Have your cake with coffee or gin at La Prima Lejana

Thanks to waking up early for work during the week, I’m pretty much a guaranteed earlybird at the weekends. Luckily for me, this meant that last Saturday I had first dibs of the delectable treats on offer at La Prima Lejana. The cool little cafe that’s just a stone’s throw from C/ Huertas and offers up ‘gram worthy decor and cakes worth setting an alarm for.

A venture that’s the birthchild of three friends hailing from Galicia, La Prima Lejana combines two of my great loves – cake that’s worth the calories and gin. The gin needs no further explanation. Forget strawberries and cream, bangers and mash, fish and chips, there’s no pairing that I could love more. Especially when all of the gins on offer are Spanish, including one of my current fave, Nordes.

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Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t swerve my Saturday morning spin class to swig gin before midday, there’s great coffee on offer as well as fresh lemonades in a variety of flavours – I opted for lemon and ginger which was zingy and fresh and was an attempt to offset the cake-shaped goodies.

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Now, onto the decor which was basically my own version of utopia. A mix of pinks, gold and marble –essentially the mood board for my own recent flat renovation – had me hot footing it to Maison du Monde to snap up the same shelving that they have there. The attention to detail is second to none, partly due to one of the lovely business partners being an architect, and clearly one with excellent taste.

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I often find Spanish cakes waaaaay too sickly sweet but the cakes here were some of (if not the best) that I’ve tasted in the capital. I had carrot cake which was inhaled at breakneck speed and we also tried the courgette cake with lemon icing. Again, the plate was all but licked clean.

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La Prima Lejana is as pleasing to the eye as it was to the tastebuds and I plan to work my way through their menu, I urge you to do the same.

La Prima Lejana




10 of the best craft beer bars in Madrid

One of the things I miss most as an expat in Madrid is quality craft beer. While I’m grateful for Spain’s cheaper beer prices, there’s only so much Mahou and Estrella I can take. Coming from a city like Austin, Texas, which is full of microbreweries and tasty local beers, the light Spanish pilsners just don’t really do it for me.

Luckily, craft beer is on the up and up in Madrid, with more brewpubs and bars devoted to cerveza artesanal popping up around the city. Some feature as many as 40 beers on tap, while others combine craft beverages with pizza, tortilla or specialty cheeses. 

Whether you’re looking to discover more local brews, drink from a wider selection on tap, or pair good beer with good food, you can’t go wrong with these craft beer bars in Madrid.

1. The Stuyck

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This cozy bar with a rustic feel features a rotating beer list focusing on Spanish and European beers. The staff is friendly and passionate about what they do—just scope out their craft beer blog which has information from how to properly taste beer to the history of IPAs. Part bar, part restaurant, their international menu features food that pairs well with beer like burgers, wings and sandwiches.

2. Mikkeller

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I stumbled upon this place on a magical weeknight to find it relatively empty. The inviting, open interior lured me in, and the friendly bartender who let me sample a few of the 21 beers on tap made me stay.

I soon learned that it was one of Mikkeller’s coveted outposts. The popular Danish beer brand recently graced Spain with another location of its brewpub after opening one in Barcelona. The prices are a little high by Madrid standards, but at this place it’s quality over quantity.

3. Bee Beer Craft Beers and Cheeses

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If you thought wine and cheese was the perfect pair, let Bee Bar Craft Beers and Cheeses prove you wrong. Like the name says, pair a nice craft beer with a meat and cheese board, which the staff will happily recommend for you.

Even though they have a smaller selection of beers on tap than other places on this list, more than half of them are Bee Beer’s own unique brews, ranging from a Pineapple IPA, to a Wasabi Lager or an Orange Honey Ale. Or you can browse through their expansive selection of bottled international beers (just be sure to ask about prices first).

4. Fábrica Maravillas

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This tried and true Malasaña favorite was one of the OG craft beer bars in Madrid before the trend took off. On one of the neighborhood’s quieter streets, this place is small but packs a punch. Unlike some of the other food-heavy bars on this list, this microbrewery focuses on beer and beer only, offering a small menu of bar snacks like olives and nuts. Beer counts as a meal, right?

5. Taproom Madrid

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Taproom Madrid has one of the largest beer selections in the city. With 40 beers on tap, it’s great for experimental beer lovers as well as novices; both are bound to find a brew they like. What’s more, you can pop by Tierra—arguably the best burrito place in Madrid—next door and bring food back with you. 

6. El Callejón de La Virgen

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A couple of years ago local craft beer La Virgen was hard to come by, but now—much to my delight—their logo is popping up at more and more bars around the city. While the La Virgen brewery in Las Rozas is worth the trip, you can now enjoy a full selection of its brews in the center of Madrid.

El Callejón de La Virgen, one of the brewery’s official pubs in the trendy Conde Duque neighborhood, features favorites like their Trigo Limpio (Hefeweizen), Jamonera (Amber Ale) and classic Madrid Lager. Pair that with a juicy burger and you’ve got a solid weeknight plan.

7. Chinaski

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This cozy and colorful beer bar in Lavapiés is the perfect spot for a lowkey night with friends. 

With 18 rotating taps from around the world and “meet the brewer” events, it’s a beer nerd’s paradise. If someone in your group isn’t a fan of beer, they also have a good selection of spirits from absinthe to bourbon. 

8. Pez Tortilla

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Pez Tortilla has everything you could ever want in a bar: tortilla, croquetas and craft beer. It’s simple enough, but what Pez does, it does well. 

Try tortilla by the slice from truffle and brie to chicken curry. Mix and match croquetas ranging from classic ham to dessert croquetas like oreo—yes, you read that right. Order a flight to sample from their revolving list of craft beers, which often includes a decent selection of lesser-known Spanish beers.

You’ll often find the uber-popular tapas bar at standing-room only, but it just opened its third location in Sol (the other two are in Malasaña and Lavapiés). And with a motto like “el buen rollo,” it’s impossible not to have a good time there.

  • Facebook & Instagram: @peztortilla
  • Address 1: Calle del Pez, 36 (metro: Noviciado)
  • Address 2: Calle de la Cava Baja, 42 (metro: La Latina)
  • Address 3: Calle de Espoz y Mina, 32 (metro: Sol, Antón Martín, Tirso de Molina)

9. Brew Wild Pizza Bar

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What’s not to like about beer and pizza? Brew Wild Pizza Bar has perfected both, with mouthwatering pizzas made by a Sicilian pizzaiolo and more than 100 beers to choose from between bottle and tap. Sample from a mix of house, local and international brews and prepare to make your Instagram followers very jealous.

10. Beerhouse

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Beerhouse is the perfect combination of a traditional Spanish bar and an Irish pub: a laidback, no frills sports bar. Grab a pint from a large selection of beers and pair with traditional bar food like nachos, burgers and hotdogs. As one Google reviewer so aptly put it: “Humorous sports bar-meets-craft-connoisseur clash but the resulting vibe is fun and very unpretentious.” Sounds like my kind of place. 

*All images are from each bar’s respective social media accounts.

By Alex Vickery (IG: @alex_vickeryLinkedIn & Website)

A lifestyle writer and content creator who has left pieces of her heart around the world, from Austin to Rio de Janeiro. She’s always on the hunt for good Tex-Mex outside of Texas (but has yet to find it). 

Did we miss any other of the best craft beer bars in Madrid? Let us know!

 

 




Somos Coworkers: Ditch your noisy local café for a proper coworking space

If you’re a freelancer—or generally someone in constant search of the perfect workspace—you know the struggle of finding a coworking space that checks all the boxes: strong wifi, plenty of space, and an environment conducive to concentration (I’m looking at you, loud hipster cafes).

Somos Coworkers checks all those boxes and more (“more” mainly refers to very cute pets; more on that later). Located in the west part of the city near Ventas, the bright space is enormous, clean, and perhaps most importantly, draws a crowd of hardworking professionals.

The main coworking space

The main coworking space

 

Perfect for grabbing a bite al fresco

Perfect for grabbing a bite al fresco

I first got a taste of the space with my coworker Joss. We were warmly welcomed by cofounder Kimberly Neuterman, who showed us around, offered us some (unlimited) coffee or tea in the newly renovated kitchen, and got us all settled in with high-speed wifi (very important).

The space is split up into three main areas: the kitchen, which is fully equipped; the indoor coworking space; and the outdoor courtyard (pictured above).

Kitchen equipped with two microwaves, an oven, stove, fridge, coffeemaker...

Kitchen equipped with two microwaves, an oven, stove, fridge, coffeemaker…

Long-term, Kimberly plans to use this space and the connected—currently unused—space to host community-building events for freelancers. Whether you’re a writer, photographer, consultant, graphic designer… there’s a place for you in this space to work, learn, and share ideas.

Need a private meeting room? Somos Coworkers has you covered there too.

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Don’t be offput by the lack of decor—they’re new in town!

And most importantly, members share this space with THESE ADORABLE FURRY FRIENDS.

So sleepy, so zen.

So sleepy, so zen.

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So….the opposite

And finally, the question you’ve all been thinking… The prices. The cost of the space is 110€/month for half days and 150€/month for full, unlimited access. And if you have a group of 4 or more people you’d like to work with, you can also get a special group rate. If you’re looking for a regular workspace where you can count on being productive, this is the place for you.

Learn more about the workspace on their official website.

Somos Coworkers Madrid




Panda Patisserie, delight in Japanese desserts and drinks near Gran Vía

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.

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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).

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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:

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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.

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Then we had the Sakura dorayaki, which are essentially two pancakes filled with fresh strawberry and white chocolate. So good.

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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.

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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

 

 




Be there or be square: 8 of Spain’s best plazas

Bullfights, sangria, paella… So many of the things that, to the uninitiated, epitomise Spain’s culture are actually outdated, tourist traps, or limited to just one of the country’s regions.

But there’s one Spanish heavyweight that fully deserves to be celebrated alongside tortilla de patatas, siestas, and Rosalía on the list of the best things ever to emerge from the Iberian Peninsula. A cultural icon with adoring fans all over the country, from the hills of Asturias to sunny southern seaside towns, and in every metropolis and pueblo in between. I’m talking, of course, about the Spanish plaza

Some squares slip under the radar of anyone who doesn’t know to seek them out. Some are the perfect place for a protest; some are best suited for locals and blow-ins alike to meet for a beer, a gossip, and a people-watching session. Others have become tourist attractions in their own right, be it thanks to their historical significance or just because they make for an awesome photo op. 

Whatever you’re after on your next day trip or weekend away, here’s a list of eight of Spain’s best plazas you should make sure not to miss. 

1. Plaza Mayor, Almagro

Almagro Plaza Mayor

Green and gorgeous, this recently-restored medieval plaza is one of the country’s favourites – and provided a beautiful backdrop for post-class coffees or cañas back when I worked in a nearby school.

Thanks to its flowers and fountains, Almagro’s Plaza Mayor regularly features on lists of Spain’s top ten most beautiful squares, and I monitor its progress like a proud manchego mother, rejoicing when it moves up a spot and sulking when it’s relegated. 

Make sure to try the local delicacy of pickled berenjenas at any one of the tapas bars dotted around the plaza – they were slightly too green and bitter for my liking, but they’re a regional favourite and sobre gustos no hay nada escrito, so you might enjoy them. 

What’s more, Almagro is home to the annual Festival Internacional de Teatro Clásico, and tucked away next to the square’s shops and restaurants is the entrance to the corral de comedias, a 17th-century playhouse and hidden gem of a tourist attraction which is more than worth the €3 entrance fee.

2. Plaza Dos de Mayo, Madrid

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It’s no surprise that Spain’s capital has a square for every taste – Plaza de España (gone but not forgotten), colourful Chueca, floral Plaza de la Villa, Santa Ana for the literature lovers, and Plaza Mayor if you’re a fan of Baroque architecture and, eh, multi-coloured goats. 

But a particular stand-out is Dos de Mayo, just ten minutes’ walk from Sol. 

This plaza is a crucial one for history lovers: it marks a key date in the Comunidad de Madrid’s calendar, when the people of Madrid rebelled against occupying French troops on 2nd May 1808. 

Annual street parties marking the uprising liven up the already-bustling barrio of Malasaña, but this square is worth a visit at any time of the year – it boasts playparks for the peques, a weekly vintage and craft market, and plenty of places to stop for a snack or drink (Pizzería Maravillas is a stand-out). 

3. Plaza Mayor, Ciudad Real

Source: Image by © Rob Cousins/robertharding/Corbis

Source: Image by © Rob Cousins/robertharding/Corbis

The small city of Ciudad Real is often overshadowed by its province’s more picturesque pueblos, but I maintain that my former hometown’s central square is still worth a visit, if only for its Reloj Carrillón – a huge clock from which life-size figurines of Cervantes, Don Quijote and Sancho Panza emerge to the sound of bells chiming at regular intervals throughout the day and night. 

This manchego capital isn’t known for being the most Instagrammable of towns, but it has a plaza that pays artistic homage to the stars of its regions, friendly locals, and more tapas bars than you could shake a stick at. What more do you need, really?

4. Plaza del Taller, Santiago de Compostela

Whether you’ve trekked part of the epic Camino de Santiago or are just up north on a pilgrimage for Galician pulpo (guilty), this isn’t a square to be missed. Plaza del Taller – or, to use its gallego name, Praza do Obradoiro – is a spot in the rainy, atmospheric Galician capital. 

Located to the west of Santiago’s enchanting casco viejo, this square marks the end of the road for pilgrims who’ve walked St James’ Way, and it provides peak people-watching opportunities – I’d challenge anyone to watch pilgrims rejoicing at the completion of their journey without getting emotional. For travellers holy or secular, the plaza’s architecture, sheer size, and its magical (and traffic-free) atmosphere are definitely worth a trip next puente

This square is also home to the beautiful, baroque Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, where hikers participate in the post-walk ritual of the abrazo al Apóstol Santiago – a tradition that was temporarily outlawed in 2009 after an influenza outbreak. Maybe stick to a quick high-five if you’re a germaphobe. 

5. Plaza de Cervantes, Alcalá de Henares

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Cons of Alcalá’s most famous public space: the storks (if, like me, you’re a wimp who’s scared of birds). Pros: literally everything else. 

This square pays homage Alcalá’s most famous son: the writer Miguel de Cervantes, who was born in the university city in 1547. The city’s central plaza hosts regular literary and cultural events in his honour, such as the annual Mercado Cervantino. 

Plaza de Cervantes also bridges two of the city’s most significant streets: the newly pedestrianized Calle de Libreros, and the Calle Mayor. On the latter street, which is the former hub of the medieval Jewish Quarter, you can find the Museo Casa Natal de Cervantes and the city’s most photogenic bench, featuring bronze statues of Cervantes’ most famous characters. 

Have a stroll through the surrounding area – don’t think about leaving without taking in the university’s impressive façade – and you’ll understand exactly why Alcalá has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Also read: 7 Reasons why Alcalá de Henares is worth more than a day trip from Madrid

6. Plaza de España, Sevilla

Plaza España Sevilla

Oh, this one’s gorgeous. Constructed in 1929, the Andalusian capital’s Plaza de España is practically a newborn compared with some of the old-timers on this list, but in terms of impact and beauty, it can definitely give the classics a run for their money.  

This plaza’s most famous feature is the breath-taking range of multicoloured tiled alcoves, which depict almost every province in Spain. Photos can’t do them justice, but even the briefest of trawls through Google Images will show you exactly why the good people of TripAdvisor voted it the world’s segundo lugar más spectacular del mundo

Film buffs (not me) might recognise this square from movies like Lawrence of Arabia and the Star Wars franchise, while Instagram lovers will be more familiar with its pretty canals, where you can row your boat for just €6. The Plaza de España is also located in the Parque de María Luisa – a beautiful spot to seek out the shade during the infamously hot Sevillian summers. 

7. Plaza Mayor, Salamanca

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Golden hour enthusiasts, this one’s for you. Salamanca is known far and wide as one of the most gorgeous places in Spain, and its main plaza is no exception. Built between 1729 and 1755, the sandstone square still shines – and if you ever want to hear several hundred people simultaneously say ‘Ahhhhh!’, make sure you’re standing in the centre when its buildings get illuminated at dusk. 

The plaza is adorned with medallions bearing big names from Spain’s history. In fact, until it was removed in 2017 under the Historical Memory Law, you could even spot Franco’s defaced, paint-splattered face lurking beneath a plastic bag in the corner.   

Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor also has plenty of bars and restaurants where you can sample the city’s distinctly un-spicy, but delicious, take on patatas bravas after you’ve finished frogspotting at the nearby Universidad de Salamanca. 

Speaking of which, try to time your trip for December, when the legendary Nochevieja Universitaria sees the Plaza Mayor packed with thousands of students downing their drink and midnight grapes before heading home to their pueblos for Christmas. Or, if you prefer hot drinks to alcoholic ones, walk south from the plaza for ten minutes to the café of the Casa Lis art deco museum, where you’ll find the world’s tastiest cup of hot chocolate and the only glass ceiling that’s not for smashing. 

8. Esta Es Una Plaza, Madrid

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This urban oasis is a bit different – and for that reason, it might be my favourite plaza ever. Esta Es Una Plaza is a neighbourhood initiative designed to tackle the lack of green space available in the busy Madrid barrio of Lavapiés, and has gone from strength to strength since its creation in 2008, thanks to the group of dedicated volunteers who work hard on maintenance and upkeep.  

According to its website, the community-run public space focuses heavily on community building and promoting cohesion between social groups, regardless of nationality or religion, and over time the plaza has transformed into a cultural hub which promotes ecology, self-sufficiency, literacy, culture and sports. 

It mightn’t represent the same flashy, tourist fodder as some of the more high-profile squares on our list, and it’s unlikely you’ll see it be flogged on a postcard any time soon. But if plazas are meant to promote harmony, facilitate socializing, and provide an insight into the beating heart of its local community, then Esta Es Una Plaza is definitely a dark horse.  

By Emer O’Toole (IG: @_emerotoole)

Would you add any other of Spain’s best plazas to this list? Let us know!