Stephen Ratner
Collection · Madrid
Spain · One piece

Madrid.

These little coffee glasses came from a pottery store during the festival in La Latina - Madrid, where the food is unbelievable and you should never break up with a Spanish girl.

Madrid terracotta cups, gouache illustration
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Field notes

The Madrileños are very different than people in Barcelona - maybe not as outwardly friendly or artistic, but they make food that's just unbelievable.

Gouache icon of a Madrid plaza with classic buildings
Stop 01 · The neighborhoods

I loved Salamanca and Malasaña.

Gouache icon of a summer sun over terracotta rooftops
Stop 02 · The summer

It gets very hot in Madrid, especially in the summer. I learned never to break up with a Spanish girl, or they may yell at you.

Gouache icon of festival bunting and lanterns across an old street
Stop 03 · La Latina

In the streets of La Latina there was an amazing festival, and I was able to go to a pottery store and get a couple of these small coffee glasses.

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The piece

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Terracotta cups

Handmade terracotta cups with brown glaze and a pale green drip design.
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My saved places

01
Bosco de Lobos
Italian · €20–30
Hidden inside the architects' college in Chueca - a modern cube in Madrid's historic fabric. Cozy dining area, everything freshly prepared. Get the truffle pizza and the steak tartare.
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02
Lamucca de Pez
Restaurant · €20–30
Warm and reliable, good for a group - everything we tried was flavorful and well prepared, with attentive service throughout. Good drinks selection.
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03
Mercado de San Miguel
Fresh food market
Touristy and worth it - a stunning wrought-iron market hall by Plaza Mayor where Spanish food, history, and temptation live under one roof. I went every day for a week; graze stall by stall and call it lunch.
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04
Ochenta Grados Malasaña
Fusion · €20–30
The lunch menu is the deal: one mini cold dish, two mini hot, dessert, and a drink for about 17 euros. The tapas feel like little masterpieces - the burger is a must, plus the risotto and huevos trufados.
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05
StreetXO
Fusion · €50–90
Fine dining with the volume turned up - impressive food and presentation, and the cocktails are as good as the plates.
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06
Toma Café
Coffee shop
The best specialty coffee in Malasana - I tried the Bolivian and Indian espressos and both were perfect shots, not a hint of bitterness. Skip the Turkish eggs.
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07
Amasarte
★ 4.4
Warm, welcoming pottery studio - a fantastic date or class with friends. I've done everything from a Christmas decorations workshop to regular classes; laid back with lots of materials.
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08
Café Angélica
★ 4.7
A tea drinker's rescue in Madrid - the owner is lovely.
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09
Capilla de Nuestra Señora y de San Juan de Letrán
★ 4.6
A quiet chapel surprise mid-walk - we sat in on the music and had a lovely time. Beautiful, worth a pause.
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10
Casa Lucio
Deep-rooted Madrid tradition - the atmosphere is authentic and warm. The green peppers were the best I've ever tasted and the jamon is outstanding. Lucky walk-ins get seated at lunch when it's just two.
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11
Casa Macareno
★ 4.6
Tiny, buzzy tapas bar - trust the staff when they tell you to stop ordering (they were right). The 'false risotto' orzo and the gildas are great. Book if you can; otherwise the wait outside isn't long.
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12
Casa Marius
★ 4.2
Local lunch favorite that fills up fast - go early. Excellent menu del dia and a range of arroces; I strongly recommend the arroz negro. Super attentive service.
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13
Chocolatería San Ginés
Iconic for a reason - crispy churros with properly thick chocolate, and several rooms near each other so there's plenty of seating. The porras hold the chocolate well.
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14
Dear Hotel Madrid
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15
El Moderno Concept Store
★ 4.6
Wonderfully curated design store - prints and pottery from local artists, Vitra classics, and even the air freshener is so good I keep buying it.
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16
Goiko Grill
The Teque Vinci burger - fun chain, double-check gluten claims.
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17
Grosso Napoletano
Neapolitan chain - eat in, delivery was a mess.
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18
Hijo de Epigmenio
★ 4.8
Beautiful Spanish-made products, perfect for gifts - they wrapped ours nicely for the plane. I picked three things and still use them almost every day a year later.
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19
Hotel NH Madrid Zurbano
★ 4.3
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20
Ojalá
★ 4.5
Perfect evening bar - fast plates, tasty burgers.
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21
SALA EQUIS
★ 4.5
One of the coolest rooms in the city - and the best patatas bravas.
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22
Salmon Guru - A CONTRACORRIENTE
The wild design is the point - every cocktail tastes like nothing you've had before, pure originality. Ask for Vincent; he takes the time to understand what you like.
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23
Yue Lai
My favorite hotpot in Madrid - half spicy, half normal, and level 2 or 3 is plenty for Europeans. Fresh food, reasonable prices, and the servers make sure you don't over-order.
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Seville
24
Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seville
★ 4.6
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Valencia
25
Almalibre Açaí House El Carmen
Our daily go-to in El Carmen for breakfast and lunch - generous acai bowls, good matcha, spacious and quiet, and laptop-friendly with good wifi.
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San Sebastián
26
SAKONA Tostadores de cafés de especialidad. (VISITAS SOLO CON CITA PREVIA)
A coffee roaster pilgrimage - visits by appointment only, and it's beans to go (no brewed coffee, it's not a cafe). Rare to find someone this competent and passionate; they ground a couple of bags for me.
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