“Tradition” and “family” are two of the words that define the centenary (120 years old) Madrid churro store San Ginés, which is opening its second store in Lisbon.
The first, which has been operating since July in Cais do Sodré, will be joined by the second space of what are considered by many to be the “best churros in the world”, this time in the Vasco da Gama Shopping Center, on October 30.
A centuries-old recipe
Just like many of the older recipes that everyone would like to know, such as pastéis de Belém or Coca-Cola, these Spanish churros have been under lock and key for over a century, probably on the site of the original store on the Pasadizo de Madrid, opposite the church of San Ginés.
Opened in 1894, it quickly became popular with all chocolate lovers and has grown from generation to generation. It is said that passers-by were intoxicated by the addictive smell of chocolate in the air, which made it almost obligatory to enter the establishment to order one of these churros.
Today, in the hands of Pedro Tapote, the brand already has 12 locations in countries such as the United States, Mexico, Argentina and now Portugal.
The brand’s internationalization has been the result of a global strategy involving world-renowned “influencers”, with names such as Stevie Wonder, Pelé, Maradona, Naomi Campbell, Javier Bardem, Mike Kennedy, Christopher Lee, Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Almodovar and, more recently, Dua Lipa and Metallica, all sampling this sweet treat.
The classic chocolate churros
But let’s get down to business: what can you find at San Ginés? The classic churros, accompanied by delicious chocolate (hot chocolate + 6 churros for €7.90).
If you’re not a chocolate fan, you can also enjoy other flavors such as Nata (€5.90) (pastel de nata flavor), Doce de Leite (€4.90), Nutella (€4.90) or Açaí (€5.90).
Still on the sweets side, you can also order the Pastel de Nata from San Ginés (€1.90) (with chocolate, of course), which we’ve never tried and is therefore not on our list
If you’re not into sweets, at San Ginés in Lisbon you can opt for savory dishes, where the typical Spanish tapas stand out: Brie and Iberian Ham (€7.90), Spanish Tortilla (€5.50), Batatas Bravas (€4.50), Iberian Board (€16), as well as sandwiches , salads, croissants or the Seafood, Valencian, Chicken (€19) and Vegan (€16) Paella. Among many other delights!
Address: Travessa São Paulo 9 (Cais do Sodré); Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama (opens October 30)
Opening hours: every day from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.