Here are the lists of the first-floor and second-floor vendors:

But there’s more…

   The Hovse Madrid

This year, the biggest innovations come in two forms:

Innovation #1: The Food

Innovation #2: Sybilla Atelier

   The Hovse Madrid

And the best part?

The Hovse

Info

• Web: The Hovse by Better
• Address: Calle General Arrando 40
• Metro: Alonso Martínez, Rubén Darío, Iglesia
• Hours: open every day from 11 AM to 9 PM until December 24th (Christmas Eve)

The Hovse

For more on holiday shopping in Madrid, check out:

• Best Gifts from Madrid
• Casa Mira, Best Turrón in Madrid
• El Riojano, Madrid’s best pastry shop

Today I want to talk about one of the capital’s gems, Casa Mira. It is probably one of the oldest establishments in Madrid and has become a meeting place for gourmands. What’s their secret? Homemade recipes and premium products. Not to mention great customer service.

Casa Mira was founded in 1855 by Don Luis Mira, a master craftsman of turrón (traditional Spanish pastry similar to nougat). Turrón is probably the most commonly eaten dessert around Christmas time in Spain. It’s most likely of Moorish origin and by the 15th century, it was one of the most famous desserts in the Spanish court.

Don Luis’ story is a mix between legend and truth. One day he decided to leave his native town of Jijona – with only one cart, two donkeys and his turrón – to find good luck in the capital. Legend has it that he had to restart the trip several times since he sold the entire supply before reaching his first stop.

Today, Casa Mira’s turrón continues to be just as irresistible. It is 100% handmade, making it probably the best in the country. Don Luis started his business with a little shop in Plaza Mayor; now it is one of the most famous pastry shops in the capital, not to mention one of the most beloved among Madrileños.

Entering Casa Mira is like traveling back in time. The decor is elegant and vintage. The feeling is magical, making you feel as if it were still the year 1900.

Casa Mira is not only famous for their turrón; they have all kinds of traditional handmade sweets. Marron Glaces, Glorias de Jijona (pastries made of marzipan and egg yolk, wrapped in sugar and rolled by hand), Yemas de Nuez (pastries made with egg yolk and nuts) and of course, Fruta Escarchada (candied/frosted fruit).

They also serve typical sweets according to other holiday seasons, such as Roscón de Reyes.

But my favorite has to be Spanish breakfast pastry, pan quemado (‘burnt bread’), which is similar to a brioche or sweet bread roll, and costs just €2.50 each. The best way to eat them is to cut them in half and toast both slices, then add butter and jam…. pure heaven.

The prices are overall very reasonable. Although the turrón is not the cheapest you can find in Madrid, considering it is handmade with a century-old recipe, it is worth every penny. A bar of turrón costs around 16 euros and makes for the absolute perfect gift at Christmas time, whether for someone in Madrid or a loved one back home.

Info

• Web
• Address: Carrera de San Jerónimo nº30, 28014, Madrid
• Tf: 914296796 and 914298895

For more Madrid gift ideas, check out:

Best Gift Ideas from Madrid

El Riojano, Madrid’s best pastry shop is right in the centre and it has a hidden tea room

Calle Ponzano is one of the city’s most treasured local hangout spots. Situated in Chamberí, it belongs to a handful of Madrid streets that are lined with great bars and restaurants, together with La Cava Baja, Corredera Bajo de San Pablo and La Calle Pez, just to name a few. In addition to the old-school bars de toda la vida, it seems as though a new eatery opens up on Calle Ponzano every week, and I’m slowly making my way through all of them! So far I’ve been to Sala la Despiece, Bar Lambuzo and Taberna Alipio Ramos. Plus Naked contributor, Kate, has also just written about restaurant Toque de Sal.

Now here comes Naked’s fifth discovery along Ponzano: Casa Picsa, an Argentine restaurant specializing in pizzas made in a wood-fired oven with local and seasonal ingredients. I went with my friends Vanessa (who writes Las mesas de Vanessa, another foodie blog you’ve got to follow), Juan and James.

In true Ponzano form, Casa Picsa has a down-to-earth and comfortable ambience. I’d say it’s on the pricier side, but they serve some of the best pizzas I’ve had in Madrid, with high quality ingredients and great service, too. The décor is modern and simple, with a spacious bar and a small seating area.

To start, Casa Picsa offers small appetizers to share: mezzos from around the world with a Porteño touch, as stated on their menu. They’re only meant to whet your appetite, as the real deal is the pizza. As we were a party of four, the waiters recommended we order just a few mezzos and save room for the main attraction. So we went with their homemade Paté Picsa and Porotos en vinagre (organic beans in a vinaigrette). Both were delicious.

The pizza menu is separated into two sections: “old school” and “new school.” They cost €20-25 each and are meant to be shared between two people; and trust me, they’re big enough. Each pie has eight slices, or “servings of happiness,” overflowing with succulent ingredients. Plus you can order two kinds per pie; that way you get to try two in one! *You can also order gluten-free pizzas made with a chickpea based dough.

We followed our waiter’s advice and ordered two pies and four different kinds of pizza. We had the Papada de cerdo ibérico y alcachofas (Iberian ham and artichokes); Pato e higos (duck and fig); Butifarra negra (Catalan black sausage) and Chorizo criollo y grills (Creole chorizo with turnip greens). My favorite was the ham and artichoke one; the rest of the table said the winner went to the butifarra. They were all delicious, though. And as we walked out of the restaurant and looked at the mouthwatering pies on other patrons’ tables, we knew we’d have to go back to try the rest!

After our main course, we were contentedly stuffed and more than happy to end our night sans sweets. But the waiter managed to convince us to get dessert and we gave in to the Chocolate cake with dulce de leche ice cream. How could you possibly resist that? It was insanely good (sorry we forgot to take a photo of it!)

Casa Picsa

• Website, Facebook & IG: @picsa
• Address: Calle Ponzano, 76
• Metro: Rios Rosas
• Price: €20-25 per person

Going out to eat or drink on Calle Ponzano, the street with the highest concentration of bars in Madrid, is such an art that it has its own verb, ponzaning. It’s one of the best parts about living in Chamberí, with so many of the city’s best new places all in one place. One of the newest to come on the scene is Toque de Sal, which I learned about from the Madrid Confidential newsletter, naming it one of five new places to try this fall.

It had been on my bucket list all season, but then school got in my way. And finally, my friend and I were able to squeeze in (on a Friday night without a reservation) to finally get to try it. When you go inside you feel as if you’re in a chic restaurant in Paris, with beautiful tiled floors, dark wood, and a wonderfully lit bar. The front was absolutely full of people, which was to be expected because it’s the weekend and this is Ponzano. The dining area in the back is small and intimate, but you have tables to sit for two and larger tables that are more elevated (perfect for a fun dinner with your cuadrilla of friends).

Your place setting is equally elegant, with a menu in a gold leather cover:

…and personalized plates. The golden touches, from the silverware, the placemats, and the menu covers were analogous to the gold standard service we received. Our waitress was incredibly warm and attentive, and it was fitting with how precious and inviting the space is inside.

And now, the food. Was absolutely to die for. My friend chose the grilled sea bass that came with vegetables:

…and I first had the crema del día (which was mushroom when we went), and then, I had something I hadn’t had in a very long time: rabo de toro, or oxtail.

It was absolutely perfect: the meat fell right off the bone, and the sauce gave me the same warm feeling that I get when my father gets inspired to make boeuf bourguignon in his trusty crockpot. It was ideal for a cool fall night, and I’ll definitely be back to have this again and again and again.

If that gem of an Instagram close-up didn’t convince you enough, it’s evident in this shot that I was ready to dig in, and believe me, I enjoyed every single minute of it.

A girl’s night wouldn’t be complete without dessert, and since I really shouldn’t be eating sugar and I wanted to give myself a capricho, I decided to try the tarta de manzana. There was more apple than crust, which for me was exactly what I wanted, and I couldn’t get enough. For someone who doesn’t like heavy desserts I found something that would be worth doing an hour’s worth of cardio the next day for.

As for my friend, she got the chocolate coulant, which is her personal favorite desert of all time.

If the picture doesn’t convince you, take her word for it: it had a muy buena pinta and it was absolutely wonderful.

Toque de Sal definitely lived up to the hype, bringing a touch of chic to Ponzano, and I’ve found my new favorite neighborhood joint that I will inevitably now bring all of my friends to. It’s also a perfect way to enjoy ponzaning while having a great sit-down dining experience, whether with friends, a birthday, or maybe a dinner date.

Info

Toque de Sal Chamberí
Facebook

Address: Calle de Ponzano, 46
Tel.: 914 26 64 65
Metro: Alonso Cano (Line 7)

Ah, the merienda. It’s one of the best things about the Spanish eating schedule; one in between breakfast and lunch and another between lunch and dinner. While we normally think of a merienda as either a croissant or a tostada con tomate in the morning and then a pastry or sandwich in the afternoon, a little place behind Gran Vía meters from Terraza Gymage has a way for your merienda to have a more Japanese flavor. While for lunch and dinner Hattori Hanzo often requires a reservation at least 3 days in advance (see full restaurant post here), during the sacred afternoon merienda hours from 5 to 8 PM, you can get a taste of the sweet side of Japan at Panda by Hattori Hanzo. 

It is the first Japanese pastry shop and matcha bar in the city and allows you to experience a different side of Japanese cuisine (but if you don’t have a sweet tooth, never fear. There’s also a savory menu as well).

My friends and I found ourselves in awe with all of the choices of pastries, including Japanese-style macarons, mochi balls, teas, frappés, and more. Two main ingredients are highlighted in all of your options: sakura (cherry blossom) and matcha (a type of green tea that is currently all of the rage for its health benefits). I fell in love with matcha during one of my last trips back to New York when I found myself in a hipster coffee shop across the street from the Strand Bookstore (enough said) and the appearance of matcha in certain places in Madrid makes me incredibly happy. Within the different categories on the menu, there was a matcha option, a sakura option, and a traditional chocolate option.

Let’s just say my choices followed a pattern: that they contained matcha.

After thoughtful deliberation, we resorted to asking our waitress, the one who knows the menu inside and out. After asking us about our preferences, she suggested that we try the signature offering at Panda: the matcha swiss roll. We followed her advice and we did not regret it one bit.

The matcha swiss roll is a matcha sponge cake with a mascarpone filling. There are droplets of red bean and matcha paste, crunchy raspberries, and a beautiful strawberry cut as if it were a rose. This is the star offering at Panda, and is definitely the perfect choice for your first time. It really gives you a sense what the most popular desserts are like in Japan: a perfect fusion of eastern and western flavors. And for someone who normally doesn’t eat things that are sweet, it was absolutely perfect.

For drinks, I chose an iced matcha latte, while one of my friends had one of the numerous Japanese teas on offer (expertly prepared and we were left with a timer so it could properly boil) and another had the sakura latte.

The matcha latte was naturally refreshing, and is creamier than a typical tea. The next time I go back I’ll naturally have it hot, but it’s something that you can have either in the summer or winter.

Are you ready to enjoy the sweet side of Japanese cuisine? Get a bunch of your friends for a fantastic afterwork and merienda at Panda.

Info

Website & Facebook

Address: Calle del Desengaño, 11
Tel.: 91 786 57 80 / 606 282 608
Metro: Gran Vía (Lines 1 and 5)/Callao (Lines 3 and 5)

As a hub for artists and creative are types from all over the world, Madrid’s local live-music scene is energetic and diverse. As always, your friends at Naked Madrid are here to provide you with the best options as how to maximize the potential of your nights out. The first local musicians to be featured in this series are the swing, gypsy-jazz, folk group Forasteros.

They have an interesting backstory because their members had all met by chance. The band was formed when its founder, lyricist and guitarist, Tom Buzz Cox from London, crossed paths with Tara during a Vaughan System teacher training course. Swing instructor Julia Hampson, also from London, was brought onboard as the violinist after an encounter busking the streets in Lavapies.

Tom recruited Hinata Myojin, a bassist from Japan, through another band in the community. Clarinettist Ricardo Vasquez from Texas/Mexico was discovered upon his response to an advertisement. They are unclear on how drummer Fernando Iglesias from Madrid entered the fold, strongly implying that he materialized out of thin air.

They write in Spanish, English, French and even Japanese. Ricardo and Julia have a classical background and are well-versed in swing and Jazz. Overall the group combines aspects of gypsy-jazz, folk and swing while also being open to anything that takes their fancy: twisted Latin rhythms, funk, DnB hints.

Their ambition is to make people laugh, dance and feel while also “talking about difficult shit.” says Tara Lowe, their singer and lyricist, who I have known for the greater part of the year as two of my close friends were her flatmates. Lowe, a long-term expat from Cardiff enjoys writing songs about everyday life that are “cheeky, honest and indulgent.”

Forasteros’ songs have addressed some of the more relatable aspects of living in Madrid with their songs “Landlord from Hell, title self-explanatory, as well as “Banks of June” which focuses on lust and broken hearts. Their track “Springtime Shuffle” centers on opportune new beginnings while “Cuando” is just about dancing.

Forasteros performs a lot in Lavapies in the venues of Gato Verde, Taberna Alabanda, La Tortuga, La Tabacalera and Centro de Creacion y Investigation. Their First EP, “Hello you!” was recorded at The Treehouse Madrid Studios on the label of Vestizo Azul Records. It is available free on Bandcamp. Check out their video of “Devil in the Trees” from their new EP.

Info

Follow them on Facebook & their Bandcamp page and be sure to see them perform live! Their EP Hello You launches on the 12th November at Intruso Bar – with supporting artist Taiacore. Tickets can be purchased at Giglon. The first 50 people to arrive will get a free EP and poster.

Mercados are the heart and soul of any Spanish city. If you want to get under the skin of the place you’re visiting, make a beeline for the city’s biggest food market. Wander around each section (meat, vegetables, fish, etc.) and you will instantly see what the region’s all about. Then make your way to the mercado’s busiest bar, order what everyone else is drinking and demand your rightful complimentary tapa. If it’s something you’ve never clapped eyes on, even better.

La Latina’s Mercado de la Cebada is no exception. The place encapsulates Spanish culture to almost cliché levels: the heart and soul of Madrid is right here.

Every weekday, Mercado de la Cebada will sell you fresh produce from all over Spain. There’s also a good selection of local bars in the labyrinth of alleys both upstairs and downstairs, and even a few clothes stalls, toyshops and cobblers for some of the market’s more devout punters.

But then, every Saturday at lunchtime, Mercado de la Cebada transforms into what I will describe as nothing less than a seafood party.

The atmosphere is electric; iced molluscs and pulpo are flowing, and groups of friends doing what they do best: sharing food and belly-laughing, plastic cup of valdepeñas in one hand, half-eaten shrimp in the other.

Grab a few friends and get there no later than 2:30pm. Find one of the aproned chaps hovering in front of his stall, affectionately touching everyone with his fishy hands, and place your order per ración or by weight.

Before you take your polystyrene plates to the nearest paper-covered stack of crates, don’t forget to pick up your complimentary bottle of wine or cans of beer. Yeah… COMPLIMENTARY! Due to licensing rules, these shops can’t sell drinks. I imagine there’s a slight markup on the prices of seafood but, having said that, the prices are some of the lowest I’ve seen in Madrid, and the quality is some of the best.

There are cups, serviettes, toothpicks and mussel ‘spives’ (spoon-knives) strategically strewn around the stalls – a seafood spectacular with no frills, and all the better for it.

Info

Web – Facebook

Address: Plaza de la Cebada, La Latina, 28005

Metro: La Latina (right outside)

Opening hours: Mon – Fri 9am-2pm / 5-8:30pm; Sat 9am-3pm

Another soulful neighbourhood market, not too far away, is Mercado de San Fernando in Lavapiés

Located on Calle de Las Fuentes, in between metro Opera and Plaza Mayor, lies a Japanese restaurant serving unbelievably tasty ramen, with heaping portions at an affordable price. I’m tempted to call Ramen Kagura perfect, yet the service could have been much better. To be fair, the food did come out in a split second after ordering.

I went to Ramen Kagura for the first time on Saturday with a big group of friends, three of whom are Japanese (also the ones who recommended we go here). Almost everyone at our table of seven had also dined at Madrid’s most celebrated ramen bar, Chuka, where you basically have to fight to get a table. Naturally, a conversation comparing the two ramen bars did come up. We concluded that Chuka has better-quality ingredients and a chic décor. But when it comes down to it, Ramen Kagura‘s noodles simply hit the spot; plus it wins in terms of convenience (getting a table is easy) and bang for your buck (for under €10 you get a delicious and very filling meal).

You can order from several different types of ramen bowls, mostly made with pork-based broth, vegetables, and your choice of shoyu or miso sauce. Broth-less, cold and vegetarian versions are also available, as well as rice dishes and sushi (which we didn’t try). Each bowl comes with your choice of 100, 200 or 400 grams of ramen noodles, prices ranging accordingly from around €8-11. I ordered the 200-gram bowl and it was gigantic. James and Edison ordered the 400-gram bowls. Needless to say, they were very happy campers. We devoured everything and there were no complaints regarding portions, taste or price.

I’ll let the poor service slide. Perhaps we just went on an off day. Since the food was oh so good, we’ll be going back again and again and again…

Info

Web & Facebook

Address: Calle de las Fuentes, 1

Metros: Opera or Sol

Hours: Monday through Sunday: 1pm-4:15pm / 8:30pm-11:45pm

More Asian restaurants featured on Naked Madrid:

• Kintaro – Oy Vey
• Sumo – This Japanese restaurant’s name says it all
• Tuk Tuk – Asian-inspired street food
• Chuka Ramen Bar – Madrid’s hottest ramen restaurant
• Hattori Hanzo – Japanese food, straight up. No sushi.
• Nippon 2 – top quality yet affordable sushi, finally!
• Soy Kitchen – a fusion of Asian flavors
• Karachai – A cozy and elegant Thai restaurant in Alonso Martínez

Today I’m sharing a secret discovery. I considered keeping it to myself both out of selfishness and to preserve its charm, however I’ve decided that La Hummuseria deserves to be experienced by anyone who appreciates healthy, wholesome food and a familiar, friendly atmosphere; or indeed anyone with a penchant for hummus. Even if you don’t, it’s hard not to fall in love with it because it’s so damn tasty and healthy.

La Hummuseria is the dream child of newlyweds Lotem and Shai, two young psychologists from Israel who visited Madrid on holiday and for all the obvious reasons fell in love with the city.

They pondered what the city was missing, namely: hummus and this being their passion Lotem and Shai dreamt up La Hummeseria. In February 2015 they moved to Madrid and in October 2015 La Hummuseria was born. Simple.

Hummus is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made from garbanzos/chickpeas, Tahini and lemon. It is served warm with a touch of olive oil, warm chickpeas and one of their special toppings.

Traditionally, hummus is eaten as a meal in itself so one portion could be enjoyed individually without anything other than fresh pitta. However, to keep the hummus company (Hummus is a social kind of thing, says Lotem) you will find freshly cut salads made from the best vegetables in the market, lemon and herbs.

The hero is obviously the hummus. There are five varieties of hummus; the base is freshly made every day using the Lotem and Shai’s tradition and secret technique and toppings include mushrooms, lemon and almonds.

To accompany El Ambiguo: hummus with tahíni verde, we ordered the oven baked cauliflower with almonds. A crisp and simple tapas sized dish of oven lightly baked cauliflower seasoned with lemon, parsley and chives and coated in roasted almond shards.

The Ensalada fresca-fresquísima arrived as a generous mix of cucumber, tomato, chickpeas, carrot and a fresh herb, lemon and oil dressing.

We drank iced tea with fresh mint and felt so gloriously healthy that we almost declined Shai’s insistence that we try the Malabi for dessert. I am more than glad that we conceded.  Made from Middle East cream scented flowers, peanuts and coconut, this dessert is as fresh and wholesome as everything else and totally delicious.  

Hidden off Fuencarral, La Hummuseria is the ideal spot for a lazy weekend lunch; reclining in comfortable art deco chairs on the mezzanine level or to grab a quick snack as a break from combing the Malasana shops.

The service is impeccable, you can see Lotem and Shai preparing their food from the open kitchen and they are more than happy to stop and talk to you while you are there. After all, hummus is a social thing.

Finally, in case you were wondering, yes they do offer take aways.

Info:

• Facebook
• Address: Calle Hernán Cortes 8
• Metro: Tribunal, Chueca

By Alice Josselyn

Also check out Falafeleria by the same owners!