Madrid

Spain’s coffee culture is finally catching up to its European neighbors. For centuries, dark, sugary “torrefacto” coffee defined the nation’s taste, but a quiet revolution is underway. Specialty coffee—once an afterthought—is now reshaping Spain’s café scene, driven by curiosity, quality, and a growing appetite for terroir-driven brews. The shift isn’t just about flavor; it’s about redefining what coffee means in a country where tradition and innovation now collide. The roots of Spain’s coffee obsession trace back to 1765, when Madrid’s first café opened. But for much of the 20th century, mass-produced, sugary torrefacto dominated. This method—adding sugar during roasting to…