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.
Address: Glorieta de Bilbao 7, 28004 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.
Signature drink: Cafe con leche
Tip: Open daily 09:30-24:00. The terrace (12 tables) faces the palace; the inside is wood-panelled and full of red velvet.
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.
Signature drink: Cafe con leche
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.
Cafe de Ruiz in Madrid's Malasana is the wood-panelled neighbourhood cafe since 1981, with the cake counter, daily-changing brunch and the marble tables that anchor the Calle de Ruiz crawl.
Signature drink: Cafe con leche
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 09:00-22:00. The weekend brunch (12 to 16 euros) runs from 11:00; walk-in only, no reservations.
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.
Signature drink: Cappuccino
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 09:00-20:00; closed Monday. The cornetto with espresso runs 3.50 euros; standing room at the counter.
Ojala in Madrid's Malasana is the daytime cafe and evening cocktail bar with the famous beach-sand basement (Ojala Beach), serving brunch upstairs and the basement palm trees downstairs since 2009.
Signature drink: Brunch coffee
Tip: Open daily 09:30-24:00. The basement Ojala Beach with sand floor is the room locals send first-time visitors to see.
La Bicicleta Cafe on Plaza de San Ildefonso in Madrid's Malasana is the laptop-and-flat-white coworking cafe since 2009, with a sofa-strewn back room, brunch counter and a Mahou tap on weekends.
Signature drink: Flat white
Tip: Open daily 09:00-24:00. The back-room sofas are the laptop seats; the front terrace is for the social crowd.
