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.
01
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.
Stop 01 · The neighborhoods
I loved Salamanca and Malasaña.
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.
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.
02
The piece
01
Terracotta cups
Handmade terracotta cups with brown glaze and a pale green drip design.
03
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 is 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. 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 - the Bolivian and Indian espressos are both 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. Everything from seasonal workshops 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 - sit in on the music if it's playing. Beautiful, worth a pause.
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10
Casa Lucio
Deep-rooted Madrid tradition - the atmosphere is authentic and warm. The green peppers and the jamon are outstanding. Walk-ins can get seated at lunch when it's two people.
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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; the arroz negro is the one. 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 an air freshener worth buying.
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16
Goiko Grill
The Teque Vinci burger - fun chain.
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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 wrap purchases nicely for the plane.
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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. Sit at the bar and tell them what you like.
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23
Yue Lai
The hotpot in Madrid - half spicy, half normal, and level 2 or 3 is plenty. 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
A daily-routine spot 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). They can grind bags to order.
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