This place smells as amazing as it looks. Everything seems delicious. We got the ponche and…read moreflorones. We got the chocolate one - delish! They had a cafeteria in the back as well to sit and eat which was nice. The worker there was great in handling our allergies. She packed the dessert separately to avoid any cross contamination of nuts.

This was our go-to breakfast cafe in Spain. Everything we tried was amazing from matcha to lattes…read moreto the bre-tzels and pastries.

Nice little Ice Cream spot close to the palace. Nice…read moreselection and service. Homemade cones

Do yourself a favor and stop here for torrija. I would recommend taking it to go or seeing if you…read morecan snag a spot upstairs. This place gets busy and packed and was hectic when we stopped in. The torrija was one of, if not the best one we had while in Madrid. The service was quick and friendly at the to go counter for me.

La Mallorquina came as a recommendation from our hotel when I asked for a local bakery with coffee…read more I'd had a long list of places I wanted to try but always like to ask as well. We happened upon it and I was so pleasantly surprised. I think we went three times during our time in Madrid. I loved the counter experience, I'd definitely recommend that option. I wasn't looking to sit down and do all of that upstairs so my review is solely based on counters on the first floor. The locals love this spot and that is quite obvious. I was told in advance that they do and coming here was very enjoyable. The pastries and coffee are very yummy, you won't be disappointed. Makes for the perfect spot if you really want to get your day started but want to grab a quick bite before doing so.

A pair of classics in their respective cities (2 of 2)…read more - - - - - I'm not surprised there are a lot of reviews. Then, I've had this bookmarked for an eternity based on the reviews of a Yelp friend (acquaintance) from the Yelp Talk chapter who did quite a bit of traveling. I had seen Chocolateria San Gines before but did not go in. I don't know why. This time, I did go in. They have two salons across the street from each other. I prefer the one on the east side of the street, which has the taller ceilings and more glass and mirrors. There will be a line around the side, but it will move quickly. I knew they had chocolate based on their name, but I didn't understand how they factored it into the equation. I sort of assumed that one could get chocolate churros. After all, there are now chocolate cannoli shells and, in some cases, cannoli can also have chocolate filling. The lady at the counter very quickly gave me an education. One gets the standard churros, but they come with a chocolate sauce that you dip them into. This all made for an interesting snack. This is not a place intended for a meal. The churro have a nice bland sort of crunchiness and the chocolate sauce is one heck of a counterpoint. The combination is great. I also had a hot drink. Upon asking, they immediately provided me with a small glass of cold water - seen at many adjacent tables - probably to counter the effects of the richness of this snack. Be it at the counter or at the table, the staff was very well mannered and helpful, which was commendable for how busy they were. The interior is very clean and has a lot of history on its wall. The pricing was to my liking, so coming to Chocolateria San Gines is a "no brainer." Everything is there and the intersection of its history and visitors from the world over take this one to 5 stars. A friend of mine who once lived in Madrid laughed upon learning it was on my list. I mentioned I had already been to Mallorquina, which is a few blocks away on Plaza del Sol. The story was that Mallorquina is where Madrid's version of chatty magpies might go to do the dessert and coffee thing with their friends in the afternoon. It closes in the evening. Instead, Chocolateria San Gines is open all the time and might be the last stop of the evening or night before Madrilenos turn in from a night on the town. It is also very easy to reach, only a few blocks from either the Sol or Opera Metro stations, from which you can also take in fascinating nearby Plaza Mayor.

The churros here are a must try in Madrid, Spain…read more The chocolate sauce is divine and great for dipping the churros. There's a dining area to sit inside and outside. The service is relatively quick. The churros are crispy and not oily. If you're in Madrid go here!

Enticing baked goods, Cool desserts and they're known for their marzipan. Which is a type of sweet…read moremade with sugar, honey, ground almonds (be careful if you have allergies) and flour. Marzipan can also be used as a thin sheet over cakes. It can be glazed and topped with chocolate or fruit. So I had to try it due to it being incredible eye candy. Santo Tome has been around since the 1850s and this one was adjacent to a main square so it's quite popular for locals and turistas. I got a few and enjoyed eating them although they all tasted somewhat the same, but it was all good. So if you're in Toledo, Oh....I mean Spain, stop on in.

Stopped in after touring the military museum just to sample the marzipan. We grabbed a couple of…read morethe palmera pastries which were rich but good. The marzipan was above average and overpriced. Of you need to stop by for a sweet, would just grab the Palmeras.