Chocolateria San Gines Serves Up Dreamy Chocolate Concoctions for Locals and Visitors - Madrid, Spain
What is It – Chocolate is a serious business throughout Spain and particularly in the capital city of Madrid. A recent report indicated there are over thirty dedicated chocolate shops in greater Madrid. Most of them are concentrated in the city center and near major plazas. While no special government certification is required to become a chocolatier in Spain, most shops employ a master chocolatier with a pastry chef diploma from a culinary institute such as Le Cordon Blue Madrid or the Barcelona Chocolate Academy.
Perhaps the most famous chocolateria in Madrid is the Chocolateria San Gines located halfway between the Puerta del Sol and the Teatro Real in an alleyway containing several connected buildings dedicated to the company. Founded in 1894, it has long served as a gathering place throughout the day for breakfast, socializing, or late night reveling. The premises include cafes for enjoying the company’s popular confections along with a Chocolate Delights Shop handling takeaway orders and online orders. Today, Chocolateria San Gines has expanded worldwide by opening other stores in Shanghai, Tokyo, Bogota, Mexico City, Miami Beach, and Lisbon.
What You Will See There- The process for visiting the Chocolateria San Gines is efficient considering the lines that form outside of the multiple locations on Paradiso de San Gines Street. You place your order in one line and then take your ticket to a second line where the waiter seats you at an available table and brings you the food. It is worth sitting for a while to enjoy the food, drink, and ambiance of the place. The restaurant has an Art Deco feel with black, white, and green furnishings and tiles. The walls are covered with mirrors and black and white pictures of the dignitaries who have visited the establishment.
The menu is a simple collection of dough items, ice cream, and chocolate items. The most popular item by far is the traditional helping of six churros together with a cup of thick chocolate dipping sauce. The San Gines’ churros are surprisingly light, and it is easy to consume six of them as a traditional breakfast or a snack any time of day. Some people also enjoy the thicker fried dough fritters known as porras. For ice cream lovers, the San Gines’ one, two or three scoop milk shake with whipped cream cannot be beat. Other items on the menu include traditional Spanish hot chocolate, coffee with milk, orange g juice, and takeaway kits. At the nearby shop, items with different flavored chocolates have been creatively shaped into tablets, balls, and coins.
Interesting Facts - Chocolate is consumed worldwide in increasingly massive quantities. People cannot get enough of hot chocolate in wintertime, gourmet chocolate products from Switzerland or Dubai, or candy bars from the leading Hershey’s and Mars brands in the United States. The average American consumes 10 to 12 pounds of chocolate each year while people in some European countries consume much more.
When to Go -The flagship location of Chocolateria San Gines is open every day of the year and advertises itself as open 24 hours a day. Crowds come and go throughout the day, but locals say weekday evenings, and early mornings are the best times to sit and enjoy a table with friends and savor the chocolate.
Cost - The cost for a standard order of six churros with chocolate dipping sauce remains at an affordable seven euros as of 2026 and the other items are also reasonably priced.