Toma Café 1 sits on a quieter stretch of Calle de la Palma, a few steps off Malasaña's busier run of bars and shops, and the room tells you straight away what kind of stop this is. The counter sits as an island in the middle, stools and small tables wrap around it, and the no-laptop signs keep the place pointed toward coffee and conversation. In a city full of stronger-looking newcomers, Toma still belongs on the shortlist because this branch makes the bar work, the room, and the street outside feel part of the same visit.
Coffee
The island setup matters because you can actually watch service happen. Espresso and milk drinks are the core order here, but Toma still treats filter seriously, with rotating coffees and staff who will point you toward a bean or cup style without slowing the line to a halt. The appeal is not novelty; it is that the shop still serves coffee with the care of a specialist bar while keeping the room easy and unfussy.
Food
Café 1 works better as a coffee stop than a full meal destination. There are pastries, sweets, and cookies, and that lighter offer suits the room, but if you want toast or a more substantial brunch-style plate, Toma 2 is usually the stronger branch. Here, something baked alongside a filter or flat white is enough.
The Room
The no-laptop rule is not a gimmick here; it changes the pace of the whole place. Tables turn over without feeling rushed, people actually look up from their drinks, and the room keeps a social hum instead of sliding into coworking-space silence. Staff keep things moving, retail beans and merch give regulars another reason to stop in, and the quieter block outside makes it easy to linger for one cup before heading back into central Madrid.
What people go for
Why Filter Notes has shortlisted Toma
Toma is shortlisted because Café 1 still feels like one of Madrid's clearest coffee identities: a compact room, a visible bar, and service that keeps standards high without turning stiff. It is not the city's biggest brunch stop or its quietest hideout, but if you want a Malasaña café where the coffee remains the reason to cross town, this is still the address to pick.