El ‘brunch’ es vida

If we mix together breakfast and lunch we get brunch, a mid-morning meal. It is a highly recommended formula for long sightseeing days in a large city like Madrid, in which it is convenient to recharge the batteries mid-morning and, while you do so, save on having a big meal (lunch, or at least reduce it to its minimal expression).

A good indicator of a place’s quality -although it is not always this way- is to make sure if there are any foreign tourists inside. In many cases, word gets out amongst foreigners of places that are worth going to and it is the tourists who are more aware of these things than locals themselves. Something similar happens in Carmencita, and such is its popularity that it has had to open another restaurant a few yards from its original one on Calle Espíritu Santo, 73. Do not miss its eggs Benedict and its soft hollandaise sauce on a salmon or bacon base, accompanied by mimosas, a juicy mix of cava and orange juice. Prices approximately 10-15 euros.

Language purists would say that it’s more breakfast than brunch but an English breakfast can be eaten at any time of the day and it brings plenty of energy for most of the day. At VIPS they offer a decent one although at MÜR Café they do not fall short: eggs, bacon, baked beans at a price slightly higher than at VIPS: 13 euros.

Also famous is El Federal Café, on the cosy Plaza de Comendadoras, set in a large restaurant where you can sample an excellent choice of fruit juices that are ideal for winter days when your body needs vitamins the most. They offer complete breakfasts with free-range eggs or the impressive carrot cake, all in an interesting setting a few yards from the Centro Conde Duque or the ABC Museum, which specialises in illustration.

Top of the brunch range is Ramsés, whose prestigious clients include Queen Letizia of Spain. Designed by Philippe Starck, with an interior filled with zebra skin, brunch at Ramsés has “no competition”, as they say on their website. They offer eggs Benedict, steak tartare, croquettes, salads, juices, cocktails… Prices are approximately 35 euros per person.

Brunches for all tastes and all of them a short walk from our hotel on Puerta del Sol, the most iconic square in Madrid. All you have to do now is decide which one to go to.

Categories: Bares Madrid, Gastronomía Madrid