Café
Chocolatería San Ginés
Madrid's most famous chocolatería, serving thick hot chocolate with churros and porras in a lane off Calle Arenal since 1894.
Toma Café
One of the pioneers of Madrid's speciality coffee scene, opened in Malasaña in 2011, roasting its own beans and baking pastries on site.
At a glance
- Type
- Speciality coffee
- Area
- Malasaña, Madrid, Spain
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Official site
- tomacafe.es
Good to know
- Speciality coffee
- Own roastery
- Homemade pastries
Why we recommend it
Toma Café is one of the cafés that started Madrid's speciality coffee scene. It was opened in 2011 on Calle de la Palma in Malasaña by Patricia Alda and Santiago Rigoni, a Spanish-Argentinian couple, at a time when good espresso was hard to find in the city. It quickly became a reference point for coffee lovers, and the team later started roasting their own beans in small batches, supplying other cafés as well as their own.
The coffee menu covers well-made espresso drinks, flat whites and cappuccinos, single-origin espresso and filter coffee, and cold brew in warmer weather. The beans change with the seasons and the roasting schedule, so ask the baristas what is on. Pastries and sweets, including cookies, muffins and carrot cake, are made in the kitchen on site, and there are light options for breakfast or a mid-morning stop.
The café itself is small and informal, with a relaxed neighbourhood feel, a counter at the front and a few tables. It attracts a mix of local regulars, students, freelancers and visitors, and it can fill up at weekends, when you may need to wait for a seat or take your coffee away. It suits solo travellers, coffee enthusiasts and anyone exploring Malasaña's independent shops, vintage stores and bars.
Toma is a good starting point for a morning in Malasaña, one of Madrid's most characterful neighbourhoods, with its narrow streets, small squares and independent businesses. The Plaza del Dos de Mayo, the heart of the area, is a few minutes away, and the nearby Conde Duque cultural centre hosts exhibitions and events in a former barracks. Hours generally run from morning until early evening, with later starts at weekends; check the website or social media before you go, as hours can change.
Calle de la Palma runs east to west across Malasaña. Tribunal metro station, on lines 1 and 10, and Noviciado, on line 2, are both within about five to ten minutes' walk. From here it is an easy walk down to Gran Vía and Plaza de España, or up to the cafés and bars around Calle de Fuencarral and the Plaza del Dos de Mayo.
Toma Café FAQs
When did Toma Café open?
In 2011, founded by Patricia Alda and Santiago Rigoni.
Does Toma roast its own coffee?
Yes, it roasts its own beans in small batches.
What should I order?
A flat white or single-origin espresso, with a homemade pastry.
Are the pastries made on site?
Yes, sweets such as cookies, muffins and carrot cake are made in the café's kitchen.
Is it busy at weekends?
It can be, and seating is limited, so you may need to wait or take away.
Where is it?
At Calle de la Palma 49 in Malasaña.
What is the nearest metro?
Tribunal on lines 1 and 10, or Noviciado on line 2.
What is nearby?
The Plaza del Dos de Mayo and the Conde Duque cultural centre.