While brunch is a relatively new addition to the Madrid dining scene, there are now plenty of places to go to get your Eggs Benedict and pancake fix, both on the weekend AND during the week. The only difference is that the locals usually eat it a little later in the day (we all know the Madrileños like their late nights). Here are our recommendations for where to satisfy your brunch cravings in Madrid.
Top brunch spots in Madrid
Café Federal
Where: Plaza Comendadoras 9, Madrid
Australians are well known for their barista skills and appreciation of a hearty brunch and this popular Aussie-run café in the Malasaña neighborhood doesn’t disappoint. Taking its name from a small, peaceful town in New South Wales, the café boasts a quiet, leafy garden that provides the perfect setting in which to ease your hangover from Saturday night. The freshly brewed coffee is excellent (the flat white is made just right) and the brunch menu (served until 1pm on weekdays and 4pm on weekends) features all the classics such as homemade granola, French toast and maple syrup (plus some delicious caramelized bananas) and scrambled eggs on sourdough toast. It might be worth getting up an extra 30 minutes earlier for this place as there’s often a line for tables.
Carmencita Bar
Where: Calle San Vicente Ferrer 51, Madrid
Authentic hash browns are hard to come by in Madrid but Carmencita has got the crispy potato formula down and serves up some of the best hash browns in town. This place has become a bit of a brunch institution so it’s worth making a reservation if you want to go on the weekend, or otherwise go during the week when it’s a little quieter. The fixed price brunch menu is a steal at €14.50 and includes Eggs Benedict with your choice of salmon, avocado or bacon, your preferred side (hash browns, potatoes or salad), dessert of the day, coffee and a mimosa. The American Plate with fried egg, sausage, bacon and hash browns is also a failsafe option. And you can’t go wrong with 1€ mimosas. Just go hungry, as the portion sizes are huge. If you can’t get a table at Carmencita, they have a sister location down the street called La Gringa that serves the same brunch menu.
Ojalá
Where: Calle de San Andres 1, Madrid
Tucked away down one of Malasaña’s tiny side streets, Ojalá serves an all-day brunch daily from 10am to 8pm. The brunch menu offers both sweet and savory options that all come artfully presented and include a coffee or tea, juice and a choice of soft drink, beer or wine (we love their freshly baked organic bread). You can also get your kale or acai fix with one of their tasty smoothies. You can sit upstairs in the trendy colorful interior and watch your eggs being fried in the kitchen or head downstairs to the ‘beach’ where you can get comfy on the lounge chairs and low tables on a floor of sand and almost believe you’re at the beach (they even have heated lighting to recreate the feeling of the warm sun on your face).
La Mallorquina
Where: Calle Mayor, 2, Madrid
If you’re looking for a more Madrileño-style brunch then La Mallorquina is a classic. This historic café has been around since 1894 and is famous for its sweet, flaky pastries that are mouthwateringly good. Do like a local and order a coffee and a pastry and sit in the salón upstairs as the aromas from the enormous ovens downstairs waft up and entice you to order a second round. Get there on the earlier side and enjoy the sweet treats fresh out of the oven.
The Toast Café
Where: Calle Fernando El Católico 50, Madrid
This kitsch little establishment is a popular spot with the hipster crowd who like to photograph its cool interiors for their Instagram profiles (don’t forget the hash tag #toastsweettoast) but it also serves up a tasty two-course brunch on the weekend (11am to 5pm) and on weekdays until 1pm. Start with their homemade pancakes that are perfectly light and fluffy (but they also have fresh fruit, salad, croissants and other starter options) and then choose from a menu of eggs done every which way (we like the breakfast burrito), washed down with one of their famous Bloody Mary’s that will help ease the damage done the night before.
The Westin Palace
Where: Plaza de las Cortes 7, Madrid
For the ultimate brunch experience, The Westin Palace Hotel pulls out all the stops. Their in-house restaurant La Rotonda puts on a magnificent all-you-can-eat spread every Sunday from 1.30pm to 3.30pm that caters to all and every brunch craving (lobster anyone?). Be sure to try the foie gras canapés and don’t forget to leave some room at the end for the dessert buffet (the chocolate desserts are to die for). As you gorge yourself silly and sip on champagne in opulent surroundings beneath a dazzling stained glass dome, live opera is performed before your eyes. The whole experience comes at a hefty price of €83 per person but, trust us, it’s worth the splurge at least once during your time in Madrid.
Found any other great places for brunch in Madrid? Share your recommendations in the comments section below.
Originally published on Ailola by Sophie Lloyd on May 14, 2018.
