ALMOST THE OLDEST CHURRERÍA IN MADRID

During an early autumnal vacation to Madrid I had the pleasure of visiting one of the oldest places in Madrid to enjoy churros con chocolate rico (churros with rich chocolate)! Churros are such a lovely treat for any time of day, so it was a no-brainer to stop by Chocolatería San Ginés. Located a stone's throw away from the Plaza Mayor and the metro Sol stop, it was super easy to find and had a queue stretching out the front door. The smells of freshly cooked churros was calling people in from all around, while I tried hard to stick to my simple order choice without changing my mind. Somehow, even the churros was the obvious choice, I still got distracted by so many food options that sounded dreamy.

"Churros, the delectable fried dough pastries enjoyed around the world, have a fascinating origin rooted in Spanish culture. In a nutshell, it is believed that churros originated from a pastry called teules, introduced to Spain by the Moors during their occupation. While originally a breakfast or snack for Spanish shepherds, churros gained popularity and spread throughout Spain, eventually making their way to Latin America and other parts of the world." - History Cooperative

A cup of thick rich chocolate in hand, churros in the other, the enjoyment began! Each churro had such a satisfying crunch to it, and when dipped in the chocolate, oh my goodness! It only got better. The place had a really special vintage feeling to it, as if people from all walks of life had once enjoyed churros in there. The walls and decor only seemed to confirm my suspicion more, faces with many emotions plastered on the walls. Not just because green is one of my favourite colours, but all the green surrounding me felt so perfectly suited to the character of the building.

Even if the churros fill the spot, you can stay at the tables there while enjoying the rest of the menu. They've got tapas, sandwiches and burgers, as well as other kinds of desserts like pastel de nata. But now that you're hungry and reading this, let's get back into the history of churros! Now you did see it correctly in the title that this is 'almost' the oldest churrería. That's because the oldest which is on my visit-list is named 'Madrid 1883'. While both of these places show up as the oldest on Google, the historic title really has to go to Madrid 1883, but I'm sure both have equally as amazing churros.

"As early as 1883, Ángel Huertas opened a churro shop-café at 8 Calle del Espíritu Santo, a spot frequented by humble people, locals of the time, and the occasional famous person. The buñolería sold freshly made churros, porras, and buñuelos , as well as hot chocolate and even milk by the liter." - Madrid 1883

If you find yourself in Madrid, look out for these historically sweet gems, and lose yourself in the fresh chocolately goodness!

Happy historical eating! T x