Madrid Malasaña

La Dominga, C. del Espíritu Santo, 15 (☎91 524 48 09; www.ladominga.com), Come to this upscale restaurant for fancy Spanish food even the pickiest of eaters can enjoy. With wood furnishings, a large bar, and dark red walls, this is the perfect place to try conservative Spanish fare for the first time. On weekdays, go for their menú of the day (€10.90). Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left on C. del Barco, and make a right on C. del Espíritu Santo. Entrees €10-15. Open daily 1pm-4:30pm and 8:30pm-noon. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Home Burger Bar, C. del Espíritu Santo, 12 (☎91 522 97 28; www.homeburgerbar.com), With tunes from the ‘50s, bright booths, and menus printed on paper bags, Home Burger Bar is a retro burger joint in the middle of Malasaña. Try one of their famous gourmet burgers (€10-13), salads, or club sandwiches. Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left on C. del Barco, and make a right on C. del Espíritu Santo. Burgers €10-13. Sandwiches €8-15. Open M-Sa 1:30-4pm and 8:30pm-midnight, Su 1-4pm and 8:30-11pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Happy Day, C. del Espíritu Santo 11 (☎66 720 11 69), As the name suggests, this happy-go-lucky bakery serves up its adorably decorated gourmet cupcakes, pastries, and hot chocolate with a smile. With big windows, handwritten menus in colorful chalk, and brightly wrapped chocolates, everything about this place politely says, “Have a nice day.” Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left onto C. del Barco, and make a right on C. del Espíritu Santo. Pastries €2-6. Open daily 9am-11:30pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Lolina Vintage CAFE, C. del Espiritu Santo, 9 (☎66 720 11 69; www.lolinacafe.com), Filled with ‘50s memorabilia like album covers and movie stills, mismatched armchairs, and vintage lamps, this quirky cafe looks like it was assembled from knick-knacks in a Brooklyn thrift store but fits perfectly into the trendy Malasaña scene. Great selection of teas (try the Green Earl Grey) in super-cool pots that detach to reveal cups hidden underneath (€2). Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left onto C. del Barco, then make a right onto C. del Espíritu Santo. Salads €8. Cocktails €6. Coffee and tea €2-5. Open M-Tu 9:30am-1am, W-Th 9:30am-2am, F-Sa 9:30am-2:30am, Su 9:30-1am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
La Zara, Jesús de Valle, 31 (☎91 522 07 03), Come to La Zara for a quick meal to take a break from exploring the Malasaña district. Try the menú of the day that includes salad, two tostas, dessert or coffee, and drink (€9) to get a better deal than its clothing-brand equivalent. Unfortunately, there are no clearance sales. Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left onto C. del Barco, and make a right onto C. del Espíritu Santo. Walk down the street, and Jesús de Valle will be on your left. Menú €9. Open daily 11am-1am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Banzai, C. del Espiritu Santo, 16 (☎91 521 70 81), Craving Japanese food in the middle of España? With dozens of sushi options and warm traditional dishes, modern Japanese restaurant Banzai might just have the perfect roll for you. Not into raw fish? Try their express menú (warm entree and salad of the day: €10). Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left onto C. del Barco, and make a right onto C. del Espíritu Santo. Sushi €10-15. Open daily 12:30-4:30pm and 8:30pm-1am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Creperie La Rue, C. Espíritu Santo, 18 This tiny creperie calls itself a “un pedacito de Francia en el centro de Madrid,” or a little bit of France in the center of Madrid. We agree. French music, paintings of Parisian landmarks, and the delicious smell of savory and sweet crêpes make this place seem like the set from Amélie and the perfect stop for a mid-afternoon snack. Order your crêpe to go as there is limited seating. Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left onto C. del Barco, and make a right onto C. del Espíritu Santo. Crepes €4-8. Open daily 11:30am-midnight. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Alqamaru - El CAFE de la Luna, C. del Espíritu Santo, 15 (☎91 521 95 66; cafe-de-la-luna.iespana.es), With orange walls and chalk-written menus, this simple cafe offers coffee, tea, tostas, and cocktails. Try their goat cheese and candied red pepper tosta (€3.80), or go for their two-for-one mojito deal (€7). Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left onto C. del Barco, and make a right onto C. del Espíritu Santo. Tostas €3.80. Cocktails €7. Tea €2.80, . Open daily 12:30pm-2am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
El Rincón, C. del Espíritu Santo, 26 (☎91 522 19 86), Funky wall decor, mismatched furniture, and interesting knick-knacks like homemade metal jewelry make El Rincón a caricature of bohemian Malasaña. Grab a midday coffee or tea for a pick-me-up, and pair it with a sandwich or fresh-baked pastry like the chocolate filled croissant (€2). Tribunal. Go west on C. de San Vincente Ferrer, make a left onto C. del Barco, and make a right onto C. del Espíritu Santo. Sandwiches €5-10. Open daily 11am-2am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.
Olokun, C. Fuencarral, 105 (☎91 445 69 16), If you'd like to taste classic Cuban food, look no further than Olokun. Get a tropical drink (€5-7) to go along with the beach scenes on the walls. Try Cuban classics like tostones (€6) or Ropa Vieja, (shredded beef served over rice; €10). For a little taste of everything, go for the menú (€11.90). If you get bored waiting for your meal, you can always go play with the foosball table in the basement. Tribunal. From the Tribunal metro stop walk straight north up C. Fuencarral. Restaurant will be on your left. Entrees €10-15. Open daily noon-5pm and 9pm-2am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has air conditioning.