After sharing my ultimate Madrid tapas crawl, you could be forgiven for thinking we spent our whole trip eating small plates and drinking wine (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) But dear reader, there was more to our Madrid food adventure than tapas and cocktails. If you haven’t already, don’t miss my Madrid tapas crawl guide, where we ate our way around six brilliant tapas bars.
From speciality coffee and French pastries to epic sandwiches and brunch worth getting excited about, here are the other places we loved.
HanSo Cafe 2
For Asian-inspired brunch and speciality coffee
I’d been here before on my last visit to Madrid and can’t wait to go back. If you love a good brunch and great coffee, HanSo is definitely worth adding to your list. The brunch is next level with an Asian-European twist and the menu is full of dishes that are a little bit different from your usual brunch fare. It’s hugely popular and always busy so be prepared to wait for a table. Once you’ve found a spot, just order and pay at the counter. I’m pleased to report that the coffee is every bit as good as I remembered.
We actually make two trips here during our stay, once for coffee and once for brunch. For brunch, we both opt for the Hokkaido bread plates. I go for the Bikini, with turkey ham, scrambled egg, cheddar cheese and mayo, while David chooses the Chashu Beef, topped with ramen egg, radish, crispy onions and seaweed flakes. Both are absolutely packed with flavour and seriously good. It’s easy to see why HanSo has become one of our Madrid favourites.
Pez Tortilla
For tortillas, croquetas and craft beer
I have fond memories of Pez Tortilla from my last trip to Madrid so I was keen to try this outpost of the popular tortilla chain. It’s busy when we arrive but thankfully we manage to bag a table. Everything is ordered and paid for at the counter and there’s a tempting selection of tortillas and croquetas. So, naturally, we try one of each!
The Brie tortilla with truffle and ham is rich and indulgent, particularly when you use some crusty bread to mop up all those delicious juices. The ham croquettes, served two per portion, are crisp on the outside and creamy in the middle and hit the spot perfectly.
Prices are super reasonable and there’s a great drinks selection too, including a tempting range of craft beers. It’s a brilliant spot for a quick and very affordable bite or as we discovered, the perfect pre-tapas stop for our Madrid Tapas Crawl .
Geisha Coffee
For a caffeine fix in the heart of the city
Location, location, location! Tucked just off one of Madrid’s main tourist drags, Geisha Coffee is a handy little spot for a quick caffeine fix when you’re exploring the city centre. It’s close enough to all the action but just far enough away to escape some of the hustle and bustle.
The staff speak good English, there’s an English menu, you order and pay at the counter and there are several high tables if you fancy stopping for a proper coffee break rather than grabbing one to go. It’s not somewhere I’d make a special trip across the city for, but if you’re in the area and in need of a decent coffee, it’s a very handy pit stop.
Santa Eulalia Boulangerie Patisserie
For artisan pastries, speciality coffee and a historic setting
I can’t not go back to Santa Eulalia Boulangerie. It was one of the highlights of my last trip to Madrid so I’m keen for David to experience it for himself. This beautiful bakery serves classic French pastries and speciality coffee but there’s more to discover, including a dining room with transparent flooring that reveals the remains of 11th-century Christian wall ruins. How cool is that?
But first, the baked goods! David chooses an almond croissant and I go for the Hojaldre con caramelo, aka caramel puff pastry. Both are excellent, as is the coffee and the service is worth a mention too. It’s table service all the way here which makes the whole experience feel a little more special. If you love good pastries and coffee, definitely add this one to your Madrid list.
Divorare
For epic Italian focaccia sandwiches
There are now six outposts of this super-popular focaccia sandwich shop across Madrid. The name means devour and that’s exactly what you’ll want to do when you see these sandwiches! The chain prides itself on making its own 48-hour slow-fermented focaccia and stuffing it with generous quantities of imported Italian ingredients.
After our Bernabéu Stadium tour (which I highly recommend, by the way), we head to the Bernabéu Market, a food court on steroids with around 20 food stalls and restaurants, including Divorare. We can’t resist the classic Come a Casa, piled high with Italian mortadella, fresh stracciatella, pistachio pesto and a signature drizzle of honey. The sandwiches are absolutely enormous and one is easily be enough to share. We certainly don’t go hungry!
Be Bahn Mi – Es Vietnam
For fresh Asian flavours
We find this place quite by accident but what a happy accident it is! We’re looking for a quick lunch before heading to the airport and by this stage, we’re probably made up of about 90% tapas, so some Vietnamese food feels like just the ticket.
The restaurant is light and airy, the service is friendly and the menu is packed with Vietnamese favourites. Disappointingly, I’m far too hot for pho but there’s always a bánh mì! There’s a good selection of rolls to choose from but in the end we go for the char siu and the crispy pork. The bread is fresh and wonderfully crisp, while the fillings are well balanced and plentiful. It’s a lucky find and a welcome change from tapas with fresh Asian flavours and an excellent bánh mì. Definitely one to remember if you’re looking for something a little different in Madrid.
So, there you have it, our favourite foodie finds in Madrid (beyond the tapas bars, of course.) Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never say no to a plate of tapas or a glass of wine but one of the joys of exploring Madrid is discovering all the other places that make the city such a brilliant food destination.
From lazy brunches and speciality coffee to buttery pastries and epic sandwiches, these are the spots we’d happily return to. Hopefully they might inspire your own Madrid food adventure too.
Have you been to Madrid? What’s the one food or coffee spot you’d recommend? And which of these foodie finds would you want to try first?
All food and drink was independently paid for and all opinions are my own
