Faraday is a record shop and cafe on Calle de San Lucas, near Chueca and Salesas in central Madrid. Vinyl shelves, vintage furniture and small objects share the room with the coffee counter. It suits a drink while browsing records or reading; the limited food offer makes it a different stop from the area's brunch cafes.
Coffee style
Toma-roasted coffee supplies the espresso bar, with filter and cold coffee adding alternatives to milk drinks. Ask what is brewing before ordering, particularly if you want a black coffee to drink while browsing. The retail focus is records and objects, so this is primarily a cafe visit rather than a large selection of coffee beans to shop.
What people go for
Cakes and other counter bakes provide a small accompaniment to coffee. The selection changes, so choose from the case when you arrive rather than planning around a particular flavour. A slice and a drink fit the room; a cooked brunch does not.
The feel
Faraday's no-laptop policy leaves the tables for conversation, reading and listening. It opens later than many breakfast cafes, so check the day's hours before making it your first stop. Browse the records while waiting, and expect a compact food selection rather than a full meal.
Why Faraday is shortlisted by Filter Notes
Choose Faraday for Toma coffee, a slice of cake and time among the records on San Lucas. The vintage furniture and vinyl shelves are concrete reasons to stay beyond the cup. If you want an early breakfast, a laptop session or a tasting flight, another Madrid stop will suit better.