This charming centennial sweet and pastry shop, one of the most famous in Madrid, has over the years welcomed eminent figures including Queen María Cristina. Now under the direction of prestigious patissier Oriol Balaguer, it offers an exquisite mixture of traditional sweets, cakes, and pastries, with some cutting-edge twists in terms of flavours and techniques.

When it first started out, La Duquesita specialised in providing boxes of chocolates and jam tartlets, which gentlemen would gift to their families when they joined a military order. Inside, decorated with wood with gold detailing, an alabaster doll welcomes in all those looking to travel back in time as they sample artisan cakes, sweets and pastries such as pestiños, brazo de gitano or the Christmas speciality Roscón de Reyes.

In 2015, it was taken over by patissier and entrepreneur Oriol Balaguer, who has maintained all the hallmarks of the establishment along with its traditional recipes that have made it famous in the city, whilst bringing in new contributions from this prestigious chef, including a brand new cake with four textures of chocolate, known as the Tarta Duquesita, and his famous croissants, considered some of the best in the city. Furthermore, La Duquesita has been extended and now has a seated area where you can sample its products.