I must confess how ever since I got off the plane in Madrid on the first day of my Erasmus back in March 2014, I have always believed that Madrid is the most perfect city in the world to live in. From the lovely locals and the gorgeous architecture of Gran Vía to the beautiful parks, delicious tapas and bustling squares whatever the weather, Madrid has everything you could ever wish for. Well, almost everything.

 

Popping into my local Carrefour to do my first ever food shop in Spain, I remember being perturbed to see bags upon bags of so-called 'bread' with a hyperactive white bear on the packaging, his grin clearly a result of the e-numbers pumped into each slice.  I opted for the healthiest-looking loaf with seeds and nuts, however two months later when the same loaf was still just as 'fresh' as the day I bought it, I realised something wasn't quite right. Since then I have always boycotted the bread aisle and longed for a good old slice of naturally fresh bread to munch on. 

 

And of course, Malasaña and its many hidden treasures came to my bread-bereaved rescue in the form of 'Panic' Panaderia on Calle Conde Duque. From the top of the street I caught a whiff of the insatiable scent of fresh bread, and before i knew it I had followed my nose into what can only be described as true bread heaven. The people of Madrid's prayers have finally been answered. 

 

Rows upon rows of freshly baked, crusty sourdough loaves, white, brown, baguettes, loaves, buns, cakes... you name it, they bake it. After waiting in a long queue of drooling customers for what seemed like a lifetime,

I was presented with what turned out to be the most delicious wholemeal sourdough loaf my flatmates and I have ever and will ever taste in our lives. And what a bakery!

 

In fact, it's almost an insult to simply refer to Panic as a bakery as it is so much more than that. With it's black iron fittings and hanging lights, a view through to 'where the magic happens' and beautifully presented, freshly baked bread everywhere you look, I'd go as far to say that a trip to Panic is an actual experience. An experience that every bread lover in the vicinity of Madrid needs to know about. All thanks to Panic and its scrumptious sourdough, Madrid officially claims Madrid Munch's title as the best city on the planet.