Malasaña, the most hipster neighborhood in Madrid

Since becoming the epicenter of the Madrileña movement in the ‘80s, Malasaña has had an undeniable and above all unparalleled atmosphere. I’ve put together a quick compilation of my favorite places, from bars and cafes for when you go out, to second-hand stores with all kinds of vintage flow.

This hipster neighborhood par excellence can be found between the streets of Gran Via, Fuencarral, and Carranza. Though fairly small, my favorite street, Espiritu Santo, holds several of my favorite local finds.

First on the list, the restaurant Ojalá. Cooler every day by being the only place in Madrid with a real sand beach inside, Ojalá is a treasure in every corner you look. Upstairs, there’s a cute square-shaped bar where cocktails are prepared in front of you, and where you can stand or sit on tall stools. To the side there are some small tables where you can sit and have a drink, snacks, or a full dinner from their menu full of interesting platters. But the glamor-- according to where you look-- is found downstairs, where the seats are like hammocks or small, low sofas placed on the sand beach, and with a “chiringuito”-- a small, open-air stand-- on the opposite side (it’s actually just another bar where cocktails are prepared). The downstairs section is only available for dinner, not for casual drinks. If you go, whether as a couple or with a group of friends, make a reservation well in advance because there tends to be a wait, especially on weekends and at dinnertime. They have a ton of food for celiacs and for vegans. Try the hummus with tuna chips, the Vietnamese sandwich, and above all, the white wine sangria.

Just across from Ojalá in the same plaza is Vacaciones, a small, cute cafe decorated in Hawaiian style where delicious cocktails and slices of cakes of all kinds are served. My recommendation: go for your afternoon snack and order a smoothie or a coffee with a piece of carrot cake. It’s true that the prices are a bit high and the place always tends to be full, as does Ojala, but you already know what this means.

Advancing a bit down the street Espiritu Santo, we find ourselves two fun to-go snack places. The first that we encounter is All Pop Gourmet, an establishment specializing in popcorn. They have all kinds of flavors, including the classic kind with salt or butter, some other salted varieties like cheese-flavored, as well as sweet popcorn, coming in flavors like mojito, violet, or melon. They are super popular, there are three sizes of popcorn, and the place is really cool.

Five steps further you’ll find Lolo Polos, star triumph of the neighborhood that opened a few years ago and every summer has a line of people waiting for popsicles. Everything they make is artisan, natural, and with no added sugars. My favorite is the watermelon and pickle kind, but they come in a variety of flavors, and they rotate the flavors that they offer each day. Recently, they have added to their menu a Matcha green tea flavor that will have you dying of richness. They cost 2. 95 euros but they’re immensely more worthy of the pricetag than an industrial Frigo ice cream.

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