Érase Un Café

The name means once upon a time in Spanish, which sets the tone before you even walk in. Érase Un Café is tucked along Calle de las Damas in a passage that connects one block to the next, easy to miss, part of the charm. The interior is decidedly its own thing: mismatched seating, eccentric decor, the kind of space that takes itself just seriously enough to be endearing. The coffee is genuinely good, prepared with care and a serious espresso setup. But the real reason to come is the desserts. They make beautifully crafted showpieces that look like tropical fruits, maracuyá, orange, each one filled with mousses and creams that are as good as they look. Order a dessert and pair it with a coffee. That combination is the whole point of the visit. Two locations in the Walled City.