A few years ago breakfast in Madrid rarely consisted of more than a cafe con leche in one of the more traditional tapas bars. Nowadays the coffee shop scene has really taken off, and it’s becoming more and more common to see  quirky little cafes offering brunch, iced coffees and other less traditional options. 

Martina Cocina fits perfectly into this category. It’s situated in the La Latina/Tirso de Molina area, where you can find a whole host of cute coffee shops. My friend Elefteria and I went on a Thursday morning, hoping for brunch and a good place to catch up. 

The cafe is dotted with people working on their computers (they have wifi), reading, or having breakfast with a friend. The ambience is fairly calm and quiet, and you can choose to sit on the communal bench in the middle of the room, or to tuck yourself away at the back on the cushioned sofa. I guess Martina Cocina has gone for the “shabby chic” look, with bulbs hanging from the ceiling from rope and an eclectic mix of distressed wood furnishings. The look works, and the vibe reminds me of somewhere I would find in my hometown of Brighton.

The cafe only serves brunch on Saturdays, but we still managed to have a great make-shift brunch, as the cafe has a fairly wide range of breakfast options. Each day they make a selection of different quiches and empanadas, and we ordered one of each as well as the more traditional pan con tomate and some yoghurt and fruit. Elefteria is a vegetarian and there were plenty of options for her to choose from. All of the food was good, and we would especially recommend trying the cheese and onion empanada. Our waitress was really friendly and warm, which made us feel comfortable enough to sit for a while and work. 

The cafe specialises in teas (they literally have a whole menu just for tea) and they also serve coffee from all over the world. I should probably also mention the amazing looking cakes displayed by the counter – seriously regretting not ordering one!

The cafe isn’t just a breakfast spot; at night they dim the lights and serve beer and wine, making it the perfect place for a relaxed dinner with a friend. It also got pretty busy around lunchtime, and their menú del día is a good price, at 10,60 euros for three courses and a drink. 

In short, Martina Cocina offers great service, a comfortable setting and great homemade food in one of the most up-and-coming barrios of Madrid. 

Info

• Adress: Plaza Cascorro 11 28005, Madrid
• Email: info@martinacocina.es
• Website
• Facebook

Article by Laura Blaskett

Photos by Elefteria Garos

You’ll also like these spots:

• La China Mandarina, a flashy new bistro in Plaza Cascorro
• Lamiak, Basque pintxo bar in La Latina
• Cosy Wine Bars in La Latina (with gluten-free options!)
• El Cafelito, a trendy spot for coffee lovers in Lavapiés

I discovered this fabulous restaurant not too long ago, called De María, as two people recommended it to me on separate occasions. Since then it has become one of my go-to spots in Madrid. De María is one of those restaurants that always leaves a good impression on everyone who dines there; the food is great, portions are generous and the price is fantastic.

De María is popular to say the least; photographs of famous patrons line the walls: athletes like Beckham and actors like Javier Bardem are just some of the familiar faces who have enjoyed this wonderful restaurant.

De María has several locations. So far I’ve tried three of them and none was disappointing.

The menu is varied and contains good-quality ingredients. You can choose from a variety of mouth-watering starters, such as “chorizo criollo”, or vegetable dishes, pastas and salads and, of course, the traditional Argentine beef. The last time I dined here we weren’t very hungry so we opted for a lighter menu. Something that stands out to me about De María is that you always get tasty snacks to nibble on while you wait for your food to arrive.

The chimichurri and pepper sauces are a must, as is the cream cheese spread. During the summer they usually bring a glass of gazpacho or salmorejo. When it’s cold out, they tend to bring you a creamy vegetable soup – in our case, we got a delicious pumpkin soup.

As a starter, we went for the grilled Provolone cheese. It was simply exquisite and even more when covered with one of their tasty sauces. “Chorizo criollo” is another must.

After the cheese plate, my friend and I ordered salads; she ordered a mixed salad and I had a caprese salad – light, fresh, and deliciously paired with a beer and a glass of white wine.

We decided to skip dessert because we weren’t too hungry, but the waiter didn’t seem to care: he brought us each a glass of tangerine sorbet and a yogurt and mango sauce (on the house!), along with their traditional shots.

De María’s prices are very reasonable. We paid about €21 each. So if you want to enjoy Argentinian cuisine and a friendly atmosphere, this is your place. It also has the advantage of having several locations so finding a table will not be a problem.

The locations I’ve visited are:

• De María: Calle Hortaleza, 81, 28004, Madrid
• De María: Calle Preciados 32, 28013, Madrid
• De María:Calle Correo 2, 28012, Madrid

You can find all the locations listed on their web

If you want to enjoy more Argentinian restaurants in Madrid, then check out our article on Casa Federica.

When a restaurant welcomes me with a wine list featuring labels like ‘The Madman’s Inn’ and ‘The Perfect Boyfriend’, I’m intrigued. When they accompany it with a quality Thai-Spanish tapa and Motown, I’m hooked.

A deliciously smooth glass of Delito Garnacha

La Falda de Lavapiés is just the kind of tongue-in-cheek tavern that the neighborhood needs, offering quirky bites and a one-of-a-kind wine list to the wide variety of patrons that Calle Miguel Servet attracts. I’ve stopped in for a bite a few times since it opened in early October, and each time the menu, which only features about ten dishes, has been edited to include the week’s freshest ingredients. Aside from the ever-evolving menu, they also feature a distinctive menú del día plus daily specials that range from ramen to callos, highlighting the kind of international versatility that is all too often hard to find in Madrid.

On my most recent visit, we were offered secreto ibérico in sweet and sour sauce as our free aperitivo as we browsed the menu. The Thai flavors and fantastic cut of Spanish pork paired nicely with the Delito Garnacha wine we had chosen, and by the time we waved down the waitress to order, our appetites were more than piqued.

We chose four small plates to share between the two of us, testing La Falda’s version of the Spanish classics of jamón croquettes and cured beef, or cecina, and their ability to fuse Castillian products with Asian flair in their pork spring rolls and octopus sandwich.

Mouth-wateringly marbled cecina

Vietnamese pork spring rolls

The cecina was some of the best I’ve tried in Madrid, and I consider myself something of a cured beef expert, ordering it any time I spot it on a menu. While all of the flavors were impeccable, the winner had to be the octopus sandwich with its mixture of Thai herbs and Spanish paprika.

Thai-style octopus sandwich

We only stopped ooh-ing and ah-ing over each bite to sing along with the Motown greats that enveloped the room, and reluctantly put our forks down to watch in awe as the couple next to us jumped up to ballroom dance to James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World.”

La Falda is the perfect example of what makes Lavapiés so special: it puts quality at the forefront and serves its food with a wink, but recognizes that in the end, it’s only a space for the vibrant community to enjoy life, and does everything it can to facilitate that. Go for a drink or go for a date. Go, eat, watch the people and leave content in mind, body and soul.

Info

• Facebook
• Address: Calle Miguel Servet 4 (Metro Lavapies or Embajadores)
• Phone: 911 688 096

Madrid’s craft beer scene has been flourishing in recent years with several bars and vendors popping up to meet an increasing demand. Fogg Bar, a new establishment situated on C/ Moratin in Huertas, stands out for serving exclusively Spanish-made artisanal beer on tap along with delicious cheeses.

My friend Diana and I ventured in on a quiet Tuesday night and perched ourselves at the bar. We were able to chat with the charming proprietor, Marisol, who helped us decide which beers to sample. She and her husband opened this bar in September.

They take a lot of pride in collaborating with smaller breweries and cheese distributors, often hosting tastings and gatherings where attendees can meet the brewers.

First I sipped #5, the Columbus Goes North, an IPA from La Quince, a brewery in Madrid. This was followed up by #6, the Sweet Milk Stout from Four Lions, a distributor in León.

I was impressed with the presentation of the tapas that accompanied each drink, as well as the butifarra, a typical Catalan sausage. I was quite taken by this establishment and recommend it to all craft beer aficionados looking to taste Spanish-made beers.

Info

• Facebook
• Website
• Address: C/Moratin 5
• Metro: Anton Martin

For more on Madrid craft beer, check out:

• Beer State of Mind in Madrid
• Heightened Beer State of Mind in Madrid
• La Buena Cerveza, all things beer in Madrid