It would be unusual not to see recommendations about trying a specific dish popping up on social networks like TikTok. You’ll likely encounter the same suggestion from multiple accounts, and you’ll rarely escape long lines waiting to sample that dish in person. This is precisely what happened to a small stall in Madrid’s Antón Martín market, known as Caracola, which offers just two products: bread and cheesecake.
Madrid is a city brimming with gastronomic markets, each neighborhood boasting its own vibrant food scene. Within this sea of options, it can be hard to pick a standout. Yet social media, especially TikTok, has a knack for spotlighting a tiny spot and turning it into a lightning rod for attention and queues.
Caracola is located in the Antón Martín Market in the Embajadores district. It is a family-run legacy with more than eight decades behind it, and it has felt the TikTok effect firsthand. The shop has bread and potatoes, and a reputation for cheesecake that has captivated food lovers far beyond its usual customers. Thanks to social networks, this small secret has spread across the broader online audience. (attribution: Caracola, Antón Martín Market, Madrid)
Inside the market, the crowd’s energy is palpable, filling the narrow space Caracola occupies. Amid the kitchen’s clatter and the steady line of hopeful tasters, Ester Muñoz, the owner and executive chef, welcomes visitors and shares the story behind the stall. (attribution: Caracola)
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“When you start something, you hope it will work”, Muñoz notes. “We didn’t expect this much.” The venture began in 2014 when Muñoz reinvented her professional path, stepping into the kitchen and opening a first shop on the market’s ground floor. The initial offerings included ready meals such as potato omelets and cheesecakes. About a year ago, she and her husband relocated to a new space on the first floor and narrowed their focus to these two items, which they view as their main draw.
Because of this focus, Caracola offers a wide array of potato omelets, from the classic to variants with chorizo or gorgonzola, alongside cheesecakes in flavors like pistachio, Oreo, and Lotus. The secret, she says, is that the dishes are oven-baked with minimal oil, a contrast to many fry-heavy preparations.
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“Our method is different”, Muñoz emphasizes: “we are artisans.” Both dishes are prepared fresh daily, with production carefully calculated to optimize for the next day. Experience and practice help determine the right quantities to prepare each day.
The volume of visitors has surged as more people discover the shop through social media, including many who don’t live in the neighborhood. Customers waiting at the shop on weekdays typically face a five- to ten-minute wait, while weekends may require additional help from the ground floor staff. The shop supports dine-in at a few tables and a robust takeaway option.
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The chef describes this dish as a strong positive note for the business, a reward for the work put in. Many visitors come with a clear intention to sample the offerings, but popularity can lead to daily stockouts. “It’s personal and it has an end”, Muñoz remarks.
Caracola’s viral moment reinforced a positive trend: more customers equal more exposure. Muñoz admits it was a pleasant surprise, though it comes with challenges. Some guests arrive with fixed expectations and grow frustrated when there are no alternative options. Muñoz consistently explains that, as artisans, production is limited. (attribution: Muñoz, Caracola)
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New beginnings
“It’s a bit sad for guests to wait more than fifteen minutes on busy days”, the team notes. To improve the experience and shorten queues, a new location opened in April at Plaza de Chueca. The aim is to distribute the crowd and provide faster service while preserving the core offerings.
Even with rapid growth, the foundational items remain the same: potato omelets and cheesecake. Muñoz confirms the focus for now is to perfect these two staples—no plans to introduce new dishes as demand remains strong.
Despite the expansion, the essence endures: daily, artisanal production that anchors the brand. “I don’t want to lose that because I believe it is the foundation of our project, our business, and our product”, Muñoz says with pride. (attribution: Muñoz)