29 bakeries worth the trip across Spain, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Spain guides.
Pastisseria Hofmann ★ 4.7 · Barcelona
born · Carrer dels Flassaders 44, 08003 Barcelona
Pastisseria Hofmann in Barcelona's Born is Mey Hofmann's bake counter: the mascarpone-filled croissant is the signature, sold by the dozen on weekend mornings.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The mascarpone-filled croissant sells out by 11:30 on weekends; the apple-vanilla works any time.
Oriol Balaguer Pastisseria ★ 4.7 · Barcelona
sarria · Plaça de Sant Gregori Taumaturg 2, 08021 Barcelona
Oriol Balaguer in Barcelona's Sant Gervasi is the uphill pastry showroom of the four-time World Pastry Champion: the cruffin and his signature panettone.
Tip: Closed Monday. The panettone needs to be pre-ordered three days ahead in November-December.
Panic ★ 4.7 · Madrid
malasana · Calle del Conde Duque 13, 28015 Madrid
Panic on Calle Conde Duque in Madrid's Malasana is the city's reference sourdough bakery since 2015 by chef Javier Marca, with 24-hour fermented breads, croissants and a small daily-changing pastry counter.
Tip: Open Tue-Sun; closed Monday. Whole loaves (4 to 9 euros) sell out by 13:00; arrive early or order ahead by phone.
La Vina (tarta de queso counter) ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
Calle 31 de Agosto 3, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
La Vina on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian is the birthplace of the burnt Basque cheesecake (tarta de queso La Vina), invented by Santiago Rivera in 1990 and now world famous.
Tip: Order a wedge at the counter and a glass of Pedro Ximenez. Whole cakes for takeaway need 24 hours notice.
La Pastisseria Barcelona ★ 4.6 · Barcelona
eixample · Carrer d'Arago 228, 08007 Barcelona
La Pastisseria Barcelona in Barcelona's Eixample is Josep Maria Rodriguez's modernist pastry counter: laminated croissants, Saint Honoré and competition-grade chocolates.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The Saint Honoré holds best at room temperature; eat within four hours of pickup.
Casa Mira ★ 4.6 · Madrid
centro · Carrera de San Jeronimo 30, 28014 Madrid
Casa Mira on Carrera de San Jeronimo in Madrid has made the turron de Jijona by hand since 1855. The marble-fronted shop still uses the original 19th-century moulds for the Christmas-season production.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Cash preferred. The Christmas-season queue forms in November; turron sold all year, polvorones in autumn.
Pasteleria Otaegui ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
Narrika Kalea 15, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Pasteleria Otaegui's original branch on Narrika in San Sebastian's Old Town has run a counter of Basque pastries since 1886, the pantxineta cream-puff and the tarta de queso as house bakes.
Tip: The pantxineta is the household name; eat the wedge or take a tin home. Several branches across the city.
Bubo ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
born · Carrer de les Caputxes 10, 08003 Barcelona
Bubo in Barcelona's Born is Carles Mampel's modernist pastry counter: the Xabina chocolate mousse cake and the lemon-praline gateau define his style.
Tip: Open daily 10:00 to 21:00. The Xabina by the slice is the easier ask; the whole cake needs 24-hour notice.
Forn Baluard ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
barceloneta · Carrer del Baluard 38, 08003 Barcelona
Forn Baluard in Barcelona's Barceloneta is Anna Bellsola's Mediterranean bakery: pa de blat, coques, ramats, the canonical seafront forn since 2007.
Tip: Closed Monday. Get there before 11:00 for the full coca de fuet range; the ramat is the take-home order.
Turris ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
eixample · Carrer d'Arago 169, 08011 Barcelona
Turris in Barcelona's Eixample is Xavi Barriga's sourdough chain: long-fermentation loaves, laminated croissants and a daily-bake pizza al taglio at lunchtime.
Tip: Open daily. The sourdough sells through by 16:00; queue at 12:00 if you want a whole loaf.
La Mallorquina ★ 4.5 · Madrid
centro · Puerta del Sol 8, 28013 Madrid
La Mallorquina on Puerta del Sol in Madrid has sold the napolitana de crema (custard-filled puff pastry) since 1894. The 19th-century counter still queues out the door every morning.
Tip: Walk-in only; the counter fills up by 09:30. Cash strongly preferred at the counter. The upstairs cafe takes seated customers.
Antigua Pasteleria del Pozo ★ 4.5 · Madrid
centro · Calle del Pozo 8, 28012 Madrid
Antigua Pasteleria del Pozo in Madrid is the 1830-founded pastry shop with the city's oldest sweet-pastry counter, the pastel ruso, and the wood-and-marble shopfront preserved since the 19th century.
Tip: Closed weekends. Cash preferred. The pastel ruso (3 euros) and the rosquillas tontas y listas are the headlines.
Forn Mistral ★ 4.4 · Barcelona
eixample · Ronda de Sant Antoni 96, 08001 Barcelona
Forn Mistral in Barcelona's Sant Antoni has baked Catalan country breads since 1879 in a stone-floored shop: country loaves, coques and the morning-only croissants.
Tip: Open daily from 07:00. The pa de pages country loaf is the order; coca de fuet for lunch picnics.
Escriba ★ 4.4 · Barcelona
eixample · Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 546, 08011 Barcelona
Escriba in Barcelona's Eixample is the four-generation Escriba family bakery: chocolate Easter eggs, modernist gateaux, and the kiosk on the Rambla since 1820.
Tip: Open daily. The chocolate Easter eggs are a March order; the Mona de Pascua is the Holy Week pick.
Panes Creativos ★ 4.4 · Barcelona
sant-antoni · Carrer del Comte d'Urgell 38, 08011 Barcelona
Panes Creativos in Barcelona's Sant Antoni is Daniel Jorda's artisan-sourdough bakery: sculpted bread, long-fermentation loaves, and the Barcelona-Bread champion title twice over.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The sculpted breads are the centerpiece; pre-order for a dinner party.
Lukumas ★ 4.4 · Barcelona
sant-antoni · Carrer del Comte Borrell 92, 08015 Barcelona
Lukumas in Barcelona's Sant Antoni is the brioche-doughnut counter the city pivoted on in 2018: pistachio, dulce de leche, chocolate-and-honey rotating weekly.
Tip: Open daily. The pistachio sells through by 11:30 on weekends; the chocolate-honey flavour is the standard pick.
Levaduramadre ★ 4.4 · Madrid
salamanca · Calle de Lagasca 79, 28001 Madrid
Levaduramadre on Calle Lagasca in Madrid's Salamanca is the artisan sourdough bakery chain founded in 2014, with rye, spelt and white sourdoughs, plus laminated pastries and a small cafe counter at flagship.
Tip: The Salamanca flagship has a cafe counter. Whole loaves run 5 to 8 euros; the pan de centeno sells out by 13:00.
Confiteria La Campana ★ 4.4 · Madrid
centro · Calle Botoneras 6, 28012 Madrid
Confiteria La Campana off Plaza Mayor in Madrid is the original bocadillo de calamares counter since 1956, with the squid rings fried in a small kitchen behind the marble counter to the rastro crowd.
Tip: Walk-in only; counter open daily until late. Cash preferred. The bocadillo (5 euros) is the only headline order.
Horno de San Onofre ★ 4.4 · Madrid
centro · Calle de San Onofre 3, 28004 Madrid
Horno de San Onofre in Madrid's Gran Via is the 1972-founded panaderia and pasteleria with the canonical rosquillas de San Isidro (May festival ring biscuits) and a daily-changing fresh-bread counter.
Tip: Closed Sundays. The rosquillas de San Isidro (10 euros per box) appear from late April to early June.
Celicioso ★ 4.4 · Madrid
chueca · Calle de Hortaleza 3, 28004 Madrid
Celicioso in Madrid's Chueca is the city's reference 100 percent gluten-free bakery since 2012, with celiac-certified breads, pastries and a small cafe carte. The dedicated kitchen handles no gluten at all.
Tip: Open daily. The gluten-free chocolate cake (5 euros per slice) and the croissant alternative are the headlines.
Galparsoro Okindegia ★ 4.4 · San Sebastián
Calle Mayor 6, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Galparsoro Okindegia on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Parte Vieja is an artisan Basque bakery with French-style baguettes, sourdough and walnut-chocolate pastries.
Tip: The morning loaves go first; the apricot tart is the surest sweet pick. Closed Sundays.
Pasteleria Otaegui (Andia) ★ 4.4 · San Sebastián
Calle Andia 6, 20004 Donostia-San Sebastian
Pasteleria Otaegui's Andia branch in San Sebastian's Centro extends the 1886 Basque pastelero brand into the downtown, with the pantxineta and tarta de queso as the consistent house bakes.
Tip: Sit-down counter inside; whole tartas need a day's notice. The branch is the busier downtown sibling.
Pastisseria Canal ★ 4.3 · Barcelona
sarria · Carrer Major de Sarria 76, 08017 Barcelona
Pastisseria Canal in Barcelona's Sarria has run since 1888 with the same family: mona de Pascua, panellets in autumn, traditional Catalan pastry on a quiet Sarria street.
Tip: Closed Monday. The panellets are the All Saints Day pick; pre-order a week ahead.
Viena Capellanes ★ 4.3 · Madrid
centro · Calle del Marques de Urquijo 30, 28008 Madrid
Viena Capellanes in Madrid is the 1873-founded confiteria that gave the capellan pastry its name. The chain still produces breads, brioche capellanes and the iconic emparedados from its central workshop.
Tip: Open daily. The capellan pastry (1.80 euros) is the morning-coffee headline; the emparedados de jamon for take-away lunch.
El Pan de la Tia Javiera ★ 4.3 · Madrid
lavapies · Calle del Olivar 8, 28012 Madrid
El Pan de la Tia Javiera in Madrid's Lavapies is the artisan bakery since 2014, with sourdough breads, traditional Manchego pan rustico and a daily-changing focaccia counter.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Whole loaves run 4 to 7 euros; the focaccia (3 euros per slice) sells out by 14:00.
Horno de la Santiaguesa ★ 4.3 · Madrid
centro · Calle Mayor 73, 28013 Madrid
Horno de la Santiaguesa on Calle Mayor in Madrid is the 1893-founded confiteria with the tarta de Santiago (Galician almond cake) and a daily-changing fresh bread and biscuit counter.
Tip: Closed Sundays. The tarta de Santiago whole (15 euros) or by slice (3.50 euros) is the headline.
Pasteleria Geltoki ★ 4.3 · San Sebastián
Easo Kalea 61, 20006 Donostia-San Sebastian
Pasteleria Geltoki on Easo in San Sebastian's Amara is a working Basque bakery-cafe with a long counter of sourdough, croissants and small viennoiserie, the locals' morning loaf stop.
Tip: The bread queue is long by 09:00. Get a coffee with a Basque pastry at the back counter.
El Postre de Pere ★ 4.2 · Barcelona
gracia · Carrer del Torrent de l'Olla 162, 08012 Barcelona
El Postre de Pere in Barcelona's Gracia is the family-run Catalan country-bakery: carquinyolis almond biscuits, mel i mato, traditional weekly bakes.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The carquinyolis go best with sweet wine; the mel i mato in summer.
Pasteleria Oiartzun ★ 4.1 · San Sebastián
Ijentea Kalea 2, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Pasteleria Oiartzun on Ijentea at the entry to San Sebastian's Parte Vieja, opposite the city hall, is a long-running Basque cake shop with the chocolate-bar croissant, goxua and tarta de queso.
Tip: Whole pantxinetas to take away need a day's notice; the chocolate croissant is the counter pick.