Suddenly the pace picks up. Stacks of hot churros and porras rush out of the kitchen while the waiters frantically steam chocolate and place together dozens of cups and saucers. In this churrería, the staff know their customers’ routines well: suddenly hordes of classy old ladies walk in, order vast amounts of chocolate and churros and kick off their Friday evening with a bit of scandalous family gossip.
Unlike San Gines, where you often have to queue to be served, you never have to wait more than a few seconds at Los Pinchitos, even if the waiters didn’t know you were coming. The menu is in Spanish and the chocolate, churros and porras are cheap, especially given Plaza Mayor is just 50 paces west.
KNOW YOUR CHOCOLATE CON CHURROS
The chocolate should be quite dark or very dark. It shouldn’t be too thick or too thin, nor too sweet. The churros and porras should be warm and crispy, which means they’re fresh out the cauldron. They shouldn’t be dripping with oil or taste like they’ve been cooked next to calamari – churro oil is for churros only.
Another indicator of good chocolate con churros is the crowd: the more elderly ladies enjoying la hora de los churros together, the better.
I even bumped into my elderly neighbour at the bar, and now that I know where she goes every Friday evening dressed to kill, I may have to cramp her style from time to time and join her and the gals for chocolate con churros and a good old gossip.
INFO
- Address: Calle de Esparteros, 9
- 50 paces east of Plaza Mayor
- Opening hours: 7 am-midnight every day
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