Café Central

A jewel-box Art Deco café that's been Madrid's premier jazz venue since 1982 — DownBeat magazine has ranked it among the best jazz clubs on earth. Intimate enough that even the back tables feel close to the stage.

Sets typically run at 21:00 or 22:00 with the room filling from about an hour before — arrive early for a table near the stage rather than standing at the back. Cover charge is modest by international jazz-club standards and includes the first drink at some shows; check the door for the night's exact terms. The building itself, an early 20th-century café on a corner of Plaza del Ángel, is worth a daytime coffee even without a gig on.