Top Brunches in Madrid

I find the idea of brunches confusing because I am someone who absolutely needs to have her breakfast as soon as she gets up or she will not function. Therefore for me a brunch is basically lunch, just a lighter and healthier version? Unless of course you go to the Bicicleta Café and have the full brunch options. Anyway point is, brunches are my favorite meal because it is around that time of day where the sky is blue, the sun is shining and most of the cafés have outdoor seating so you can sit and order delicious, healthy food followed by a freshly squeezed juice and you literally feel zen. Here are a few of the brunches i have tried since moving to Madrid:

Ojalá

One of my go-to places for brunch or some afternoon tea is Ojalá, located in Calle de San Andrés 1, centre of Malasaña. It is one of the most fun and exciting venues of the city. An outdoor terrace to enjoy a drink or some food under the sun, a spacious indoor area and a sand pit down stairs for a different atmosphere. There are many things for you to try, which is why I seem to want to return here constantly. The brunch options are varied, and you can chose between a continental brunch including croissant, boiled egg and salad or a world mix including bread, hummus, guacamole, poached egg and a fruit salad and more. My favourite part of the café however is their lunch menu, as they have a wide range of options. I fell in love with their tacos, especially “el Dorado” which was chicken, guacamole, cilantro, lettuce and sriracha mayonnaise. Furthermore they offer wraps, sandwiches, burgers and salads. The pricing is very affordable, especially for us students so if you are looking for a place to spend an hour or two catching up with a friend then Ojalà is the place for you.

Dray Martina

Dray Martina is another top choice for the best brunches in Madrid. Located at a three minute walk from Alonso Martínez tube station this contemporary chic venue serves top quality brunch and lunch options. The restaurant reminds me of an “Ivy Chelsea” vibe with a tranquil and carefully decorated environment; the large wooden tables add a rustic vibe to their venue complimenting their traditional Mediterranean dishes. On the lunch menu you will find lighter options ranging from salmorejo, quesadillas and fresh salads to share to main meals such as chicken tagine, prawn tacos and tuna tartars. The last time I came to Dray Martina I came for brunch and chose the Latin Eggs Benedict, which were poached eggs served with avocado and Iberian ham on top of a corn tortilla. Of course they have other delicious options such as maple syrup pancakes, savoury pancakes, fruit salads, and ham & guacamole quesadillas. The prices range from 4 euros to 10. 90 euros, therefore highly affordable compared to the London brunch cafés. In the evening, Dray Martina becomes a perfect place to come and enjoy a glass of wine whilst catching up with friends. The casual atmosphere is perfect for a relaxed evening with friends.

La Bicicleta Cycling Café & Workplace

La Bicicleta is also located in the heart of Malasaña (as you may have guessed Malasaña is the place to be for cafés and brunches). It is based upon the owner’s passion for bicycles and good coffee and therefore wanted to create a place with a casual, welcoming concept. The idea is that you can come here and work, study, take as long as you like and feel “at home”. The rustic décor is based upon bicycles and in fact there is a DIY bike corner in case you come here with a flat tire or a flat tube. There are also many bike-related books on the shelves and bicycle competitions on their flat-screen televisions. Of course it isn’t just for people passionate for bicycles, if you love your coffee then your welcome too. They pay special attention to their coffee, which is prepared with a special blend and roasted by an expert. As a snobby Italian I can reassure that the coffee is top. The café is open all day, from 10AM to 1 AM on a weekday and from 11AM – 2. 30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. Only on Sundays it shuts at 12PM. With regards to their brunches, for 20 euros you have a coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, toast with jams and traditional Spanish tomato sauce, muesli with greek yoghurt, a warm, freshly baked croissant and a special egg and courgette dish which was super tasty but by the time you get to it you are filled up. Oh and let’s not forget the brownie at the end!

Considering the reasonable price you will definitely leave this café more than satisfied. If the brunch menu does not appeal to you they have other options such as salads, nachos, bagels and sandwiches.

Federal Café

Federal Café is located in Plaza de las Comendadoras in the centre of Madrid, a few minutes walk from San Bernardo tube station. The concept of the café is that Federal is a small town in Australia, a place where you go to relax, dream and immerse yourself into the tranquillity. This is what they tried to recreate here in Madrid, a place where you can go and relax, drink some coffee and maybe have a bite to eat and dream about being somewhere peaceful like Federal. One of the things that really caught my eye was the marble tables. I have something for marble tables, probably because they are such a photogenic background that they make any dish look delicious. Talking about the food, Federal café is paradise for breakfast lovers (like me). They serve an enormous amount of different toasts (who knew so many toasts existed). For example simple toast with jam, honey or vegemite (yes! ), rye toast with avocado, lemon and coriander (it get’s better) fruit toast with thyme, honey butter and caramelized pears and more complicated toasts such as brioches with maple pears and ricotta or a toasted brioche with ham and cheese. If this all isn’t enough then there is a variety of burgers, omelettes, filled croissants and (my favourite) cereals! There are three different cereals to chose from, for example cold coconut quinoa with banana, chocolate and dates or muesli with poached fruit, greek yoghurt and goji berries. If this still doesn’t convince you then walk in and check out their fresh cakes and pastries at the counter. Their drinks menu is not quite as long as the food however you do have a variation of juices such as fruit juices or healthy green detox juices. The pricing here is incredible, hence this is definitely a must go to when coming to Madrid.

Toma Café

Toma Café is located in Calle de la Palma in Malasaña. I initially found this place when i was looking for a café that served avocado on toast online and I came across this little café that posted so many awesome photos on instagram that I thought I would come and try it out. It is a little rustic café that is perfect to come and have a bite to eat whether it is for breakfast, brunch, lunch or afternoon tea. It is a place that values coffee and places special importance to the coffee making. For this reason it is rated amongst the best coffee cafés of the city. Their food options vary: They specialize on toasts and toppings. You can chose between various toppings such as avocado and cream cheese, tomatoes, olives and rosemary, ham, vegan pesto hummus, strawberry and cheese, pickled pumpkin and celery and many more. If you fancy something more filling then you have the option of a cheese platter, a cured meat platter or a mixed platter. For something sweet however then why not go for Granola and yoghurt or a chia pudding? Their lunch options range from Pulled meat sandwich, vegetable sandwich, a roast vegetable salad and a miso soup. I would honestly recommend this little place especially if you’re looking for a private, tranquil place to come and do some work whilst sipping on a top quality coffee.

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