Café Varela
Café Varela
Café Varela is a restaurant on Calle Preciados that carries the name of one of Madrid's famous literary cafés, founded in 1884, whose tertulias drew Pío Baroja, the Machado brothers, Unamuno, Valle-Inclán and Emilio Carrere. Today it cooks traditional Spanish and Galician food, from caldo gallego and pulpo a la gallega to hake a la gallega and Galician blond beef, with tapas at the bar and a weekday menú del día.
Social
From cafe_varela on Instagram
¿Necesitas una mesa? Tienes varias opciones: 1. Llamar al 914544406 2. Escribir a reservas@cafevarela.com 3. Entrar en nuestra web https://cafevarela.com/
¿Una tarde por el centro de Madrid? ¡En Café Varela tenemos todo listo para ofrecerte una merienda excepcional! Churros con chocolate, cualquier tipo de café, unas fresas con nata o una tarta de almendras riquísima. Puedes venir a visitarnos en Preciados, 37 📍
Almejas, ajo, guindilla y vino blanco: una combinación perfecta. Y si además acompañamos con unas croquetas y unas gambas al ajillo, ¡acierto seguro! 📞 Reserva tu mesa 91 454 44 06 #marisco #restaurantegallego #cocinatradicional
En pocas palabras, se puede decir mucho 😉 Gracias, Eva, por tomarte la molestia de dejar tu reseña en Google Maps. ¿Sabes que contamos con más de 2.000 y que nuestra puntuación promedio es superior a las 4 estrellas? 📍Preciados, 37 #restauranteMadrid #restaurantes #CaféVarela #opiniones
La carne, jugosa y en su punto. Las patatas, deliciosas 😋 Y la vajilla Sargadelos, vínculo con nuestra tierra gallega y su tradición, que no falte. 📞 Reserva tu mesa 91 454 44 06 #restauranteMadrid #cocinagallega #Madrid #CaféVarela
Dedicatoria del conocido ilustrador argentino Ricardo Liniers para el Café Varela. ¡Gracias, @porliniers !
Background
About Café Varela
The Story
The Café Varela was one of Madrid's celebrated cafés of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, on the Plaza de Santo Domingo. Its tertulias drew Azorín, Baroja, Unamuno, Maeztu, Valle-Inclán, the Machados, León Felipe, Alberti, María Teresa León, Gloria Fuertes, Camilo José Cela and González-Ruano, among others; the poet Emilio Carrere was its spirit, leaving at dawn and writing a long poem to the place, and Antonio Díaz Cañabate held bullfighting tertulias there. Today's restaurant carries on the name with the motto 'slow meals, long tertulias', still hosts tertulias of journalists and businesspeople, and awards the Premio Café Varela, a literary prize won in 2022 by poet and journalist Antonio Lucas.
The Cuisine
Healthy, traditional and Galician cooking with modern presentation. The carta runs from Cinco Jotas Jabugo ham, Santoña anchovies, tetilla cheese, shellfish croquetas and pulpo a la gallega or grilled to zamburiñas, gambas al ajillo and clams; caldo gallego; meats from Galician veal and blond Galician beef to a chuletón; and fish such as almadraba bluefin, monkfish and hake a la gallega, cogote a la bilbaína and a Café Varela sole for two, plus seafood paella. Desserts include a caramelised torrija, filloas and rice pudding.
Bar, Tapas and Menú del Día
Besides the dining room there's a bar with a separate tapas and pinchos carta (tostas, croquetas, octopus, cod in tempura with Padrón peppers, sandwiches and breakfast pastries) and a terrace. On weekdays a menú del día changes daily with the season. The wine list is long and the house prides itself on value. There are menus for companies and events, and a book on the café's history can be downloaded from its site.
Practicalities
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 12:30 to midnight and on Monday for dinner from 19:00. Book online through the website. It's central for cinemas and theatres, with car parking for customers.
Highlights
What Diners Say
Consensus
Café Varela Ratings & Reviews
Diner Ratings
TripAdvisor
4.0
4.4
2178
Café Varela ranks #447 of 1001 rated restaurants in Madrid. Diners rate it 4.0/5 on TripAdvisor.
Reservations
How to Book Café Varela
Booking
Reservations by phone or online via the website.
Reserve
Experience
Café Varela Dining Experience
Elegant and classic, a café-restaurant that mixes old and new, with a small, cosy bar, warm service and the feel of a place built for long conversations.
Navigate
Café Varela Location & Neighbourhood
Address
Calle Preciados 37, 28013 Madrid, Spain
Get directions→Getting There
Calle Preciados 37, the pedestrian shopping street between Puerta del Sol and Callao, by the Plaza de Santo Domingo end; Callao and Santo Domingo are the nearest metro stations.
Nearby
Sol is the dead centre of the city and behaves like it, busy and walked through by everyone heading somewhere else. The trick is knowing which doors are worth stopping at, because rooms built for visitors sit right beside ones locals have used for decades. Círculo de Bellas Artes and Edificio Metrópolis mark the smarter edge, towards Chueca.
Nearby landmarks
Landmarks within walking distance of Café Varela.
Nearby Restaurants
Where to stay nearby
Hotels we rank within walking distance of Café Varela.
Details
Café Varela Reservations, Hours & Contact
Opening Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 19:00–00:00 |
| Tuesday | 12:30–00:00 |
| Wednesday | 12:30–00:00 |
| Thursday | 12:30–00:00 |
| Friday | 12:30–00:00 |
| Saturday | 12:30–00:00 |
| Sunday | 12:30–00:00 |
Café Varela hours verified 2026-08-10. Contact the restaurant to confirm.
Contact
Good to Know
Questions
Café Varela FAQ
What kind of food does Café Varela serve?
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Traditional Spanish and Galician cooking: caldo gallego, pulpo a la gallega, hake and monkfish a la gallega, Galician beef, seafood paella, plus tapas at the bar and a weekday menú del día. Around €26 to €50 per person.
Where is Café Varela?
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On Calle Preciados 37 in Sol, the pedestrian street between Puerta del Sol and Callao.
When is Café Varela open?
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Café Varela opens Mondays 19:00 to 00:00, dinner only, and Tuesday through Sunday 12:30 to 00:00.
Does Café Varela have a terrace?
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Yes, along with a bar area inside, and the entrance, restroom and seating are wheelchair accessible.
How old is Café Varela?
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Café Varela was founded in 1884 and is listed as a Comercio Centenario, one of Madrid's officially recognised century-old businesses.
How much does a meal cost at Café Varela?
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Around €26 to €50 per person, and it reads fair value. Its jamón 5 Jotas, cut to order, is priced at €20; the rest of the carta doesn't publish prices.
Is there a bar area at Café Varela?
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Yes, alongside the dining room and a terrace, there's a small, cosy bar area.
Is Café Varela wheelchair accessible?
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Yes, it's wheelchair accessible at the entrance, restroom and seating.
Is the carta available online at Café Varela?
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Yes, it's published on the café's own site.
Who used to gather at Café Varela?
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Its tertulias drew writers including Pío Baroja, the Machado brothers, Unamuno, Valle-Inclán, Azorín, Rafael Alberti and Gloria Fuertes, with the poet Emilio Carrere as its spirit.