Mür Café, Madrid, Spain

I am proud of many of the things I accomplished during my year living abroad in Madrid: I learned how to read, write and speak in Spanish, I navigated the extensive metro and bus system, I avoided getting pick-pocketed…..but without a doubt what I am most proud of was my unyielding dedication to tracking down the absolute best coffee in the city. And in comes Mür Café.

I had to drink A LOT of espressos, cappuccinos and café con leche’s to narrow the list down, but ohhhh man was it worth it. Plus, even the worst coffee in Spain is still better than pretty much anything you can find in the states (minus a few places like Kean Coffee and Communal Coffee).

Madrid has an abundance of charming and unique coffee shops, but sadly, interior décor really has no relation to the quality of the coffee. You’ll find pristine, modern cafes with incredibly average coffee. On the other hand, you’ll walk past a hole in the wall (literally) that looks like it might be a cave from our prehistoric ancestors and find yourself sipping on one of the smoothest, creamiest, fluffiest cappuccinos you have ever had the honor of lapping between your lips.

Mür Café is a bit of a hybrid between the two. Situated just up the street from Plaza España Mür Café rests quite inconspicuously. Just enough off the beaten path that most tourists will never happen upon it, but close enough that you could easily pop by for a quick coffee and snack while you are site seeing in the areas nearby.

From the outside, Mür Café hides underneath its unassuming outer décor. A tiny sign hangs over the entrance, so small I actually walked right past the door several times before I realized where the entrance actually was. The outer courtyard hosts a collage of mismatched tables encircled by large trees and historic statues that have, sadly, been marked with hints of graffiti. The discreet entrance to Mür Café might leave a passerby curious as to what shop the tables could possibly belonged to.

Although the exterior of Mür Café left me hesitant to enter, I stepped through the stone-lined doorway and am writing this post as a result 🙂 As unassuming as the outside of Mür Café is, the inside is like walking into a cozy stone cottage. Cozy chairs and antique tables are scattered throughout. Upstairs awaits several couches who are just beckoning you to come sink into them and dangling lights hang twinkling above your head.

If you are really lucky, you might find a seat at one of the little tables in front of the ancient windows overlooking the courtyard. Honestly, there are few things I love more than drinking a perfect coffee while sitting in an antique chair and looking out through an adorable window onto the scenery beyond. Whenever I could find a window seat in a café in Madrid you can bet I was making a beeline for it.

After discovering Mür Café and falling under their intoxicating enchantment I had a hard time giving my other favorite coffee shops a fair amount of attention. I think I understand now when mothers explain how hard it is to not neglect the other children after having a newborn child….

Did I just compare coffee shops to newborn babies? Yes, I realize that the love for good espresso may not be on the same exact level of the love for a real live human baby, but, honestly, its pretty darn close.

I hope you enjoyed reading about the magical Mür Café and if you ever decide to visit I would love to hear about your experience! You can find a few more specific details about the café below and all the location information (map, hours, phone number, etc)  just to the right or on mobile keep scrolling below 🙂

Other Details of Mür Café

1. Mür Café officially describes itself as a café and cocktail bar. They have a deliciously unique menu and extensive list of teas, coffees and cocktails. Their selection of exceptional toasts are by far my favorite (I list a couple below)
2. They have a full brunch menu on weekends that I have always wanted to try but never actually got around to. I have read the brunch menu however and can say it looks like a bountiful amount of delicious food.
3. If you are just popping in for a coffee and snack Mür Café offers the general assortment of pastries as well as some very tempting cakes.
4. They have soy milk!

My FAVORITES from Mür Café

1. Café con leche (coffee with milk, the standard Spanish coffee drink)
2. Tostada con queso de cabra, mermelada de higos, y piñones (toast with goat cheese, fig jam, and nuts)
3. Tostada con salmón con queso crema, aderezo de mostaza y miel (toast with salmon, cream cheese, mustard and honey)