El Riojano

It was founded in 1855 by a Madrid-based baker who worked for the Royal Family, Dámaso de la Maza, better known by the nickname of El Riojano, this century-old cake shop that practically maintains its original decor intact, enables you to savour some of Madrid’s best sweets in its classic but cosy tearoom at the rear of the shop.

Its bakery follows Madrid’s traditional calendar: King’s Cake, Saint Anthony rolls, smart and dumb bagels, Saint Isidro candy, saint’s fritters and bones, Almudena crown, etc.

Its interior decoration has hardly changed over the past century and a half, except for the addition of a few modern display cabinets and the replacement of the wooden floor with high-quality marble in the 1950s. The original wood-fired oven is still preserved although it is no longer in use, along with the cash register and scales.

The stucco ceilings, Elizabethan lamps and wall lights stand out in the tea room, whereas the magnificent counters and display cabinets, built by palace cabinetmakers out of mahogany brought from Cuba, donated by Queen María Cristina, and adorned with rich bronze and Carrara marble, are the main feature of the entrance to the cake shop.