Ojalá Restaurant, Madrid, Spain

et me start by saying that Ojalá is SO cute, SO tasty and SO necessary that I took every single person who visited me here almost the first day each of them arrived. Located in the enthralling streets of Malasaña, Madrid this was one of the very first places I discovered my first summer in Madrid and fell in love the moment I stepped inside. Ojalá in Spanish actually means “I wish” and after visiting the hip restaurant you’ll wish you could take the whole damn thing home with you and relocate it in your backyard.

I had actually been wandering the streets looking for a book store that supposedly sold books in English. After being sent to the very back of the store I found the tiny section for English books and eagerly picked out a mystery/fiction to lose myself in. On my way back to the metro I stumbled across Ojalá and was instantly drawn in by the bright and rather eccentric décor inside.

Luckily, I happened to be wandering the area during uncommon hours so there were few people inside and I had my pick of seating. Naturally, I chose a bench seat right in front of a window and quickly ordered some tea to accompany me as I dove into the first pages of my new book. The atmosphere was so comfortable and welcoming I think I must have stayed for almost 2 hours, sitting quietly in the window, sipping my tea, oblivious to the world around me.

Almost 2 years later, when I returned to Madrid, Ojalá had gained quite a bit of attention and is definitely one of the hot spots for younger locals to grab a café con leche and for tourists to add to their already long list of must-do’s.

Their signature “sand pit” downstairs is the hip hangout spot at night. You can enjoy some drinks while lounging on low seats or pillows resting on the sand. Needless to say, if you are looking for a fun place to stop for a coffee, snack or meal during your meanderings through Malasaña, Ojalá will not disappoint.