Madrid has no sea, but it is the city where the best produce from all of Spain arrives, from Galician fish, delivered fresh every night, to ham from Extremadura and Andalusia. Here century-old taverns, zinc-countered tapas bars, gourmet markets and some of Europe's most creative restaurants coexist. It is part of the Madrid guide; for general rules see eating in Spain.
Meal times
The first rule is to adapt to Spanish hours. Breakfast is early and light, a coffee and a tostada; mid-morning there is a snack; lunch is between 2 and 4pm, the main meal of the day; in the afternoon there is coffee; tapas start around 8.30pm and dinner is from 9 to 11pm. Before 1.30pm and 8.30pm many restaurants are closed or empty.
Typical dishes
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Cocido madrileño | The signature dish: a stew of chickpeas, meats, chorizo, morcilla and vegetables, served in three courses, first the broth with noodles, then chickpeas and vegetables, finally the meats |
| Callos a la madrileña | Tripe stewed with chorizo, morcilla and pimentón, a winter dish |
| Bocadillo de calamares | A roll filled with fried squid rings, eaten in the bars around the Plaza Mayor |
| Patatas bravas | Fried potatoes with a spicy sauce; every bar defends its own recipe |
| Huevos rotos | Fried eggs "broken" over chips, with ham or chorizo |
| Oreja a la plancha | Griddled pig's ear, the most castizo tapa |
| Soldaditos de Pavía | Battered salt cod sticks |
| Gallinejas and entresijos | Fried lamb offal, a popular speciality of the south of the city |
| Besugo a la madrileña | Baked sea bream, a traditional Christmas Eve dish |
Sweets include churros and porras with thick chocolate, Holy Week torrijas, San Isidro rosquillas, candied violets and the cream-filled bartolillo. See churros.
Tapas and vermouth
Going for tapas in Madrid means moving from bar to bar, standing at the counter, with a caña (a small draught beer) or a glass of wine and a small portion of food. In many traditional bars a tapa comes free with your drink. The best-known areas are Cava Baja in La Latina, the streets around plaza de Santa Ana in the Barrio de las Letras, calle de Ponzano in Chamberí and the streets of Malasaña. See also tapas.
Vermouth is back in fashion: drunk on draught, red, with ice, a slice of orange and an olive, on Sunday at noon before lunch. Historic vermuterías have barrels behind the counter.
Historic taverns
Madrid preserves dozens of century-old venues, marked by the city with a plaque. Among the most famous:
- Botín (1725), on calle de Cuchilleros, listed by Guinness as the world's oldest restaurant still operating, famous for suckling pig and lamb roasted in a wood oven. Galdós and Hemingway mention it.
- Casa Labra (1860), near Sol, for croquetas and salt cod soldaditos de Pavía; the Spanish Socialist Party was founded here in 1879.
- Lhardy (1839), on Carrera de San Jerónimo, for cocido and consommé served from a samovar.
- Casa Alberto (1827), in the Barrio de las Letras, for vermouth and callos.
- Malacatín, in La Latina, the temple of cocido.
- Taberna de Antonio Sánchez (1830), in Lavapiés, one of the oldest.
The set lunch menu
To eat well for little, at weekday lunchtime almost every restaurant offers the menú del día: a starter, a main, dessert or coffee, bread and a drink, for about 13-16 euros. It is the best way to taste Spanish home cooking.
Gourmet markets
The Mercado de San Miguel, San Antón, San Ildefonso and San Fernando let you taste a bit of everything in one place. See markets and shopping.
Chef-led cuisine
Madrid is now one of Europe's fine-dining capitals, with many Michelin-starred restaurants, including DiverXO by Dabiz Muñoz, with three stars, and many young chefs reinventing tapas. Early each year the city hosts Madrid Fusión, the great international gastronomy congress.
What to drink
Besides cañas and vermouth: wines from Ribera del Duero and Rioja, those of the Community of Madrid (DO Vinos de Madrid), tinto de verano, red wine with lemonade, sangria mainly for tourists, Asturian cider in sidrerías, and after dinner the gin and tonic, an institution in Spain. See Spanish wines.
Tips
- Avoid restaurants with touts and photo menus on tourist squares.
- At the bar you pay at the end, asking for the bill: la cuenta, por favor.
- Tipping is not compulsory: leave a few coins or 5-10% if the service was good.
- At weekends book the most famous restaurants.
For nightlife see Madrid nightlife.