? Coffee art with beautiful pictures on the foam? What about beautifully presented pancakes, eggs benedict, toasts and cakes, that actually taste great? Garden Brunch offers it all.
One of the three branches of this brunch cafe already mentioned above in Malasaña and Sol neighborhood guides.
Best Food Tours in Madrid
If you love discovering a city through its food, Madrid makes it very easy. Between tapas bars, markets and wine spots, you could easily spend days just eating your way through different neighborhoods.
I personally enjoy hopping between places on my own, especially when cafe hunting. But I completely understand the appeal of a guided food tour, especially if it’s your first time in the city or you want a bit more background on what you’re actually eating.
Around La Latina and near Mercado de San Miguel, you’ll find plenty of tapas and wine tours that combine traditional taverns, local specialties and a bit of history. It can also save you from the classic tourist mistake of sitting at the first place you see near Sol.
If that sounds like your kind of thing, here are a few options worth looking into:
- La Latina is especially famous for its tapas bars, so this tour focuses on classic tapas, drinks and even desserts in the area.
- If you’d rather avoid the obvious tourist spots, this tapas and drinks tour takes you to more local places.
- This one explores the Las Letras area near Antón Martín, one of my favorite parts of Madrid, combining food stops with a bit of neighborhood history.
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