Chocolatería San Ginés (chocolate con churros)

What to expect

Chocolatería San Ginés sits in the Pasadizo de San Ginés, a narrow covered passage beside the church of the same name, a few steps from Puerta del Sol. The building opened as an inn and restaurant in 1890 and has served churros with thick hot chocolate since 1894. It has since spread into neighbouring buildings, but the main room still has the look of an old Madrid café.

You sit at a table or a bench, order chocolate con churros and eat them dunked in a cup of chocolate thick enough to coat a spoon. It is a snack rather than a sight, and people come at every hour: after a night out, at breakfast, or as a mid-afternoon treat. Most visits last 30 to 45 minutes, longer when there is a queue.

Don't miss

• The narrow Pasadizo de San Ginés
• Churros arriving fresh from the fryer
• A cup of thick hot chocolate
• The old café interior

Tips for your visit

• Order one portion to share first; the cups and plates are generous.
• Queues are shortest in the morning and late at night.
• Dip, don't pour: the chocolate is thick enough to hold the churro.
• Pair it with a stroll to Plaza Mayor or the Royal Palace, both ten minutes away on foot.