From a time ago to now, the speciality coffee has become more and more famous in Madrid, and that’s great. We are a coffee filter fan, and although there is still not much demand, there is a new trend of coffee houses that include it in their menus.

Whether or not you like this type of coffee, these cafés that we recommend in the following texts, have already become our favourite for their excellence. Feel like getting to know them?

Toma Café

This one already has three branches and is definitely one of my favourites.

In Toma Café they only use 100% medium-toasted Arabic, close to the best before date and brewed by an expert in coffee, who not only knows how to prepare it but who can also advise us about the type of coffee we are going to have. And they prepare all types of coffee from different origins for all tastes: from a typical coffee with milk to a cappuccino, the flat white or a mocha whether we are going to drink it there or take it away.

Their different options of filter coffee are very good. On top of this their barmen are always there to recommend which is the best coffee in relation to your tastes.

Another strong selling point is the sweet and savoury versions of their toasts and sandwiches.

C/ Palma, 49

C/ Santa Feliciana, 5

C/ Raimundo lucio, 16

Hola coffee

This small family-run café is managed by Nolo Botana and Pablo Caballero, two coffee-loving Friends. They toast and make their own coffee which they buy from small scale producers in central America, South America and Africa. What’s the result? Exquisite coffee. I recommend any of their various options, their cold brewed designed by Miriam Persand (brutal bottle) and their Pumpkin Spice Latte. Their cakes and toasts are simply…fabulous!

C/ Doctor Fourquet, 33

Hanso Café

The Hanso Café is the perfect equation: good coffee and excellent service in a really cosy place. It’s in Calle Pez and among other things; it stands out due to its Nordic aesthetics. The most common elements are in its menu, but always made with the best ingredients, and of course the best coffee grains. Our favourite is the delicious honey from the Tusell Tostadores Pyrenees and lot 19 of Right Side Coffee.

C/ Pez, 20

Pum Pum Café

Located in calle Tribulete, in this small and coquette café they serve very good coffee, really good breakfasts, homemade cakes that they make freshly every day, and a fabulous brunch. Pum Pum Café is a very interesting hybrid: café, bar and restaurant, with mainly vegetarian options cooked with local organic ingredients. Their decor refers to New York’s Lower East Side and Williamsburg thanks to its bare brick walls, vintage furniture, and their bread counter brought especially from Holland along with their interesting selection of magazines. As well as offering one of the best filter coffees that we have tried until now in Madrid, their expressos and all their desserts are exceptional. We recommend that you try their carrot cake or their lemon pie.

C/ Tribulete, 6

Pum Pum Bakery

The same creators of Pum Pum Café opened this cool hotspot in Lavapiés, where you can eat the best croissants in town. Their coffee is excelent and also their brunch. They have delivery service.

C/ Esgrima, 1

Feliz Coffee

This little coffee place is located in Las Letras neighborhood. It is the perfect place to enjoy a good cup of specialty coffee and homemade pastry.

C/ Lope de Vega, 2

Ruda Cafe

Specialty coffee and delicious artisan cakes.

C/ Ruda, 11

Religion Specialty Coffee

Healthy and delicious breakfasts, sandwiches, cakes and specialty coffee. They have vegan and vegetarian options, as well as special lattes like blue, made with spirulina, golden, with turmeric and pink with beets.

C/ María de Molina, 24

Faraday Cafe

Specialty coffee shop and vinyls. Its space is very cozy. Makes you want to stay and live.

C/ San Lucas, 9

Nommad Café

Nordic and New York aesthetic café, where you can enjoy specialty coffee, delicious pastries (the vast majority vegan) and breakfasts and daily specials made with local and organic ingredients.

C/ Alcalá, 107

Acid Coffee

Specialty coffee (La Cabra) and delicious brunch. Their banana bread with miso sauce is amazing.

C/ Verónica, 9

Cafelito

Coffees, organic infusions, cakes and cocktails in a cozy space with a collection of exchange books.

C/ Sombrerete, 20

Plántate Café

Flirty specialty coffee shop.

C/ Mesón de Paredes, 28

Cafés Tornasol

Specialty coffee shop in a stall in the Antón Martín Market, where they serve excellent coffee, artisan pastries and homemade dishes, healthy and very tasty by Mónica Iglesias de Levadura Salvaje. Highly recommend their cinnamon rolls and their potato omelette.

C/ Santa Isabel, 5 (Antón Martín Market)

Santa Kafeina

Santa Kafeina was love at first sight. Good coffee, yummy toasts – they serve two portions of brown cereal bread, which can be accompanied by jam and sour cream or two little bowls of shredded tomato (red and yellow) – and house cakes. The apple crumble is 10 out of 10!

C/ Viriato, 37

Café Angélica

The Angélica was originally the first shop specializing in the sale of herbs in Madrid, and it has now become an authentic coffee toaster, with a heap of charm as they have managed to keep much of their old style charm, from the classic wooden furniture that they used to sell the spices to the floor. The case is such that they have decided to commercialize coffee as well as ecological spices with a Fair Trade certification in order to not lose the place’s original idiosyncracy; herbs from the Delta del Ebro, which are also ecological and air dried; eco dried fruits; and 14 varieties of organic teas from India, Japan and China. However, the star product is the coffee of which they have up to 11 types -, which is exquisite thanks to a small, German Hobart machine, capable of grinding five kilos at a time, and which they use to invite both clients and restaurants to make their own coffee to their taste. They toast this coffee which comes from small producers in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Colombia, Guatemala, and Brazil… themselves.

On the other hand, which goes without saying, you can combine your to die for shot of coffee and/or tea with excellent breakfasts, lunches and late afternoon snacks with toasts. Really good!

C/ San Bernardo, 24

La Colectiva

This coffee shop is well-lit and attracts passers-by as it’s at Street level and its big doors are open. The building it’s in is a 130 year old classic Chamberí building. This is why the aesthetics of it have been conserved to a great extent despite the new touch of a vertical garden and designer furniture. It has been constructed on two levels and on the first floor there is a large salon with communal tables and armchairs to work and chat without hurries.

Another of its strong points is the breakfast and late afternoon sack menus, as they are exquisite cakes and ecological toasts. A real 10! They have created exquisite and surprising combinations.

C/ Francisco de Rojas, 9

Dot Café

Beautiful cafeteria where you can drink great coffee from Nomad Coffee, homemade pastry by Reposted and delicious sandwiches and more… Their owners are an amazing couple.

C/ Eugenio Sellés, 6

The Fix

Best vegan pancakes in town, great brunch and specialty coffee.

C/ Luisa Fernanda, 15

(*) Photo: Chevanon Photography from Pexels.