If you’ve ever taken a stroll through Chueca, one of Madrid’s trendiest neighborhoods—and headquarters for the LGBTQ+ community—then you’ve most likely stumbled upon the buzzing street corner where Calle Gravina meets Calle Pelayo, seen a massive crowd of people, and wondered: “What’s all the fuss about?”
Nearing closer, and noticing the sweet, sugary scent wafting through the air, you’ll see that people are waiting in line for a dessert shop. However, upon further inspection, you’ll realize this isn’t your typical confection spot, but rather one of Madrid’s most iconic shops: La Pollería.
Passion for #pollofre
La Pollería—a combination of a slang word for penis mixed with -ería, a suffix used to indicate the name of a shop in Spanish—is very unique and popular. It’s rare to walk past and not see a line of people happily waiting to get their hands on a #pollofre, their signature item: a penis-shaped waffle on a stick, with customizable flavors.
Since their opening in late 2019, they’ve gained massive popularity, not only because their penis-shaped gofres are both emblematic and delicious, but also because they’ve gone viral on social media, with an amassed following of nearly 100,000 on Instagram alone, thanks to their fans eagerly snapping pics of their pops before they even leave the shop.
Navigating ups and downs (but mostly ups)
Opening mere months before the pandemic turned the world upside down, La Pollería has had its share of uphill battles. With a growing popularity comes not only more fans, but also those eager to imitate their work. They’ve also had to deal with criticism from those who aren’t in favor of the concept of their product—even being turned away from renting out certain locations when it was revealed what they would be selling.
However, it’s clear there are far more lovers than haters of these phallic-shaped desserts, with no signs of their following slowing down anytime soon. And with an ever-increasing popularity comes room for more opportunities. Last summer, they saw the opening of their second shop in Chueca, La Coñería, dedicated to vagina-shaped waffles.
They’ve also opened up more stores across Spain and are planning to open in London and other cities. You can see all their locations here.
Breaking taboos
Before the birth of La Pollería and La Coñería, owner Pedro Buerbaum—originally from Tenerife and the CEO of Viral Projects, its parent company known for living up to its name and churning out viral businesses—also spearheaded another former Madrid sweets shop, Ice & Dreams. The unique ice cream spot in the heart of Malasaña was known for its dreamy Instagram-friendly decor and famous cotton candy ice cream creations.
While Ice & Dreams was far from your average run-of-the-mill ice cream spot, La Pollería and La Coñería are pushing the boundaries even further, aiming to sell a memorable, out-of-the-box (and delicious) product, while breaking taboos and further opening people’s minds in the process.
*All of these images are from La Pollería’s Instagram
La Pollería and La Coñería’s info:
La Pollería
- Address: C. de Gravina, 3, 28004 Madrid
- Hours: 15:00-00:00
- Website
- Follow them: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
- Metro: Chueca
La Coñería
- Address: Pl. de Chueca, 5, 28004 Madrid
- Hours: 15:00-22:00
- Follow them: Instagram, Facebook
- Metro: Chueca
See all of their locations here.
