In an effort to avoid sounding like a travel guidebook, here's a rundown of our hot spots:
- As novices we began at Café Cáscaras (near Abby's apartment) -- our first stop. The brownie a la mode was super delicious, A+ material. Nuff' said.
- We then ventured to Café Comercial (to which I have returned many times). Founded in 1887, it is one of the oldest cafés in Madrid. Although the waiters were somewhat surly, my After Eight chocolate mint tea hit the spot.
- We ended February with a stop at my favorite café, El Jardín Secreto (The Secret Garden). With beaded curtains in the window and slices of tree trunks for tables, the cozy spot mirrors my vision of a secret garden. Chocolate con helado caramelo (thick hot chocolate with caramel ice cream) and carrot cake made for the most delicious combination that I've had in Madrid all semester. Because the café didn't open until 5:30, we made a pit stop at Café Subiendo al Sur for some fair trade tea to kill time and stay out of the rain while waiting!
- The following week, our stop at Café Delic for some homemade mini cakes (dulce de avellana and zanahoria) rivaled the baked goods at El Jardín Secreto. Delic, located near my dance studio in Lavapies, gave me the energy needed for my first flamenco class!
- With the onset of beautiful weather, Abby and I tried the patio seating on Café de Orient (near the Palacio Real). Here we indulged in tea and some dense chocolate cake, which tasted even better with the sun beating down on us!
- The next week brought us to Café Marakech, per Lila's recommendation! We ordered a pot of the sweet mint tea of the house, which was served alongside a platter of assorted Moroccan pastries.
- Although Café Moderno wasn't quite as easy to find, the tea and three freshly-made "cakes of the house" were all a delight for the tastebuds. And, since Abby wasn't feeling well, I did the sampling for the two of us :)
- The prime location and painted ceilings of the Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes probably explained the higher prices. Regardless, the menu of 40+ varieties of tea, 16 types of frozen teas, and an assortment of liquid chocolates in addition to coffees and cocktails was impressive, if not slightly overwhelming (and we all know how quickly I make decisions in restaurants...)
- Most recently we went to the ever-so-popular La Mallorquina, a pastelería placed in the center of Sol! Known for their one euro napolitanas, the joint is quite the destination. We sipped tea and coffee on the second floor and washed it down with some chocolate truffles and a palmera.
Of course a weekly dose of tea and pastries doesn't hold me over, so I've ventured to some others and dragged along a friend or two on the way! Some of my favorites thus far include Lhardy Pastelería for its flaky, perfect chocolate palmeras, El Riojano for its warm, coral-colored walls, Café Ruiz (near my house) for the best chunky milkshake, Café Manuela for some board-game-playing and lemon-champagne-sorbet-sipping fun, Café Central (known for its nightly jazz) and Café del Real for some simple chamomile tea.
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