The belle époque interior is entirely fake yet entirely convincing, making this one of the most peaceful and elegant spots to flick through the newspapers or recover from the...

A quiet favourite with the smarter denizens of the neighbourhood, Café de Ruiz is an elegant place, with comfortable sofas and dramatic flower arrangements. A big draw is its...

A quintessential point of reference in the city's café society, the Bellas Artes is utterly elegant. Under new ownership, it is now free to enter at lunchtime for the menú del...

Split into two halves at either end of the narrow Escalinata del Nuncio, the Café del Nuncio has lovely cool, dark interiors with gently rotating ceiling fans and soft...

This likeable, cramped café with a lovely façade is good for coffee and cake (chocolate or carrot), though prices are a tad high. Head upstairs to a low-beamed room with red...

Madrid's original gay café is a sedate place where the lace curtains, 19th-century chandeliers and winding wooden staircase lend themselves nicely to a cosy destination for...

Still charming after all these years, this is Madrid's definitive literary café, open since 1888. It still holds poetry tertulias on Monday nights, and publishes a magazine...

A romantic and popular stop, with friendly service and screens playing chill-out videos. It gets chock-full at weekends with an amiable and mixed crowd, who are generally on...

Whimsical interiors, funky lo-fi music and lots of hanging lanterns make this one of the most relaxing cafés in a neighbourhood full of them. New ownership brings a randomly...

A rough diamond, the diminutive Casa Camacho has changed little since it opened in 1928, except for the addition of a fruit machine and a TV - both in constant use. Pre-war...

Serving chocolate and churros (deep-fried batter sticks) to the city night and day since 1894, this veritable institution has had to introduce a ticketing system - pay before...

A perennial favourite with seemingly everybody; from those looking for a peaceful morning coffee on the leafy Plaza de la Paja to those meeting up for a few bolstering...

A minimalist and sexy film-rental café spinning all-day chill-out sounds (and occasional techno). As well as a fabulous selection of movies, there are delicious sandwiches,...

An airy little café to grab a quick and delicious dosa, currently getting rave reviews.