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Recommended Reviews - Federal
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1 year ago
A very cute cafe with delicious food! Service was great. I had the fluffy pancakes with banana which was fantastic and large in portion size. The lychee Jasmine tea is unsweetened, just FYI. They had a little sign up that says not to use laptops here on weekends Overall, this seemed like a popular, busy spot and I would definitely recommend it if you're in the area! read more
Finally a great coffee spot with specialty coffee !!! I've been looking all over for an oat milk cappuccino that is bold in flavor. Took a nice walk to this place and had great breakfast & coffee. The pancakes with mascarpone made my dish sweet. Everything together complimented each other well. The avocado toast with eggs bacon pumpkin seeds on an almond cream bread is top notch. The seating is perfect for large and small groups. It's next to an university so you'll see a lot of people studying but that made the cafe so much better and inviting. Highly recommend. read more
Hands down one of the best places we visited in Madrid. We are so grateful that we stumbled on this place. Located around la Plaza de las Comendadoras, it may not seem like much from the outside. However, if you do happen to visit you won't be disappointed. They have tables available outside on the patio. On the inside they have quite the expansive space with tables for eating, a large table for folks to study/work and then bar seats along some windows. Their menu is amazing. They have so many choices. We ended up dining here for lunch on two different occasions. On the first day we ordered a BLAT sandwich, and a crispy chicken salad. Our little guy had their Greek yogurt with nuts and berries. All the flavors were delicious. On the second day we had nasi goreng and the yellow curry. It's amazing that with such a diverse menu, every dish tasted excellent. The service and staff were also great. On both days they were on point. Busy helping everyone either inside or out. Always polite and quick to stop by when we wanted to order or ask a question. We will definitely miss this spot. I wish one would open up in NYC someday! read more
2 years ago
soooooo yummy! Very busy on the weekends but if you have a small group they seat you the best they can. Definitely would come again. The menu offers so much from brunch to lunch it makes you want to try everything:) read more
7 years ago
Food: My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this restaurant this morning which was our first day in Madrid. I ordered the Brioche Toast with Ham and Cheese. I added the spinach and fried egg and it was DELICIOUS. It was filling, satisfying and downright incredible. My boyfriend got the Salmon Omelette which was perfectly cooked. He also got the Green Drink (name escapes me) and it was fantastic. Not too sweet or too tart. Venue: This is a small café style restaurant. The servers were all friendly and they had an English menu (a necessity for me and my boyfriend). They do take credit cards as well read more
My family and I stumbled upon this place last minute for breakfast and it is AWESOME. They have seating upstairs and downstairs so there is quite a bit of space and could accommodate my family of 6. The water is self-serve downstairs! Their menu is big and has a variety of things to choose from. I ordered their eggs - bacon that is cooked in a skillet definitely filled me up and a cafe latte. Other things that we got and that I tried were the eggs benedict with bacon. It's your standard benedict and super good. We also got the french toast which was AMAZING if you're into sweets for breakfast. I'd definitely recommend this place as it was very affordable with great quality! read more
8 years ago
We got here right at 0900 when they opened, and there were only 3 or 4 other people here. It was nice that it was still quiet and relatively peaceful (though the calming music may have added to that). They also had menus in English which is very helpful. Their menu doesn't offer a lot of variety, but what they do, they do well. I got the French Toast, so good! Is also got the sunrise cocktail- orange and grapefruit juice. Refreshing and tasty. If I were back in Madrid again, I'd like to come back! read more
3 years ago
It's hard finding larger-sized portions of breakfast in a country that normally has a cup of coffee and bread, so this place was a great find! My boyfriend ordered the oven-baked eggs (w bacon), I ordered the benedict (w salmon), and we also ordered the French toast to share. Everything was delicious!!! Definitely check this place out! - our server spoke English & they had menus in English as well read more
9 years ago
I'm not a massive breakfast/brunch person (srsly why replace meat with eggs) but Federal is a nice spot for those who are. There's seating outside in a pleasant square but in less favourable weather there is the really nice interior which also has a basement space which they have managed to make rather light and positive. Service was slow which was ok as we weren't in a hurry/starving but I imagine it's very irritating if you want anything promptly or not to have to ask twice/call over orders to servers while at other tables. This could be extremely easily solved by hiring 1 or preferably 2 extra waiters and I honestly can't understand what kind of business decision has led to the dearth of staff because you definitely do not saving money by not turning over tables or not taking additional drinks orders. I actually came back later the same day with a large group after a bicycle tour and despite the fact this seems to be a standard arrangement the drinks service was completely chaotic - just mark drink by location on your pad! The food and drink was very good - my friend had some lovely-looking eggs benedict and I tried shakshuka for the first time which was exciting. Obviously I had nothing to compare to it but i very much enjoyed the sweet herby flavour and would get it again. In terms of breakfast/brunch in central Madrid I would definitely recommend here along with Serafina. read more
Westernized brunch's arrival to Spain. Although breakfast isn't a huge meal here, Federal is bringing people in, and in hoards. There's a large community table as well as several tables inside and outside as well. Get excited for: - amazing baked goods (check them out on the display table & choose between cakes, breads, & fruit pastries) - eggs Florentine (baked inside a cute, little black pan) - breakfast burgers (making it socially acceptable to eat a burger in the AM) - iced coffee - smoothies - French toast (didn't try it but looked amazing) read more
Really cute place for breakfast if you're looking to take a break from tapas and get a more traditional breakfast. Had the shakshuka which is essentially poached eggs in a tomato onion sauce and I added chorizo and my friend had the traditional eggs Benedict. The hollandaise was probably the best I've ever tasted but this review is missing it's fifth star bc the eggs for both dishes were over cooked. I prefer my poached egg to be a bit runny but I guess it's all in your preference. It didn't take away from the flavors of the dish though. The real winner here was their iced coffee. There were no bells and whistles but something about it was just right. Portions were perfect and service was great. Two dishes and two iced coffees ran us about 30 euros. read more
6 years ago
8 years ago
Really loved the breakfast I had, & the location is perfect. It was away from busy streets so eating outside was very peaceful. I had the florentine eggs & tried my friend's avocado toast. Both were amazing & very filling. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
I think we must have been sprinkled with fairy dust to have walked into this modern European cafe, on a weekend...at brunch hour & get a table without any hassle! 10 mins later & we would have been standing along with the throngs of patrons waiting patiently, even upto 45 mins, to be seated at this gem! The verdict: Yes! The food & drinks are that good!! I had the green smoothie which is easily the best smoothie I have ever had! It's leagues ahead of all the $10-$15 green juice shakes available back in the states. I wish I could have flown back several barrels full of the green smoothie with me! For my meal, I got the ham & egg skillet which was delicious. My partner got the scrambled eggs with the chorizo patty which was also scrumptious. What was a letdown thought at this fabulous place... Was the waitstaff. They seemed to be beating to their own drum, while the diners had to figure out on their own where to sit, where to get the menu from, where to pay. The more busy it got the more dazed the diners seemed to appear while the waitstaff seemed to get more sparse and stone faced. That said... The food was fabulous & enough reason to try this place atleast once. read more
8 years ago
This is a really cool place off the tourist track in Madrid. The food was delicious. We got the bacon egg skillet and avocado toast. We also got a chai tea latte (YUM) and a cappuccino. All the food was delicious. Definitely lots of vegetarian and vegan options. The servers were working as quickly as they could be this place was BUSY on Sunday morning. Be prepared to wait. That being said, we would definitely come back. read more
7 years ago
We were craving more of a brunch experience while in Madrid and found Federal. It was so good we went back 3 more times and consistently had great food, drinks and service. It was also very vegetarian friendly! Definitely recommend for brunch style food and coffee! read more
I know you're supposed to enjoy Tapas when you're in Spain, but man was this place good and just what we needed during our trip. There aren't many places that serve up this type of food in Spain. We stopped in for lunch and it was busy, but I think that's the case all day. The place is spacious so the wait shouldn't be too long! The menu had your typical American dishes, but everything had a twist to it which made it unique and hard to choose! Everything we ordered was very good and satisfying. They have breakfast items on their lunch menu and baked goods all day. The cheesecake was so tasty! read more
9 years ago
SO GOOD! I went on a Sunday for brunch around 12:30 and of course there was a line but only waited 30 minutes and probably another 15 to place our order but it's worth the wait. There's an English and Spanish menu which helped but I ordered scrambled eggs, American bacon, and cheese with an Oreo milkshake which was great. My eggs were a little runny but it didn't bother me because I ate the entire plate. It was great, definitely coming back! read more
8 years ago
Very nice place, just off the beaten track. Ecclectic mix of tourists and locals in a modern setting. Seating both inside and out or by the windows thst open up wide. We had a smoothie and avocado on rye with egg - really nice and good quality produce! Wide variety of food with vegetarian and vegan options as well Not sure this would be considered traditional spanish but for a good nutritious breakfast it's by far the best we have found in madrid so far. read more
9 years ago
We had high hopes for this place per the great pictures we saw here (Yelp). We took a long walk from the City Center and skipped all the other brunch places along the way. The service was too slow and they tried to justify their lack of service by saying that WE (the customers) woke up at the same time as the rest of the people there. - Waited 10-15 minutes to have someone take the order. Could have been longer but my boyfriend stood up to get a waiter. - Waited 40-45 minutes to get our food. We ordered salmon benedicts and their poached eggs with toast. As you can see in the picture, the eggs were over-cooked; absolutely over-cooked. We got our coffees AFTER we returned our food. Conclusion: An hour wait. Still hungry :( read more
Business owner information
José M.
Hola Juce…
breakfast is not a big thing in Spain and eggs in the morning are not to be found, but Cafe Federal luckily provides in the egg department (and avocado!!!). I ordered the eggs benedict with bacon and added avocado. A really solid meal; they gave me practically a whole avocado so I was very much satisfied. The only down side was that my eggs were over cooked. Very sad since I love runny eggs and poached eggs should definitely be runny! Not a lot of people for 12pm on Friday (although it is a holiday and an odd time for a meal in Spain) so we easily got a table and service was quick, but usually it's packed so be wary!! This was my second time coming and I really do enjoy the atmosphere and the food. Great pick if you are missing traditional breakfast/brunch food. read more
Aussie inspired Spanish brunching? This place was made for me. We headed here to take advantage of the wifi and food and I left feeling like I'd just taken a quick trip to my beloved hometown of Melbourne. I've actually been to the Federal Cafe in Barcelona, so I knew what to expect. Great brunch items, casual seating and a cool vibe. I ordered baked eggs with Serrano ham and Manchego cheese, as well as a beer. Don't judge, it was lunch time (ish) and Spain so it's totally acceptable. Most staff here seem to speak English if you aren't feeling adventurous. Food didn't take long and was delicious - piping hot and luscious eggs with the rich ham was just what I needed to kick off my day. There was two generous slices of bread too which were smothered in butter. Yum. Sure, €9 might be a little steep but I didn't mind for the quality of the food. I'm hoping to wangle another trip back here before I go! read more
7 years ago
The food was well prepared and our first stop when arriving in Madrid. The staff was very friendly and it was in a quiet spot which was nice. I had the pancakes and they were just right. read more
8 years ago
Lots of healthy western brunch options if you are not craving a Spanish breakfast/pastries. Ordered the avocado toast with an egg and the date smoothie. Everyone enjoyed their meal, they have a lot of options for whatever anyone in your party is craving! read more
If you've been travelling around Europe and are looking for a breakfast that's more than juat bacon and eggs with bad quality toast or a typical European breakfast of a croissant/bread roll, some ham and a cigarette, this is the place for you. A great cooked menu with variety, with both sweet and savoury options, juices and smoothies. Oh, and they know how to make good coffee too. If you go to Barcelona as well, check out their sister cafe there. A refreshing change. read more
Business owner information
José M.
Thanks for yours words!! Nice day!!
10 years ago
The decor is modern hipster; large communal tables, window counters at large expansive windows, as well as individual tables. The service is friendly relaxed and cool. Great Wi-Fi. I had a Caesar salad and Tommy's green smoothie; brownie for dessert and cafe Americano. The smoothie was absolutely delicious with so much complexity of tastes and aftertastes. The Caesar salad on the otherhand left a lot to be desired. It was swimming in way too much dressing. The choice of greens was not very imaginative; The croutons were soggy stale and the taste was not really Caesar. The brownie was very good. The cafe Americano was decaf and was very weak. read more
7 years ago
Very nice coffee shop/breakfat place with good ambient ad music. I had a Cortado with a huge and awesome Galleta de Chocolate y Pistacho. Service is good and prices are fair. read more
11 years ago
As a New Yorker who just moved into this little neighborhood, I can't emphasize enough how much I adore this place. It's cozy, quaint, and always has a great playlist playing- moreover there is fantastic design detail throughout the entire restaurant. I've been on a hunt for something that isn't touristy, and this is it! The coffee is smooth, and the food portions are perfect. You will definitely leave satisfied, but not overly full. I ordered an avocado toast with a fried egg on top, and my friend order her toast with feta cheese and onions- both savory and delicious. Grab a seat by a window, bring a book or do some work, this is the perfect place to be productive, yet social. I think this is going to become a regular here! read more
10 years ago
After being in Madrid for two weeks, I was missing having a full substantial breakfast, like we love it in the US. I was quite tired of small toasts with jamon. They have a full menu with several egg dishes, eggs benedict, florentine, omelettes, and many more options. I'm giving it five star because service was solid, food options were EXACTLY what I was looking for and prices were reasonable. The place was packed and for some reason the crowd tended to be young college students of all nationalities. I enjoyed chatting with some from Australia and the US who were sitting by us. I will definitely come back when in Madrid again. read more
Business owner information
José M.
Hi Fernando…
12 years ago
Best brunch I've had in Spain! I'm American and new to Madrid so I've, naturally, been on the hunt for great brunch. Which is precisely what I found at Federal Cafe. We ordered: coffee, fresh squeezed OJ, french toast, and a (rather intense) egg sandwich "morning burger," and then we rolled out the door caffeinated, stuffed, and happy as can be. The café is spacious and trendy without being pretentious, with plenty of natural light, window seats, various quaint tables, counter-type seating, and a large wooden table that, I'd imagine, could make a great work space. It has an international vibe, with various languages being spoken throughout the place (though mostly American English and Spanish). Getting down to business, the food alone was worth five stars in this foodie's humble opinion: Coffee: Artistically prepared, strong with sweet undertones OJ: Cold, fresh, what you'd expect French Toast: Delicious. The maple sauce was thick had a very rich flavor, served with warm banana slices decorating the plate. We ate it all and continued to scrape sauce off the plate with our forks because it was just that good. Egg Sandwich: Was prepared with an onion sauce, bbq-type sauce, a generous helping of meat, as well as fried egg. It was borderline life-changing. My only complaint was that the "bacon" was not the crispy strips I expected, but rather thick slices of tender pork, and I wasn't a huge fan. Next time, I plan to ask for the bacon sandwich sans the bacon. Will definitely be back to the place with my language intercambios, colleagues, and/or boyfriend to try the rest of the brunch offerings! read more
7 years ago
The staff speaks English perfectly. It is a hipster style cafe and the food is good. Nothing extraordinary though. You won't be disappointed but you won't be wowed either. read more
11 years ago
The place is really clean and open. There are glass windows all around the restaurant which gives it that nice vibe. We ordered frio Té ingles (cold English tea more like a fruit tea) and it was nice and cool, but a little bitter. Our salads were not crunchy. The salad concept is really tasty, but the salad was wilted. My sisters chicken burger was super good. And the guniess chocolate cake and carrot cake were very good as well. The service wasn't very friendly. It was obvious that it was our first time there, but the waiteress/possible chef didn't explain the procedure. Pick up your own menu on the table to your right with the cakes, sit yourself down, and they come and take your order, then when you are done eating, go up to the cash register and pay. Small note: we didn't have AC, maybe it was broken that day. read more
7 years ago
Hands down the best Eggs Benedict I have ever had. The Hollandaise sauce made the the dish AMAZING! read more
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More info about Federal
Plaza de las Comendadoras, 9
28015 Madrid
Spain
Universidad
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915 328 424
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http://www.federalcafe.es/
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Federal - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026
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