Chueca is the neighborhood of love for several reasons. One of them, for example, is that in the church of San Antón (a saint who watches over bachelors) there are supposedly the relics of St. Valentine.
Since the 90’s it has been the LGTBI neighborhood of Madrid par excellence. The LGTBI community managed to recover a neighborhood abandoned to its fate to turn it into a neighborhood that is a haven for creatives and, ultimately, the neighborhood of constant fashion in the city. Another reason to fall in love in and with Chueca.
What to see in Chueca
Museum of Romanticism
We could say that the Museum of Romanticism borders on the ethnographic. In fact, this palace between Chueca and Malasaña maintains the air of the life of the Spanish high bourgeoisie during the reign of Isabel II. It is, in itself, an opening of doors to the past.
We will enter through the lobby and pass through rooms, living rooms, kitchens… walking among crockery, toys, clothes and all kinds of curiosities that would be found in a home of these characteristics during the Romantic period. You will enter for its works of art, its architecture and its ornate beauty. You will stay for its patio, so coquettish, isolated from everything despite being in the heart of Madrid. Here, before, was located the Café del Jardín, a unique place to enjoy a mimosa or a breakfast in the most ‘romantic’ building in Madrid.
13 San Mateo Street.
Longoria Palace
The Longoria Palace is one of the few modernist buildings in Madrid. The building was commissioned by the financier Francisco Javier González Longoria in 1902 and although many people attribute the work to Gaudí, it actually belongs to another Catalan architect, José Grases Riera, who many consider to be a disciple of the artist, but in reality was his companion during his studies.
Until the SGAE (Sociedad General de Autos y Editores) took over the building in 1950, it has passed through many owners who have been modifying the interior of the building, although its backyard remains one of the palace’s most hidden gems.
4 Fernando VI Street, 4
COAM
The COAM (Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Madrid) is located in that fuzzy boundary between Chueca and Malasaña. The building, created by architect Gonzalo Moure, has a garden, which, although it may sound trite, is an oasis in a neighborhood with hardly any greenery. The glass, concrete and metal contrast with the facade of the original building: the Escuelas Pías de San Antón, which burned down in 1995.
In addition, you can enjoy the cafeteria, some of the events that are held such as Urvanity a nursery school and a senior citizens’ center are also located here.
63 Hortaleza St., Hortaleza Street
Former UGT headquarters
Considered an Asset of Cultural Interest, the former headquarters of the UGT, almost 400 years old, is located in the heart of the neighborhood, at number 88 Hortaleza Street. Although it was for a long time, until 1974, the convent of Santa María Magdalena, it is commonly known for having housed since the late eighties the headquarters of the General Union of Workers (La Unión General de Trabajadores, UGT). The property had these functions until 2017, when the syndicate signed a 35-year contract with JIMA Patrimonial de Hostales, which is currently in the process of to convert it into a 41-room hotel.
88 Hortaleza Street, 88
Madrid History Museum
Its façade does not go unnoticed among the bustle of passers-by in Fuencarral. It could not be otherwise, being one of the most representative buildings of the Madrid Baroque: it was a work of Pedro Ribera dating from the eighteenth century and that at the time of its conception housed the old Hospice of San Fernando.
Its transformation as a Municipal Museum took place in 1929, and in 2007 it was renamed to the name we know it as today. Its collection is based on an extensive catalog that ranges from paintings, drawings, photographs and postcards to ceramics, fans, coins and other pieces that tell the story of the past of the capital and its inhabitants. The ticket is free and can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday.
📍 Calle Fuencarral, 78
The House of the Seven Chimneys
A few steps from the Gran Vía is this historic building that houses the Ministry of Culture and Sports. Long before becoming what it is today, a legend tells that it was the house where the mistress of a king lived (and died): it was the sixteenth century, the king in question was Philip II and his mistress – or according to other versions, his own daughter – was named Elena.
The young woman married Captain Zapata, who died in battle. The news caused him a deep sadness that he could not overcome and he ended up committing suicide. Legend has it that his spirit appeared, dressed in a white tunic, and terrorized the people of Madrid. It is not for nothing that it is on the list of terrifying places of Madrid.
📍 Plaza del Rey, 1
Where to eat (and drink) in Chueca
That’s Amore
Nico Russo, owner of That’s Amore pizzeria, brings from Italy what he can bring from Italy -which, by proxy, you can bring even the Trevi Fountain, but the shelf life of many fresh products that barely take a day to expire is another thing- and looks for the best suppliers of what he can ‘t import. The qualifier “best” preceding the word pizza and followed by the noun “Madrid” is a double-edged sword and, although we could use that argument (or at least say “one of the best”), we better leave it to the discretion of anyone who wants to try their pizzas.
Pelayo Street, 6
Pizzas from 9,5€.
San Anton Market
Demolished and rebuilt in 2011, the San Antón Market has been in Chueca since the 19th century. The market is divided into three floors: on the first floor are the perishable products; on the second floor are the take-away food stalls, although there are some high tables where you can eat; and the third floor is entirely dedicated to restaurants.
Here you can find some of the best hamburgers in Madrid at Juancho’s BBQ and purchase sourdough bread at Madreamiga. All in one.
Augusto Figueroa Street, 24
San Ildefonso Market
Sometimes the best option to go out to eat when you are not sure what to eat is to go to a market and let yourself go. From the most classic tapas to a fusion restaurant of Japanese and Korean cuisine all this and more is covered in the 20 or so stalls of the San Ildefonso Market. The space, which has three floors and two terraces, left behind its past as a traditional market to become one of the best street food proposals in Madrid.
57 Fuencarral Street, 57
Kritikos
Next to a square (the Plazuela de la Memoria Trans), which does not look like madrileña there is a terrace that does not look like one either. A handful of cushions are piled up on an outdoor window ledge and you automatically know that this must be one of the most sought-after places in Chueca. One, because of the privileged location; two, depending on the time of day because of the incidence of the sun; and three, because of the quality of the food offered behind that window.
Behind that window is Kritikos, a Greek restaurant, and the huge glass window works perfectly as a metaphor for transparency and conceptual clarity. At Kritikos the bet is simple: processed food has no place,the food is always fresh and the word healthy orbits around every dish.
San Gregorio Street, 11
Around 25€ per person.
Biang Biang
The star dish on the menu of this small restaurant are the handmade noodles that you will not find in any other place in Madrid, in a restaurant where everything tastes like China. One could almost speak of its noodles in the singular. They are masses of flour of enormous length. The seal of gastronomic authenticity was obvious: you won’t find these noddles in any imitation Asian restaurant.
Pelayo Street, 8
Around 20€ per person
La Tita Rivera
On the border between Chueca and Malasaña is one of the most important the best patios in Madrid or, at least, the ideal place to enjoy a little piece of the essence of Galicia in the capital. The Tribute to beer that it achieves with its decoration, which resembles an old brewery, is also evident in the options on its menu. In addition to beverages, you can find a variety of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Street de Pérez Galdós, 4
About 15€ per person
Areia Chill Out
A Chueca classic. Areia is distributed in different reserves and its last name says it all: Chill Out. The atmosphere is relaxed, the lights are dim, because here we come to chat and toast. This corner of the neighborhood has been serving delicious cocktails for more than twenty years and making Madrid a subway flat.
92 Hortaleza St
La Pizzeria
The question “Shall we eat at La Pizzeria?” is usually followed by the question “Which one?”. But this Italian restaurant has no surname, nor does it need one, because it has earned its own right to carry the name of what it does best: pizzas. And not just any pizza: Neapolitan pizzas made in a stone oven.
Although it is this dish that gives them their name, their menu is completed with pasta and desserts (both homemade) that, in terms of quality, are at the same level as their pizzas and have nothing to envy. Our advice, then, is that you should go to La Pizzeria at least twice, to be able to check it out. And believe us when we tell you that it won’t be hard advice to follow.
📍 Calle del Barquillo, 20
💸 You can try here an Italian menu consisting of Neapolitan pizza or pasta, dessert and drink for 18€
Toni 2
Talking about iconic bars in Madrid implies talk about Toni 2 although the experience offered behind its doors this piano bar is far from resembling that of any traditional bar in the capital. The nightlife scene inside the restaurant, which has been in Madrid for more than forty years, can seem like something out of a musical. Having everyone singing around a piano, that’s what his formula is all about. As simple as it is successful.
Almirante Street, 9
Having coffee in Chueca
Faraday
In the series Perdidos, she has a residual role; in the field of science, she is recognized for her contributions to electromagnetics; and in Madrid, she is one of the best spatiality cafeterias and (at the same time) a very nice place to listen to music. Faraday is a coffee shop in the Chueca neighborhood with an industrial aesthetic and a carefully selected music. Rodrigo and Michelle, a couple of Argentinean origin, are the owners. And Rodrigo makes sure that the soundtrack of the place is always according to each moment.
📍San Lucas St., 9
La Duquesita
Walking through the door of La Duquesita and not buying a chocolate palm tree should be considered a capital sin. The flirtatious window display, with those pastel colors so Wes Anderson-esque, provokes immediate salivation in everyone who walks down Fernando VI Street. Oriol Balaguer is the artisan (or artist) behind the pastry magic: trained at the Escuela del Gremio de Pastelería de Barcelona and at Ferrán Adrià’s Bulli, he rescued the century-old La Duquesita pastry shop (opened in 1914) from oblivion and closure, to set up a chocolate shop that is a pastry shop and is synonymous with the best snack of your life. Seriously. Three words: chocolate palm tree.
Calle de Fernando VI, 2.
What to do in Chueca
Berkana
When Berkana opened in 1993, Chueca was far from what it is today. With almost clandestine bars and entertainment venues that were only open at night, Madrid’s LGTBI neighborhood needed a space around which to articulate itself. That’s when Mili Hernández and Mar de Griñó, founders of Berkana, entered the scene. They replicated the format of other LGTBI bookstores in London or New York and Berkana, with the few titles available on those dates, got rolling. And from there the rest is living history of the neighborhood.
Calle de Hortaleza, 62
Nakama
You only need to visit Nakama once to be called by name when you enter. Rafa Soto and Miren Echeverría are two of the best booksellers in Madrid. Their catalog is carefully selected, the recommendations are always adapted to the reader’s requests and if you need something, they ask for it. Friendliness, closeness, familiarity, erudition in a place that also organizes activities such as presentations.
22 Pelayo Street, 22
Panta Rhei
Ingrid and Lilo have been behind the counter and among the Panta Rhei books for over twenty years, which is saying something. Two decades of selecting works, selling wisdom, recommending gems. When you open the doors of this bookstore on Hernán Cortés Street, you notice the familiarity and walk open-mouthed through the tremendous selection in its narrow aisles. Specializing in illustration and graphic design and creativity in general, there is also space for children’s literature, novels, gastronomy… and presentations on the lower floor, workshops and the exchange of ideas. A space that makes neighborhood and unites neighbors and visitors. And, besides, there are always doggies to give you a happy welcome.
7 Hernán Cortés Street.
La Peliculera
If you like analog photography, you need to visit (if you haven’t already) La Peliculera’ s studio. It is said, it is commented, that here they develop photographs like nowhere else. It is confirmed that it is one of those places that maintains the magic of those trades in danger of extinction but that are so beautiful, necessary and magical. In the developing process, colors are discovered, effects are nuanced: the original craftsmanship of photography takes place. His store, moreover, is a compendium of cameras, accessories, workshops, photo shoots… one of those places that deserve to be protected so that they never close.
Argensola Street, 2.
Metatopy
At Metatopy they make arrangements of flowers that might as well be sculptures. They define it as follows: “Metatopy is a flower, plant or any element that surprises by being in a place that is not expected”. In their stand on the second floor of the San Antón Market, which we have already mentioned above, you can see that approach to art, graphics and collage that they are known for. An avant-garde flower shop with an idea that moves away from the obvious and traditional, but with an artisanal approach.
San Antón Market – Calle de Augusto Figueroa, 24
This neighborhood is perfect for when you don’t have a definite plan, there is always something to do in Chueca and you never know when you are going to go back home, because if you come here you get confused. New bars, people from all over, centenary cafes and palaces with a lot of magic that will catch you and make you want to come back.
This article has been written by Alberto del Castillo, María F. Carballo, Selene Garcia, Isabel Nieto, y Elena French.