The Best Cafés With Outdoor Seating in Madrid

Plaza de Oriente is one of the most picturesque squares in Madrid. Dominated by the Royal Palace, it is full of greenery, statues and surrounded by beautiful buildings. Soak in the views from the terrace of the Café de Oriente, directly opposite the Royal Palace – a great spot for a coffee or glass of wine. The café also has a full restaurant and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Plaza de la Paja, in the neighbourhood of La Latina, is a beautiful square lined with cafés and restaurants. Once the scene of Madrid’s main market before the construction of the nearby Plaza Mayor, today, it is one of the best places to grab a drink or enjoy a leisurely dinner under the trees. There are a school and a church on the square, so you’re bound to see children playing or nuns walking past – a great place for people watching. You can spot Delic by its cool, polka dot tablecloths. Grab a seat and don’t miss trying one of its many delicious cakes.

Madrileños were heartbroken when Café Comercial, a classic café that had been running since 1887, closed its doors in 2015. Fortunately, it reopened in 2017, renovated but with many of its period features lovingly preserved. While its grand main dining room is a lovely place to enjoy breakfast, the outdoor terrace – a line of tables hugging the building – is a great outdoor space that brings to mind Parisian pavement cafés.

Plaza del Dos de Mayo is the heart of Malasaña, the main square where locals congregate at outdoor terraces for a lazy beer or coffee. We could really pick any of the many terrace spots around the square but Café Pepe Botella is particularly good – inside its decor is simple but cosy; wooden tables and walls covered in framed pictures. Outside, the terrace is a great refuge on a warm day, where you can easily watch the world go by for hours.

No list of outdoor spaces in Madrid is complete without the Azotea del Circulo, the incredible rooftop bar of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, a cultural space close to Gran Vía. Its panoramic views and laid-back yet stylish atmosphere are immediately impressive. Grab a “bed” and lie back with a coffee or beer for the ultimate relaxing drink – and some of the most spectacular views over Madrid.

This rectangle-shaped café sits along Madrid’s River Manzanares and hides a wonderful terrace up on its roof. It has amazing views of the Royal Palace across the river and is pleasingly off the beaten track – this is a local favourite that most tourists have yet to discover. A great stop off when exploring Madrid Rio, the city’s riverside park.

This bar, restaurant and café in La Latina has a cute little terrace that is usually packed but, if you are lucky enough to grab a seat, offers lovely views over the domes of the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande. It does a range of tapas dishes and a tasty mojito – ideal to enjoy while watching the sun set over the beautiful rooftops of La Latina.