the beauty of Madrid of the Austrians is opposed to the difficulty of choosing a bar or Cafeteria that he has not given in to the mass tourism . But, in the number 6 of the street of Mesón de Paños , a cocktail bar has risen to recover that essence that is breathed in the cafes with history and that we like so much.
July of the Tower , owner and bartender of Café Madrid , decided to recover a place with 25 years of life to give neighbors and visitors the opportunity to savor the best signature cocktails, around thirty vermouths and specialty coffees in a cozy atmosphere.
Come and try the vermouth created by Julio de la Torre
“I have been dedicating myself to the hospitality industry since I was a child and to cocktails about ten years. I have another cocktail bar on Ballesta Street: Santamaría ”, explains the owner of Café Madrid, which opened its doors a little over a year ago.
Located a breath away from the Royal Theater, this new gastronomic temple, whose neons already invite you to browse, will conquer you as soon as you enter with its marble tables, its antique chairs and the works of art that adorn its walls, since each month hosts a different exhibition.
Sit back and make yourself at home, and if you have any doubts about what combination to try, follow the teacher's recommendation: “The star cocktails are Madrid (vermouth, fresh lime, bitters and ginger ale) and Bella Cibeles (rum, red fruits, lime, egg white and cinnamon syrup)”.
"Secondly, we make a very fresh one with gin called Cuatro Caminos , a delight”, points July of the Tower , whose great background in the sector has made him one of the ambassadors of this edition of the ** Madrid Cocktail Week (October 21 to 27) **.
All the names of the cocktails refer to iconic places of the capital , What Sun Gate (gin, red fruits, ginger, egg white, lemon and sugar) , America Avenue (whiskey, mint, Kentucky spice and brown sugar) , Debod Temple (rum, vermouth, chocolate bitters and rum-macerated cherries) either Meadow (vermouth, amaro, lemon juice, egg white and sugar) .
Madrid cocktail
And since there is no drinking without good food, they also offer some cakes, which they have baptized as royal bread , perfect to share (and to kill the bug) . From classics like serrano ham and tomato to combinations like sobrasada and cheese. Although, without a doubt, the queen is the toast with orza loin, tomato and truffle oil.
Maintaining the customs of the Café Madrid of yesteryear, in this new urban meeting point it organizes every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. an 'English Cocktail' , a meeting that has as its end the language exchange.
“ We give away a small cocktail tasting to encourage participation in this initiative, as well as to encourage people who find it a little more difficult to speak English”, explains Julio de la Torre.
On the other hand, at Café Madrid they are very aware The sustainability : “We tried save as much plastic as possible as well as reduce their consumption. For example, we reuse ice packs to dispose of our garbage,” says Julio.
Here you can chat, read or enjoy the nightlife
"We have organic agave straws , but, even so, we try to use them as little as possible. Secondly, Fruit before it dries up we juice it or dehydrate it to use it as a decoration in cocktails. We don't want there to be waste of any kind,” he continues.
You can stop by here any afternoon and in the company of whoever you like: "We are dog-friendly . So far only dogs have entered, but We admit any type of animal. If you have a wild boar, as long as it doesn't destroy the premises, it's also welcome” Julio jokes.
Four Ways Cocktail
Of course, if you decide to drop by Café Madrid during weekend , you can enjoy an evening animated by a DJ.
“We put a lot of love and a lot of perseverance into it. We like people to feel at home and let her leave here happy, ”he concludes. And how well they do.
Julio de la Torre, owner of Café Madrid