Harina, for something sweet or savoury

The temperature inside Harina is usually cranked well above the temperature of the street, thereby increasing the coziness factor. Within the walls of this white, bright, and charming locale lies one of the most satisfying menús in the city.

Available for both lunch and dinner, the menú begins with a luscious green salad dressed with sweet balsamic vinegar. The whole bowl of greens, a mealtime rarity when eating out in Spain, is like a pot of nutritious gold. Eating the salad, however, is just a warmup exercise for diving into a sprawling slab of pizza.

Keep gulping wine and it may feel as though the pizza has a magnetic force. The glowing light of the interior only becomes softer the less wine remaining in your glass. Thin crust, thick pieces of bacon, a runny fried egg perched in the middle–need I say more? Cut a piece away from the pie and cheese strings out like a game of cat’s cradle.

Other menu options do exist, but this one consistently pleases. Dessert is not included in the menu, rather a pot of tea or a cup of coffee seals the meal. Baked goods can wait for another day–maybe when an entire pizza is not taking up stomach real estate.

Harina is a merienda dream come true. Whatever sweet tooth whimsy you may harbor, sugary goodness awaits behind the glass cases. The meringues have rock hard shells, but they shatter into smithereens, and what is left is a sugary marshmallow pillow.

Other desserts can be hit or miss depending on how freshly they were baked. The carrot cake was dry on a recent visit, but Harina gets brownie points for presentation and a mediocre cake can be forgiven.

Multiple locations around the city, prices vary.

Here’s their Facebook page and web.

You’ll find one of their nicest locations inside Plaza de la Independencia, right next to Puerta de Alcalá and a hop skip away from Plaza de Cibeles.

After a trip to a nearby museum, you may want to pop into Harina for a coffee or snack. Here’s an article on Madrid’s known and not-so-known art institutions, many of which are located near Harina.