Breakfasts in Madrid

Little by little, people are becoming aware that breakfast is a fundamental part of the diet to be well nourished.. In Spain, with our schedule system, breakfasts have almost always taken a backseat. You had dinner late, you went to bed late and, the next day, there was no time to dedicate to breakfast (you ended up having coffee before leaving for work).

But things have been changing, to a large extent, thanks to the efforts of institutions such as the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN), which has been trying to raise people's awareness for years about the importance of having an adequate breakfast..

The importance of breakfast

On the one hand, from a nutritional point of view. Breakfast should provide between 300 and 500 kcal in the case of healthy people (between 15 and 25% of the total daily energy, based on a 2,000 kcal diet). It should be varied, with different food groups that would cover, on average, 20% of the daily nutritional recommendations.

On the other hand, and this is something that I like to highlight, breakfast can also be a family meeting place, a reason for all family members to be together, especially children before going to school..

National Breakfast Day

The Spanish Nutrition Foundation organizes every year, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, an event dedicated to promoting healthy breakfasts: National Breakfast Day.

To be healthy, this meal of the day must incorporate different food groups: dairy products, fruits and cereals and derivatives such as bread.. It is also advisable to consume some proteins, for example, York or Serrano ham (not necessarily pure acorn-fed Iberian ham). Additionally, you can add some jams or honey to sweeten..

And natural juice. Currently, the variety of juices available is exceptional, beyond the traditional orange juice and other types of citrus.. Many times, they are combinations of fruits and vegetables that add vitamins and minerals to the nutritional composition of breakfasts..

Have breakfast in Madrid

In Madrid, the breakfasts offered are becoming more and better. At least, it's something that happens to me more and more frequently..

This has led to a wider range of options and, in many places, it has even become the star dish.. From hotels to restaurants and cafes, whether in the form of buffets or a la carte breakfasts.

Breakfast in hotels

I want to highlight the effort that some hotels are making to make breakfasts unforgettable.. This is the case of QÚ by Mario Sandoval, at the JW Marriott hotel.

There is also the extraordinary breakfast at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz hotel, offered between 7 and 11 a.m., under the gastronomic direction of Quique Dacosta. And, of course, that of the NH Madrid Eurobuilding hotel.

In many cases, it is a large buffet with all kinds of food. Intercontinental hotel breakfast is almost like a brunch.

You can have a very good breakfast, more simply, at the Santo Mauro hotel, where they have several breakfast options: a more complete one and three intercontinental breakfasts, to choose from.. The same at the Four Seasons in Canalejas, on its terrace, and at the Rosewood Villa Magna hotel..

If you leave more or less late, around 10:30, breakfast can also serve as lunch.

At the OD Madrid hotel, in its Mar Mía restaurant, you can start the day with homemade croissants, muffins and toast, eggs, cheeses, Iberian sausages, natural juices….

In the lobby of the Bless hotel, they serve à la carte breakfasts, with varied options such as toast, croissants, and fruit or açaí bowls..

The Only YOU Atocha hotel and pastry chef Oriol Balaguer joined forces to open Breakery, a new bakery concept located in the hotel's busy lobby..

Restaurants

And there are already many restaurants that open early in the morning so that people can enjoy having breakfast.. An example of this is Ultramarinos Quintín, from Grupo el Paraguas, which offers breakfast from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m..

Another place is El Gran Café Santander, from the Cañadío Group, where you can taste their famous tortilla.

At the Bareto restaurant they also offer the option of breakfast, with traditional churros, Iberian toast, potato omelette, bikinis, pastries and coffee.

L'Ambassade in Robuchon Madrid offers artisan pastries and bakeries, combined with Robuchon's own specialties.

Coffee shops

Of course, there are cafes or traditional spaces, as is the case in Mallorca, with a large selection of artisan pastries; o San Ginés and its chocolate with churros. Café Comercial, with a very complete menu of coffees accompanied by churros or porras, has been an ideal place to have breakfast since the last century; o Bar el Brillante, famous for its batons.

Finally, the experience cafeterias, which allow you to discover the best raw materials and, therefore, enjoy breakfast time. Among others, Toma Café, Osom Coffee Atelier, Acid Café, Hola Coffee, Natif Coffee & Kitchen and Neutrale.