Great Churros

[chuco]

I am off to Madrid and Sevilla next week on a quest to find the best churros and chocolate. Would appreciate any recommendations on where to find them!

[AJSoprano]

Went to the churros con chocolate temple of San Gines off of Plaza Mayor in Madrid. It did not disappoint.

[eulaliax]

this is not, per se, a helpful post, but an important memorial: they just closed the churrería maribel in the plaza de lavapies, a wonderful place with great churros and chocolate, great castizo atmosphere, a devoted clientele and the coolest ratty piano-shaped bar in town. adios, maribel...

[butterfly]

Aw, I didn't know that. That's too bad. Though I didn't love their chocolate, the ambiance was great. What's going to take its place?

[Maximilien]

I've got some good ones just next to the "Mercado de la Feria" on Calle Feria, just a few steps north of the market, it's a small hole-in-the-wall place, only a counter and only hand-made churros and chocolate.

photo of the place : http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/2...

[sparkalina]

Oh you are killin' me with that pic! I just drooled on myself.

[mr_gimlet]

As a side query not worthy of its own topic, are Madrid churros and choc different to Barcelonian ones?

[kathryn]

I want to make it out to San Gines when we're there in July but unsure we'll be able to drop in because it's only open at night. Any one have opinions about these spots?

Bar Majaderitos
C/ Cádiz 9

Chocolat
Santa María, 30

Cacao Sampaka - found reports of great chocolate, do they serve churros?
C / Orellana, 4

Chocolatería Valor
Calle Postigo de San Martín 7

I've also been warned against gloppy hot chocolate thickened with cornstarch and greasy churros that were fried hours ago. True?

[butterfly]

San Gines is not only open at night. On the weekend, it's practically open around the clock (I think it closes for two hours or so in the early morning (around 8am). On weekdays, it is definitely open most of the day (though I've never been there in the morning on a weekday, so I can't vouch for that firsthand). Valor is also good. Sampaka doesn't do churros--their bars of chocolate are excellent. Chocolat does chocolate con churros, but I don't think they make churros all day long.

Yes, churros are only good when they are fresh made. That's why it's best to go at the times when locals eat churros, which is before 11am and in the afternoon around 5-6 (or late night at San Ginés)

[kathryn]

Thanks, butterfly! That's extremely helpful. We'll be in Madrid from a Wednesday through Sunday so at least we'll have multiple chances to try it.

My guidebook says "6pm–7am daily" are the hours for San Gines, thanks for the update.

[butterfly]

Yeah, those hours aren't right. I believe those are the hours for Monday and Tuesday (their downtime). The rest of the week it's 10am-7am.

[kathryn]

Awesome, that is incredibly helpful.

[cmoniker]

Cacao Sampaca serves the best chocolate in Madrid, but the churros are outrageously bad. My advice is to order an Azteco (basically a dark chocolate bar melted into a little cup) and some of their fantastic soletillas (light and airy sponge fingers).

[jrjac]

Glorious, hot, crispy churros and decadent hot chocolate were mine ... all mine ...on our last morning in Sevilla (about 2 weeks ago). On the west side of town, across from the remaining "city wall", we happened upon the corner kiosk of Familia Alfonso, who sells their fantastic churros by the kg. Just across the street is Bar Plata, who served up a super rich, hot chocolate and pointed out that I should buy the churros at the corner and bring them back to have with my chocolate!