30 cafes worth the trip across Spain, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Spain guides.
Satan's Coffee Corner ★ 4.6 · Barcelona
gotic · Carrer de l'Arc de Sant Ramon del Call 11, 08002 Barcelona
Satan's Coffee Corner in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is Marcos Bartolome's third-wave anchor: single-origin beans, alternative-brewing setup and morning toasts.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 18:00. Closed Sunday afternoons; a second branch sits in the Hotel Casa Bonay.
Sakona Coffee Roasters ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
Ramon Maria Lili Pasealekua 2, 20002 Donostia-San Sebastian
Sakona Coffee Roasters in San Sebastian's Gros has run a specialty coffee programme since 2015, anchoring the city's third-wave scene with a 30-cover cafe a block from Zurriola beach. The roastery is in Irun on the French border.
Tip: Try the seasonal filter pour or a flat white; the bean retail wall stocks Sakona's roasts to take home.
Cafes el Magnifico ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
born · Carrer de l'Argenteria 64, 08003 Barcelona
Cafes el Magnifico in Barcelona's Born is the family-run espresso bar founded 1919 by the Sans, roasting beans on-site since the 1980s and pouring the city's tightest espresso.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat from 09:00. Closed Sunday. Takeaway window faster than the bar at peak.
Granja M. Viader ★ 4.5 · Barcelona
raval · Carrer d'En Xucla 4, 08001 Barcelona
Granja M. Viader in Barcelona's Raval, open since 1870, invented Cacaolat in 1933 and still pours the chocolate-milk recipe by the glass at the marble counter.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 09:00 to 21:15. Closed Sunday. Cacaolat by the glass is the dish-shop order.
Toma Cafe ★ 4.5 · Madrid
malasana · Calle de la Palma 49, 28004 Madrid
Toma Cafe on Calle de la Palma in Madrid's Malasana is the city's first specialty third-wave room since 2011, with single-origin beans roasted in-house and a small daily-changing brunch carte.
Tip: Open Mon-Fri 08:00-19:00, weekends 09:00-19:00. The weekend brunch (12 to 16 euros) fills up by 11:00.
Mision Cafe ★ 4.5 · Madrid
chamberi · Calle de los Reyes 5, 28015 Madrid
Mision Cafe in Madrid's Conde Duque is the specialty third-wave room with house-roasted beans, a daily-changing brunch carte and a clean Scandinavian-design dining room since 2017.
Tip: Open daily 09:00-20:00. The weekend brunch sets (14 to 19 euros) book up by 11:30; walk-in only.
Hola Coffee ★ 4.5 · Madrid
lavapies · Calle Doctor Fourquet 33, 28012 Madrid
Hola Coffee on Calle Doctor Fourquet in Madrid's Lavapies is the specialty roaster-and-cafe since 2017, with beans roasted in the back, single-origin filter and the city's strongest pour-over carte.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 09:00-19:00, Sunday 10:00-17:00. The bag of single-origin beans (12 to 18 euros) goes home with regulars.
Old Town Coffee ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián
Reyes Catolicos Kalea 6, 20006 Donostia-San Sebastian
Old Town Coffee in San Sebastian's Centro, founded by Brazilian friends, runs single-origin coffees rotated seasonally and a counter of organic bakes with vegan and gluten-free options.
Tip: The Mercado San Martin branch is the original location; the Reyes Catolicos cafe is the newer flagship.
Onna Coffee ★ 4.4 · Barcelona
gracia · Carrer de Santa Teresa 1, 08012 Barcelona
Onna Coffee in Barcelona's Gracia is the Costa Rican-born roaster's first cafe: their own farm beans, filter setups and a small daily-bake counter at the front.
Tip: Tue-Sun 09:00 to 17:00. Closed Monday. Outdoor terrace seats are quieter than the bar.
Granja La Pallaresa ★ 4.4 · Barcelona
gotic · Carrer de Petritxol 11, 08002 Barcelona
Granja La Pallaresa in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter has poured thick hot chocolate with churros since 1947 on Carrer de Petritxol, the city's chocolate-shop alley.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 21:00. The Carrer de Petritxol queue is shortest before noon and after 17:00.
HanSo Cafe ★ 4.4 · Madrid
malasana · Calle del Pez 20, 28004 Madrid
HanSo Cafe in Madrid's Malasana is the Korean-Spanish specialty room since 2015, with matcha lattes, single-origin filter coffees and a small carte of brunch plates and Korean toasts.
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 09:30-20:00; closed Monday. The matcha latte (4.50 euros) and the avocado toast are the morning headlines.
Cafe Comercial ★ 4.4 · Madrid
chamberi · Glorieta de Bilbao 7, 28004 Madrid
Cafe Comercial on Glorieta de Bilbao in Madrid is the 1887-founded grand cafe, restored in 2017 by the El Comidista team. The Madrid literary scene drank cafe con leche here for over a century.
Tip: Open daily 08:00-24:00. The breakfast set (cafe con leche, tostada, OJ) runs 6.50 euros; cocido madrileno on Wednesdays.
Bianchi Kiosko Caffe ★ 4.4 · Madrid
malasana · Calle de San Joaquin 9, 28004 Madrid
Bianchi Kiosko Caffe in Madrid's Malasana is the Italian-Spanish corner cafe pouring proper Bianchi-roasted espresso, with a four-stool counter and a daily-changing pasticceria from the Italian baker upstairs.
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 09:00-20:00; closed Monday. The cornetto with espresso runs 3.50 euros; standing room at the counter.
Panaderia Mision ★ 4.4 · Madrid
chamberi · Calle de los Reyes 13, 28015 Madrid
Panaderia Mision in Madrid's Conde Duque is the bakery-and-cafe by the Mision Cafe team since 2020, with sourdough breads, croissants and a focused brunch carte at the counter.
Tip: Open daily 09:00-19:00. The croissant with cortado (4 euros) is the morning headline; sourdough loaves sell out by 14:00.
Koh Tao Cafe ★ 4.4 · San Sebastián
Calle Bengoetxea 2, 20004 Donostia-San Sebastian
Koh Tao Cafe in San Sebastian's Centro, named for the Thai island where founders Ana and Ainara dreamed it up, is one of the original third-wave coffee bars in the city.
Tip: Pull up at the counter for the flat white; homemade cakes and a small brunch carte sit on the side.
Old Town Coffee (Mercado San Martin) ★ 4.4 · San Sebastián
Calle Loiola 1, 20007 Donostia-San Sebastian
Old Town Coffee inside Mercado San Martin in San Sebastian's Centro is the market-stall outpost of the city's specialty coffee pioneer, with a stand-up counter and a rotating bean wall.
Tip: Pair a filter coffee with a Geltoki croissant from the bakery stall across the aisle. Closed Sundays.
Pasteleria Otaegui (Narrika) ★ 4.4 · 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 and morning coffee since 1886, the century-old breakfast stop.
Tip: Tartas de queso to take away; eat in for a coffee and a slice of the day's bake.
Cafe Cometa ★ 4.3 · Barcelona
sant-antoni · Carrer del Parlament 20, 08015 Barcelona
Cafe Cometa in Barcelona's Sant Antoni is the Carrer del Parlament work-cafe with flat-white espresso, a long communal table and brunch plates until 16:00.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 17:00. Plug sockets along the back wall; window stools for solo work.
Federal Cafe ★ 4.3 · Barcelona
sant-antoni · Carrer del Parlament 39, 08015 Barcelona
Federal Cafe in Barcelona's Sant Antoni is the Australian-owned brunch cafe that arrived in 2010 and changed how Carrer del Parlament wakes up: Avo toast, flat whites.
Tip: Open daily 09:30 to 17:30. Walk-in only; weekend wait can hit 45 minutes.
Caravelle ★ 4.3 · Barcelona
raval · Carrer del Pintor Fortuny 31, 08001 Barcelona
Caravelle in Barcelona's Raval is the long-running brunch-and-coffee room near MACBA: huevos rancheros, flat white espresso and craft beer on the back wall.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 09:00 to 16:00. Closed Sunday. Brunch holds through to 16:00 every day.
Granja Petitbo ★ 4.3 · Barcelona
eixample · Passeig de Sant Joan 82, 08009 Barcelona
Granja Petitbo in Barcelona's Eixample is the corner-cafe on Passeig de Sant Joan: a daily-bake counter at the front, brunch plates and home-feel for the work crowd.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 23:00. Quietest before 11:00; busy from 13:00 for the menu del dia.
Dolso ★ 4.3 · Barcelona
eixample · Carrer de Valencia 227, 08007 Barcelona
Dolso in Barcelona's Eixample is the dessert-cafe by chef pastry team where the chocolate fondant and the daily three-dessert tasting set Barcelona's pastry standard.
Tip: Open daily for tea-time service from 16:00. Book the dessert-tasting set the day before.
Misty Coffee ★ 4.3 · Madrid
chueca · Calle del Pez 41, 28004 Madrid
Misty Coffee in Madrid's Malasana is the specialty third-wave room with a focused pour-over carte, in-house pastries and a clean concrete dining room with bench seating along the window.
Tip: Open daily 09:00-19:00. The pour-over filter (4.50 euros) is the staff's first recommendation; cappuccino is 3.50.
Federal Cafe ★ 4.3 · Madrid
chueca · Plaza de las Comendadoras 9, 28015 Madrid
Federal Cafe on Plaza de las Comendadoras in Madrid's Conde Duque is the Australian-style all-day brunch room since 2014, with avocado toast, smashed-egg plates and a focused specialty coffee bar.
Tip: Open daily 09:00-22:00. The weekend brunch (15 to 22 euros) fills up by 11:30; walk-in only, no reservations.
Cafe Gijon ★ 4.3 · Madrid
centro · Paseo de Recoletos 21, 28004 Madrid
Cafe Gijon on Paseo de Recoletos in Madrid is the 1888-founded literary cafe that hosted the post-civil-war tertulia (literary discussion circle) of Cela, Hemingway and Lorca during their Madrid years.
Tip: Open daily 07:30-01:30. The breakfast set runs 6 euros; the terrace under the trees is the seat to book in summer.
Kafe Botanika ★ 4.3 · San Sebastián
Paseo Arbol de Gernika 8, 20006 Donostia-San Sebastian
Kafe Botanika next to the Urumea river in San Sebastian's Centro runs an international cafe carte with vegan and gluten-free options, plus one of the city's most popular terraces.
Tip: The terrace has been named among Spain's most beautiful; book by phone for weekend brunch.
Milk Bar and Bistro ★ 4.2 · Barcelona
gotic · Carrer d'En Gignàs 21, 08002 Barcelona
Milk in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter is the Irish-owned all-day brunch-and-cafe near Plaça Reial: flat whites, eggs benedict, espresso martinis at night.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 02:00. Brunch served until 16:30. Walk-in only on weekends.
Picnic ★ 4.2 · Barcelona
born · Carrer del Comerç 1, 08003 Barcelona
Picnic in Barcelona's Born is the all-day brunch-and-coffee room near the Mercat de Santa Caterina, serving full brunch sets until 16:00 every weekend.
Tip: Open Wed-Mon 10:00 to 17:00. Closed Tuesday. Weekday lunch is the easier walk-up.
Laie Llibreria Cafe ★ 4.2 · Barcelona
eixample · Carrer de Pau Claris 85, 08010 Barcelona
Laie in Barcelona's Eixample is the bookshop-and-cafe on Pau Claris with the upstairs reading-room feel: cafe con leche, daily lunch menu, all-day quiet seating.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 09:30 to 21:00. Closed Sunday. The menu del dia at 18 euros serves until 16:00.
Cafe de Oriente ★ 4.2 · Madrid
centro · Plaza de Oriente 2, 28013 Madrid
Cafe de Oriente on Plaza de Oriente in Madrid faces the Palacio Real, with the chocolate con churros tradition, a fin-de-siecle dining room and a terrace looking at the Royal Palace.
Tip: Open daily 09:30-24:00. The terrace (12 tables) faces the palace; the inside is wood-panelled and full of red velvet.