6 Best Cafés in Madrid for 2025 for Coffee and Brunch

Straddling the surprisingly little known Manzanares River, Madrid first became the unofficial Spanish capital in 1561. After a couple of moves and brief periods of occupation by the English, French, Hapsburgs and Portuguese, it was only after the Civil War and eventual fall of Franco that Madrid was officially cemented as capital in 1978.

Now Europe’s second largest city, Madrid receives over ten million visitors every year. It doesn’t take long to see why. Boasting grand architecture, over 80 museums, thousands-upon-thousands of parks and a world-leading nightlife scene, there’s never a bad time to visit Madrid.

Madrid does many things well, and like everywhere else in Spain, food is one it excels at. From its 45 Michelin-awarded restaurants to nondescript stalls expelling churros like they’re going out of fashion, whatever your tastes and budget, it’s never a challenge to find something to suit.

But if there’s one steady cornerstone in Madrid’s ever evolving food scene, it’s the city’s vibrant cafés. Be it sipping a local red in the mountains, sipping cocktails on the Costas or savoring coffee over a card game on a city back street, Spain and café culture are synonymous.

With that, here is my guide to the ultimate best cafés in Madrid.

Getting to Madrid

Madrid is perfect for short city breaks, not least thanks to how easy it is to reach. Most travelers to the Spanish capital will arrive at Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD). Located just nine kilometers from the city center, the easiest way to get downtown is to take a taxi.

Bolt and Uber are available, but Cabify is my go-to in Madrid. A cheaper alternative is to take bus lines 200 or 203, both of which run right into the heart of the city. The Madrid Metro also serves the airport, however you’ll often need to change lines which can be inconvenient with luggage.

If you’re visiting Madrid as part of a longer trip, the city is well connected with the rest of Spain. Madrid Atocha station sees regular high speed trains to Barcelona, as well as international services to Marseille, France.

Travel Trip: If you fancy taking a train trip across the continent, Madrid is the starting point of our 2 week Europe by train itinerary. Cordoba and Seville make great day trips by train from Madrid.

6 Best Cafés in Madrid

1. Etual Café

Being top of the list doesn’t always mean something’s the best, but there’s a reason Etual Café heads up our rundown of the best cafés in Madrid. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but Etual has become a Madrid institution in only three years.

Perfectly located for breakfast before visiting the Prado Museum, Etual is open daily from 8 am (9 am on weekends) to 8 pm. The menu is simple. In the mornings, grab one of their healthy yoghurt bowls, tuck in to brioche or pancakes or go for their classic Spanish toast with tomato and olive oil. If you stop by for lunch, their seasonal lunch bowl and ever-changing sandwiches are the highlights.

Whenever you go to Etual, don’t miss the coffee. As tempting as delicious smoothies are- that’s a hint to get one of them too- it’s the Barcelona-roasted beans which will keep you coming again. The flat whites and cortados are almost too photogenic to drink.

2. Miles Café

Just steps from the Royal Botanical Garden, there’s another haven of peace to unwind in. Miles Café is easily one of the best cafes in Madrid for matcha and iced coffee lovers.

Simple cold brews, mochas and americanos are always on the menu, and great they are too, but you can get them anywhere. It’s Miles’ specialty drinks which makes this one of the best cafés in Madrid. When it comes to iced drinks, their matcha and Jasmin lattes (also available hot) and Coco Americano– and americano with coconut- are the ones to go for.

If you’re feeling a little adventurous, try a Yuenyueng Coffee. A blend of americano and Hong Kong tea, it’s surprisingly refreshing. The Gavin & Stacey fans amongst you could hardly resist the urge to put Deano’s “toffee or key” concoction to the test; he was clearly just ahead of his time.

3. Bucolico Café

When you’re ambling along magnificent Gran Via, the chances are diverting down a side street isn’t on your to-do-list. But if you do, you’ll find another of the best cafés in Madrid. Tucked away between Grand Via and Chueca Metro, Bucolico Café is a slice of country grandeur in the beating heart of the city.

Antique tables adorned with home bakes and pastries set the tone for Bucolico. After all, it’s their bakery which has put them on the map. Everything you eat here has been curated by the owners– friends Alex and Wagner.

If you’re a little too peckish for a cake alone, they have an impressive selection of sandwiches, tostadas and superfood bowls to tide you over. Accompanied, of course, by an extensive coffee menu, though the hot chocolates and milkshakes are always my guilty pleasures.

4. FOUR Specialty Coffee

One block behind Madrid’s epic Royal Palace, the largest in Europe no less, you’ll find FOUR. It might not quite have the same majesty or historical significance, but as one of the best cafés in Madrid, it’s just as deserving of a visit.

Home to coffee, wine and all things nice, FOUR holds its own as one of Madrid’s chicest brunch spots. Better still, they serve it until 3.30 pm (except Tuesdays). Dive into a freshly baked croissant with cacio e pepe scrambled eggs, a hearty grilled cheese with chimichurri or stay healthy with their mammoth house salad.

On the drinks front, all their coffee is made from beans toasted right here in Madrid. If you want to stray away from the everyday, their tonic orange and thyme espresso is certainly quirky. A far better idea, though, is to skip the coffee and go straight onto their natural wine and artisan beer selection.

5. Plenti

To add to Madrid’s many unmissable sights, no visit would be complete without an afternoon in Retiro Park. Hire a bike, hop on a Segway or join a walking tour to get a glimpse of the UNESCO-listed Glass Palace and the Great Pond.

When you’ve seen the sights, exit through the western gate and cross the road to the next on our list of the best cafés in Madrid. Opened in 2017, Plenti reflects owners Sophie and Gonzalo’s training in the cafés of Brighton.

Expect quintessentially British fare with plenty of Plenti’s own flare added for good measure. The breakfast menu is all about simple staples. Think almond milk porridge, granola and toast with marmalade (Seville, of course). If you do fancy something more substantial, their baked eggs are phenomenal. Later in the day, tuck into a homemade quiche, soup of the day or a salad.

6. Pan y Pepinillos Café

Right behind Teatro Flamenco, the perfect place to catch a live performance or even take a flamenco class yourself, Pan y Pepinillos is a coffee lover’s dream. Open every day from 8 am to 8 pm, this understated back street coffee shop is only too deserving of being dubbed one of the best cafés in Madrid.

Always buzzing, yet with the typically Spanish relaxed feel, the menu isn’t fancy, but it is real. All about the coffee, don’t miss their specialty blend batch brew or have a cup of manually filtered. Their matcha, chai and pistachio lattes are always a hit.

They do a divine home-baked croissant, cinnamon rolls and beautifully light banana bread on the side. If you’re craving a little more, Iberico toast, smoked salmon bagels and avocado on toast are always on the menu.

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