Madrid 1894 · Manila 2026
The Madrid Legacy
Born in a narrow Madrid alleyway in 1894. Open every single day since.
OUR STORY
OUR STORY
In a narrow alleyway in the heart of Madrid, just steps from the Puerta del Sol, a small chocolatería opened its doors in 1894.
For over 130 years, Chocolatería San Ginés has been open every single day — through wars and winters, through generations of Madrileños who brought their children, who brought theirs. The marble tables have heard a thousand conversations. The recipe has never changed.
Pedro Trapote, who gave the chocolatería its modern life in the 1980s, believed that some things are too precious to modernize beyond recognition.
From Madrid, San Ginés has travelled all over the globe, from Europe to the Americas — and now, Manila.
The same ritual. The same warmth. The same cup of chocolate that made Madrid stay up all night. Welcome.
A global pilgrimage
Presidents, pop icons, Oscar winners and sports legends all make the pilgrimage.
What began as a close-knit family café became a global landmark — winning hearts across Spain, the United States, Argentina, Mexico, and Portugal while keeping the warmth and authenticity of Spanish tradition.
And now, the same cup of chocolate that made Madrid stay up all night has arrived in Manila — our first home in Asia.
130 Years, Unbroken
The thread from 1894 to today
-
1894
The doors open
A small chocolatería opens in the Pasadizo de San Ginés, off the Calle Arenal in central Madrid — and starts serving churros con chocolate to the city.
-
1980s
Pedro Trapote
The "King of Hospitality" gives the chocolatería its modern life, believing some things are too precious to modernize beyond recognition.
-
2000s
Across the world
San Ginés travels beyond Spain — to the United States, Portugal, Argentina, and Mexico — without ever changing the recipe.
-
2026
Manila
The first Southeast Asian outpost opens on the Ground Floor of The Podium, Mandaluyong — with master chocolateros brought in from Spain.
Our founders
The Trapote family.
Pedro Trapote — born in 1939 in Valladolid — earned the name "King of Hospitality" after reshaping Madrid's nightlife and dining for more than sixty years. From the legendary Joy Eslava and Teatro Barceló to Cervecería San Andrés and, of course, Chocolatería San Ginés.
Today the second and third generations of the family carry that legacy forward — and their first stop in Asia is Manila.
THE JOURNEY TO MANILA
Every churro, exactly as it is in Madrid.
We brought our master chocolateros straight from Spain so every churro, cup of chocolate, tapa, pastry, and buttery croissant tastes the way it should. The churro machine was made specially in Spain — a year-long wait — and sits on the ground floor, so you can watch your churros being made.
The same ritual. The same warmth. The same cup of chocolate.