Gia McKillen Olszowska and Florent Tortot are barely a quarter of a century old and are responsible for giving the Salamanca neighborhood a pastry shop with a French soul. They opened Galia (Calle del General Díaz Porlier, 3) at the end of 2024, a few meters from the Plaza de Felipe II, with a proposal that has not gone unnoticed in recent months: impeccable pastries, cakes with ingredients from half of Europe and a weekend brunch that goes from the classic (croque-madame) to the unexpected (shakshuka).
At Galia, everything has a pedigree. Butter comes from Normandy, vanilla from Madagascar and pistachio from Sicily. Florent Tortot’s artisanal croissants fly in the early hours of the day, and the éclairs have become customer favorites.
Weekend brunch and French wines
On Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Galia transforms into a French-style brunch bar. You can find toast with avocado and Parmesan (€7.50), pastrami sandwiches (€14.50), shakshuka (€13.50) and even French toast with Chantilly cream and red fruits (€13.50). The patisserie also has an extensive selection of specialty coffees, teas and, to the surprise of some, wines: white, red and rosé.
From Monaco to Madrid
Monegasque royalty and Max Verstappen fell for Tortot’s sweets during their time in Monaco. Now, the pastry chef wants to repeat the move in Madrid, with a pastry menu that includes everything from a lime trompe-l’œil to a snickers reinterpreted in a French key.
If the premise that French pastries are expensive is true, it is also true that there are fewer and fewer places to have breakfast in Madrid for less than 15 euros. At Galia, that figure is quickly reached, but there is something that seems to justify it: each pastry, each croissant and each éclair has the precision and care of those who know that pastry is an art like any of the other seven.
Other places in Madrid to have brunch
Brunch in Madrid has gone from being a shy fad to become an essential tradition for lovers of late breakfast. With an increasingly wide offer, the city offers from high-end proposals such as Dani Garcia’s BiBo Madrid brunch, to more informal but delicious options such as Watts Cantina ‘s pancakes or Sana Locura’s gluten-free brunch. You can check out more brunch options in this article.