The Best Cafes in Madrid for Coffee, Pastries, and Lunch

Madrid is chock full of charming cafes with great coffee, pastries, and sandwiches. From historic establishments to chic, modern spots with specialty blends, this guide will help you find the best cafes in the Spanish capital.

Misión Café

Misión serves the city’s best specialty coffee, full stop. But that’s not all—this cafe near Malasaña also has their own bakery next door, meaning they are always stocked with fluffy croissants and fresh bread, which they sell by the loaf. They use this sourdough bread for their mouthwatering grilled cheese sandwich, too, which is one of the highlights of their small yet excellent food menu. With friendly service and top quality coffee and food, this is my pick for the best cafe in Madrid.

Panadería Novo Mundo

Located on a sunny hilltop near Lavapiés, Novo Mundo serves high-end specialty coffee as well as fresh baked goods from their on-site bakery. With excellent croissants and sandwiches, too, it’s another great spot for breakfast or a light lunch.

Café Comercial

Opened in 1877, Café Comercial is the oldest cafe in Madrid, with a privileged location on the Glorieta de Bilbao at the northern edge of Malasaña.

The place was a favored haunt of prominent writers, artists, and politicians of 20th-century Spain, and sipping a coffee in its elegant interior feels like a step back in time.

Café de la Luz

At the southern edge of Malasaña, this cafe is a great place to try pan con tomate, the simple yet delicious Spanish breakfast consisting of a piece of toasted bread topped with grated tomato, olive oil, and salt.

I like to top mine with some Spanish cheese or ham (jamón ibérico) as well. The cafe has a charming, kitschy interior and makes for a perfect place for a leisurely start to your day.

Café Moderno

For an afternoon coffee and sunbath, there is no better place than Café Moderno on the peaceful Plaza de las Comendadoras just west of Malasaña.

This is a heavenly place to spend a sunny afternoon, sipping coffee over conversation or the relaxing solitude of some reading. Cinephiles may recognize this spot from Pedro Almodóvar’s Madres paralelas, in which one of the main characters lives right next door to the cafe.

Magasand

Located in swanky Salamanca, Madrid’s fanciest neighborhood, this chic cafe has great coffee and even better sandwiches. I highly recommend the nomanches de pollo—chicken in a chipotle sauce alongside cheese, avocado, tomato, and greens. If the weather is nice, order it to go and take a short walk over to Parque del Retiro for a glorious picnic lunch.

Pastelería Mallorca

Right across the street from Magasand, Mallorca is the most famous pastry shop in Madrid, serving all manner of sweets since it opened in 1931. Their most popular pastry is the ensaïmada, the iconic spiral pastry from the Mediterranean island after which the shop is named, but they have plenty of other great treats too, so just go with what appeals to your eye. Enjoy your sweets at a table with a coffee or take them over to Retiro for a wonderful dessert for your picnic lunch.

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