We stopped here as we were taking a stroll thru the Madrid streets and it reminded us of our trip…read moreto Hong Kong and stumbling upon a similar shop that offered baked cookies. We fell in love with those so we stopped by this place to check it out and brought back some goodies. The stuff we bought (seen in the picture) looked really good but but it turned out to be just too sweet for us. I wish they'd provide samples as I can't imagine spending what we spent. The only thing that my kid liked was his lollipop that we got from this place and that too was pricey. And oh we did like the bag as well, haha.

This is a great store to get your chocolates and cookies…read more So many options. Highly recommended!

Known for their Russian Cake, Panettone and other seasonal sweets Pasteleria Ascaso dates to 1890,…read moreand though the storefront at Calle de Zurbano 25 appears modern the traditions inside date back decades while still forging forward with modern items and techniques. Born in Huesca, and now the sort of upscale Cafe where well-heeled ladies linger over Tea, it was on the recommendation of a local gourmand that the flourless Russian Cake was skipped in favor of its Lemon-tinged cousin, the Citrus Porcion a bitter but tangy cloud seemingly build of little more than Meringue, Cocoa and Citrus. Not about to forego Mil Hojas, Ascaso's version shattering beneath Pastry Cream around a layer of Custard, even the Palmier outpaces others in Spain's Capitol thanks to exquisite lamination that is best eaten sitting down to avoid making a mess of buttery crumbs and Sugar.

Delicious. Tried the lengua de nata (light chocolate layered pastry with cream filling that had a…read moresmall chocolate buried within...probably one one of the best desserts I have ever tasted), as well as a small slice of marzipan cake (also wonderful), and their glazed apple palmera (think as light and flaky as strudel, but shaped like a pretzel). Will be back to try their turron soon (of which they had many artesianal choices). Posh, modern and very clean for eat in or take away. We took our to go along with a couple bottles of nice riojas wine. A must stop in Madrid for high end sweets and gift baskets.

If you love chocolate, you must visit Cacao Sampaka. We (or maybe just me) loved it so much in…read moreMadrid, that one of the first things we (okay, I) did was scout out the closest Barcelona location and make sure that we paid it a visit amongst all the Gaudi and dining we had planned. What I really liked were the "collections" of different chocolates, arranged by "theme", and with 16 pieces to a box and at least 2 of each kind, so that you can savour each mouth-watering hit of deliciousness with someone else. This in itself is a bigger deal than it may seem, as I quickly realized that it's kind of lame when you say, "OMG can you BELIEVE how much like real truffle this tastes? Oh wait, I ate the only piece..." Wah wah. There are 8 collections in all (you can by the entire collection of 64 pieces if you want!), which include single bean origins; dried fruits and nuts; spices; flowers and herbs; liquers; fruit; truffles; and innovations. I've tried the single bean origins, fruit, and innovations collections, and am waiting to dig into a box of spices which made it with us back home. The single bean origins was fantastic, allowing us to compare and contrast the subtle notes, side by side, of chocolates from places like the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Granada, or Ecuador. The fruits were far from the overly sweet and pungent cream or jelly filled renditions one might be more familiar with, but crafted delicately so that the fruit flavours were gently infused into the chocolate itself. The innovations collection was, surprisingly, more variable in deliciousness that I might have expected, but interesting to see how flavours of soya or black truffle might sit alongside chocolate, or even parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar. What Cacao Sampaka has to offer extends far beyond just these collections, as there are a huge variety of not only other chocolates, but even wines to match. It really is a chocolate wonderland, and if it were not for the fact that our vacation had to come to an end, I would most certainly have been plunged into the depths of type 2 diabetes as my visits to Cacao Sampaka would have most certainly never ended.

Delicious chocolate, chic store, great customer service. I haven't had anything from their cafe,…read morebut the chocolate is just divine. They have so many wonderful and exotic flavors! I want to try them all!! I'd definitely return!

There are lots of Turrón shops in Madrid, including a big chain with Albert Adria branding, but for…read morethose in-the-know none have been serving Spain's capitol longer than Casa Mira, who has been crafting sweet Nougat since 1842. ​Located on Carrera San Jerónimo, creator Luis Mira's original recipes once granted Spanish Royal Warrant still in use to this day, it is inside a wood and glass space that Confections fill every meter, a spinning display up front yielding flawless Palmiers as well as an elongated, laminated Tecla. Keeping a picture of Luis on the wall, and splendid in terms of service, Turrón is sold by weight at fair prices, the Original enjoyed via small sample while a thick slice of the version featuring Marzipan softened the texture slightly but upped sweetness by quite a bit.

We popped into Casa Mira for an afternoon treat while out "tourist-ing" and had a hard time…read morechoosing which pastries we'd be leaving with. The display in the widow, a carousel full of delicious looking treats drew our eye and upon entering we were greeted buy a huge assortment of delicious pasty and candy, loads to choose from. The staff wasn't overly friendly, in fact, not really friendly at all, but we were in no mood to chat anyway as 'hangry' was setting in. A couple of pastries added to a bag, and out the door and back on down the street we went, enjoying one pastry on our walk with another safely ensconced for later.

Awesome chocolate truffles. Stopped here twice. Friendly and…read morepatient service. Brightly lit as you would expect.

I couldn't believe it when I paid 16.8 euros for twelve amazing truffles--say whaaat?!read more