When Guiyue Pei and her mother Junghwa Park moved to Madrid 16 years ago, cooking was a way to celebrate their mixed Korean and Chinese roots. But Park’s dumpling hobby quickly morphed into a business. Neighbors flocked to her doorstep, and soon enough, she was managing a WhatsApp group with over 200 members. In 2022, the pair found a small space on 34 Espronceda Street to set up a restaurant. Pei, who studied design in college, worked on the minimalist interiors, while her mother set up shop in the kitchen. Two years on, the menu has stayed elegantly small—think kimchi, soups, and dumplings paired with specialty coffee, Korean-style. Pro tip: get there early—though the café is open between 12 P.M. and 8 P.M., lines snake around the block throughout the afternoon. And don’t miss the fried wontons, their star dish. —Elena Clavarino

Elena Clavarino is a Senior Editor at AIR MAIL