Mochis, matcha ice cream, bubble tea, dorayaki… If you want to enjoy a selection of Japanese sweets and drinks, then head over to Panda Patisserie, the city’s one and only Japanese bakery, located right off Gran Vía at the popular Hattori Hanzo restaurant.
Although I’d been to Hattori for dinner before and even wrote an article about it back in 2014, I never had the chance to get to Panda Patisserie, which opens on weekday afternoons and for weekend brunch. The hours are from 4:30-8:30pm Monday through Friday, and from 11am-1pm on Saturday and Sunday (book ahead on the weekends).
As you walk into the restaurant, make your way to the back area where you get to sit comfortably in the floor, surrounded by fun decor and a welcoming ambience. Now onto the food: Although there are savory options on Panda’s menu, like the unbeatable baos, our eyes went straight for the desserts, as I’m sure yours will too. With the help of the nice server, here’s what we ordered:
We started out with two cold brew iced teas, one with strawberry and lime, and the other with grapefruit and yuzu. They were sweet, citrusy and refreshing. We also tried a few different homemade mochis, which are small rice-flour balls that have a gooey texture and are filled with flavors ranging from chocolate to green tea matcha.
Then we had the Sakura dorayaki, which are essentially two pancakes filled with fresh strawberry and white chocolate. So good.
And of course, we couldn’t leave without trying the newest item, fluffy pancakes served with fresh fruit and syrup that you get to pour on yourself. All the desserts were simply delicious.
Surprisingly, after all that, we felt satisfied but not heavy at all. Everything is light and tasty, and you’ll leave wanting to come back for more. There are so many other options on the menu that we wanted to try, from the matcha ice cream to the bubble teas!
If you haven’t already tasted Japanese sweets, then I highly recommend ordering an assortment of different flavors and textures to get the full experience. And if you’re already a fan, well, then welcome to your go-to Japanese sweetshop in Madrid!
Panda Patisserie
- Facebook & IG: @pandapatisserie
- Address: Calle Desengaño 11
- Metro: Callao
