Jump to content

Madrid, Spain


CrescentFresh

Recommended Posts

Some friends and I are heading to Spain in a few weeks. We're not looking for El Bulli-caliber recommendations, but more DR.com users' favorites tapas bars, etc. Gracias!

There are far too many wonderful tapas places to get lost in in Madrid. Avoid some of the expensive joints right around the Plaza Mayor unless you're simply into the outdoor scene and checking out the people. The only exception to that would be to try "toro tapas bar" (I'm unsure of the name) [La Torre del Oro] that's right in the plaza. It's got pics of bullfighters all over, bulls heads on the wall and black and white checked tiles. Our favorite tapas crawls revolved in the area that stretched from Plaza Mayor down towards the Prado, around Plaza Santa Ana. Chocolateria San Gines, while popular, is a worthy late night (early morning?) stop for chocolate and churros.

Also in Madrid, the Asturian cider at Bar Neru.

My two biggest recommendations would be:

1) Hop on a bus to Chinchón, about a half hour or so outside Madrid. Aside from being an incredibly beautiful small town frequented by Madrilenos on weekends, you'll find the most incredible roast lamb at Meson Cuevas del Vino. A surprisingly huge place when you compare it to the unassuming entry door. Visit the wine caves downstairs and drink the house tinto.

2) Lots of travel help can be found at Madrid Man's website, which is where I frequently get help on travel to Spain such as the type you're asking for.

If you're heading towards Salamanca, I have another restaurant recommendation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

we just got back from Madrid (and Bilbao and San Sebastián).

for tapas, you need to go to Plaza Mayor, walk through it and walk down a street called Cava Baja

On this street you will find many tapas places and restaurants - we went to Casa Lucas and had excellent food there - its a tiny place w/ maybe 5 tables - very friendly staff - I would describe the tapas as 'nouveau tapas' - unusual presentations but very very good

a few doors down is Tavera Tempranillo - we didn't eat there but man oh man did they have a great selection of wine by the glass (I had a great Bierzo Mencia) - and you can just sit there and gaze up at the massive wine rack behind the bar that ascends a good 20 feet and runs the length of the bar

we stayed in the business district and just walked around in the evenings grazing at various places - one of our favorites was Mesón Cinco Jotas, in fact we went there 2 nights in a row because the waitress was so great with our 4 year old daughter - their specialty is Jamón Ibérico and good lord is it good - in fact we did not taste better ham on the rest of our trip - they also serve various other meats and the like

We did pass the Museo de Jamón - to be honest it looked a little touristy but in general we found it hard to go wrong anywhere we ate in Spain - they take such price in what they cook/eat

most places also have a menu del dia which is a 3 course meal for 8 or 9 euro

1) the bar at taberna tempranillo post-189-1125015453_thumb.jpg

2) calimari wrapped in ham w/ a squid-ink pesto at Casa Lucas on Cava Baja just off Plaza Mayor post-189-1125015214_thumb.jpg

3) Pork products.....Spanish style post-189-1125015527_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in Madrid (I used to live in ín the District--for 12 years). I'd be happy to help out with tips here, especially since I plan to plunder this site for up-to-date info for my next visit to DC.

The more specific you are, the better I can help. Info like where you are staying, what days you'll be here, what your plans in the city are, what kind of food you like, phobias, tolerance for smoke and noise, whether you mind eating standing up, etc.

My number one suggestion for enjoying food in Spain is to force yourself immediately into the schedule, because it is immutable (no 24-hour diners here and you'll be eating everyone else's dregs during off-hours). For some reason, our American instincts often instruct us to try to avoid crowds and do things at off-hours. This doesn't work in Spain. Here's the basic Madrid schedule. This may differ slightly in other parts of Spain, particularly the north where people tend to eat dinner somewhat earlier.

breakfast/desayuno

before 11:00

i.e. cafe con leche and toast (with olive oil!) or churros (fried in olive oil!) or pastries in cafe/bars.

morning snack/sandwich break/almuerzo

11:00ish

In cafe/bars. Some breakfast stuff still might be available, but usually not as fresh (except on the weekends). Lots of people have a "pincho" de tortilla at this time.

lunch/comida

2:00-4:30

The biggest meal of the day--most places only do one seating, with people eating for hours, so don't show up at 4:30 expecting to beat the rush.

afternoon snack/merienda

5:30-7:30

Chocolate con churros if you missed them for breakfast. Mostly for kids and old ladies (and me!).

7:30-9:30

Paseo time. Go for a walk. Have drinks. Eat potato chips (fried in olive oil!). Window shop. Think about your next meal.

dinner/cena

9:30-12:00

Some tapas bars open a bit earlier. Restaurants may open at 9:00, but don't really fill up until 10:00.

Edited by mariposita
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am going on business travel to Madrid and would like to have some options around all price ranges. I'm staying in plaza Santa Ana. I will also be in Barcelona and Palma Mallorca, but I think that's another thread. I am from spain so I don't have trouble with the language, just havent been to madrid enough to be able to identify all the good food around there. I've eaten at some places before: Viridiana, La Broche, Zalacain, Casa Lucio and el cantabrico on the pricier side of the scale as well as several others that are more reasonable. Can anyone recommend any good finds?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're not but a few blocks from Puerta del Sol. On the western side at the intersection of Calle Mayor and Calle del Arenal, there's a great little place to get breakfast.

I second the recommendation to prowl Cava Alta and Cava Baja for tapas.

I love how everyone just sits outside and relaxes and enjoys themselves.

f_CavaAlta3m_04f181a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So my trip through Spain was all work and not much pleasure, but I did find a couple of places I wanted to share with everyone. While in Madrid I had time to enjoy beers, excellent navajas (razor clams) a la plancha, berberechos (cockle clams) al vapor, boquerones en vinagre and padron peppers at a bar called "Cerveceria Cruz" situated around la Latina area, known for weekend day drinking. For 60 euros (3 people) we had a great time and the best navajas i can remember. Also had excellent fish, carabineros and gambas de huelva at a restaurant called el pescador, bring the big bucks for this one. For less formal seafood you can also try el cantabrico, which i usually recommend to friends, but on this trip to madrid the real find was cerveceria cruz. For steak/power dinner, you should try asador fronton, where you will come across several famous people in Spain and eat an excellent chuleton, but please keep in mind that this is just a steakhouse and like such it is a stale environment, full of older established people, less adventurous, but amazing at what they do best: Roasted Segovia baby lamb and chuleton. Also can't go wrong ending the meal with montecristos, just b/c you can.

I was also in Barcelona and Palma Mallorca, but I had too much work to try good food. Well in Barcelona I went to the famous Ciudad Condal, but I dont think it's all that special, good but not great. Next trip in February, this time Butterfly we will have to hang out at cerveceria cruz and enjoy some cañas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My family and I are going to Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla for two weeks at the end of May and early June. Does anyone have any recommendations for places to eat? And, yes, this is a very open ended question, but we just decided to go recently and we are pressed for time to plan for the trip, so any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's touristy, but you need to have a couple tapas and a glass of sherry at La Torre del Oro in Plaza Mayor - it's worth spending twenty minutes there just to see the pictures on the wall (viewer discretion is advised).

Cheers,

Rocks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jealous! I studied in Spain for 4 months in college, and it is one of my favorite places on Earth (Madrid especially). Sadly for you, the dollar is not as strong now as when I lived in Madrid, but you should still be able to eat very well.

I suppose it's touristy, but I really enjoyed my meal at Casa Botin. It is the oldest restaurant in the world, Hemingway wrote about it, Goya allegedly worked there, and they have great cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig). Cooked in these crazy old wood-burning ovens! A very cool experience, in my opinion. Expensive.

The best tapas I had while in Spain were the ones at small, family-owned places unmentioned in any guidebook. Of course I can't remember names, but they're not generally going to be in the center of the city. If your Spanish is passable, ask a local for a recommendation.

I had really good grilled meats and pizzas at La Farfalla (Anton Martin Metro stop). Look for the butterfly above the door.

I don't have any recommendations for Barcelona--by the time I got there, I was broke! Sevilla is awesome, and my favorite memory is of the young people gathering in the plazas to drink and dance. A Spanish block party, of sorts--get in on it if you can!

Hope that helps--take me with you!!! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Along the lines of Botin for suckling pig you can go to asador aranda for baby lamb.

People in Madrid brag about having the freshest seafood in Spain and arguably they do. For seafood you can go high end to La Trainera or more bar atmosphere to el cantabrico (one of my favorites). But there´s this one bar close to la latina (where all of madrid congregate on sunday for beers) called bar cruz, where I had some of the best navajas (razor clams) and berberechos (cockles), also excellent boquerones.

Bar la Trucha around plaza santa ana is decent and where I end up when i want a solid meal on a workday, but otherwise avoid eating in that area.

Cava Baja, close to la latina has a few places that are good. Casa Lucio is a classic and across the street you have los huevos de lucio, which is owned by lucio´s son and specializes in fried eggs with french fries and your choice of morcilla, chistorra, jamon. I love it with morcilla (blood sausage). Bar Tempranillo is good for cured meats, cheese and awesome wines.

La celestina in Salamanca is a favorite of my parents, specializing in castillian food, so you will have really good fabada, garbanzos, simple salads and baby lamb.

For steak, I like asador fronton, which is a classic madrid steakhouse and the place where I´ve had the best steak in my life. They don´t even ask you how you want it cooked, default is rare to med rare and its awesome. Also have excellend foie gras, don´t get more than 1/2 order, its a lot. If Fronton isn´t convenient you can also go to Txistu, Asador Donostiarra...

For Arroz con Bogavante (one of my favorite dishes), which is soupy paella with lobster you can go to De Maria or this other place on Hermosilla (damnit, I´m drawing a blank here)

for high end there are many choices: Viridiana, Arce, Sacha, Zalacain (a bit overpriced if you ask me). Avoid La Broche (1 or 2 michelin stars), since I hear Sergi Arola left a few months ago.

There are many other places, but this is all I can think of right now. One thing about Spain is that you absolutely do not want to avoid the crowds, an empty place is an almost guaranteed crappy meal and get used to the eating schedule or you will eat shit all day. I apologize in advance for how scatter brained this post is

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suppose it's touristy, but I really enjoyed my meal at Casa Botin. It is the oldest restaurant in the world, Hemingway wrote about it, Goya allegedly worked there, and they have great cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig). Cooked in these crazy old wood-burning ovens! A very cool experience, in my opinion. Expensive.

I second the Botin's recommendation. Don't be scared away because it's touristy. The suckling pig is a must if you dine here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's touristy, but you need to have a couple tapas and a glass of sherry at La Torre del Oro in Plaza Mayor - it's worth spending twenty minutes there just to see the pictures on the wall (viewer discretion is advised).

Cheers,

Rocks.

That's the name of the place I was trying to recall in my original post!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of our two-week visit to Spain, the first four days and last were in Madrid. We stayed in a small hostal just uphill from the Prado. I had a whole list of tapas bars I wanted to visit, but because I was with family who were less interested than I was in doing tapas crawls, we stuck to places near where we stayed. Fortunately, that included El Brillante, near the Reina Sophia museum, which is famous among the locals for bocadillos de calamari--simply fried, fresh, tender calamari rings piled into small house-baked baguettes. Seriously delicious--they must sell boatloads of squid every day. The place is absolutely packed, especially on weekend afternoons. We ate there several times. And ate many bocadillos de jamon Iberico. Right around the corner from us was Cerveceria Cervantes, another place very popular with the locals, which specializes in seafood. Very flavorful gambas a la plancha and baked bacalao. One night when J didn't feel like eating dinner, and K was off on her own, I walked up toward the Plaza del Sol and ended up at nearly 11 p.m. in a place called El Museo de Vino that was crowded with diners, and ordered wood oven roasted suckling pig. It was a whole leg, including the hoof, of course, that was delivered blazingly hot from the oven, with crackling crisp skin and meltingly tender, brined meat. It was so rich, I could only eat about half, but they wrapped what was left in aluminum foil and I grabbed a cab back to the hostal. The remaining piece was still warm when I brought it to J, who decided he was hungry after all.

Back in Madrid, on our last day, before heading to the airport for the flight home, J&K made a final visit to the Prado, and I walked up to the Plaza Mayor, which I hadn't gotten to see during our earlier stay. It was very cold and windy, and I found my way to the Cava Baja, but it was too early in the day and the tapas bars on my list were all closed. Boo hoo. Oh well. Next time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is some good information here, but this thread is getting old. Any new places to try? I'm visiting friends who live in la Chueca, which I understand is fairly central. I leave tomorrow and am there through Monday. Also, my friends have a car, so recommendations for places to visit nearby (for food or otherwise) would be helpful too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is some good information here, but this thread is getting old. Any new places to try? I'm visiting friends who live in la Chueca, which I understand is fairly central. I leave tomorrow and am there through Monday. Also, my friends have a car, so recommendations for places to visit nearby (for food or otherwise) would be helpful too!

Gerry Dawes should be your go-to.

Also, I'd be surprised it this isn't still worth a drink and a tapa (you'll be there anyway, if you're touring the town).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are about 10 days away from our Spanish adventure - any recent must-eats in Madrid? I have tagged Cerveceria La Cruz from posts above, and it looks like it's right up our alley.

We spent a few days here in February. Some friends recommended that we eat more adventurously in Barcelona, and more traditionally in Madrid. While I wouldn't say any place in Madrid was a must-visit, we did enjoy all our meals.

La Latina, where the most popular tapas bars are located, is like Saturday night in Adams Morgan times a million. We ate really well at Txirimiri and El Tempranillo (the latter of which has an especially good wine selection).

If you like paella, El Ventorillo Murciano is a very good hole-in-the-wall not far from the Reina Sofia Museum. We ordered the rice with rabbit (tasty, though it got annoying chewing into small bones on each bite) and snails (which required lots of digging through the shells with toothpicks, but worth it).

El Mollete was featured in the NYT's "36 hours in Madrid," but apart from us everyone in the restaurant appeared to be local. They're known for huevos rotos (broken eggs with potatoes) and fried morcilla (blood sausage).

For chuleton (ox steak), there are several good options -- we ate well at Asador Ansorena, though Imanol and Julian de Tolosa are supposed to be excellent too.

Chocolateria San Gines is a bit touristy but their churros and hot chocolate definitely hit the spot.

If you're near Puerta del Sol, La Maillorquina has great pastries but gets REALLY crowded. We went early in the morning and it was much more bearable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, we have finished parts 1 and 2 of our Spanish adventure - Madrid and Granada - and are now in Barcelona until our (sad) return to the U.S. More on that later, I'm sure...

As for Madrid, the first couple of days of our trip were spent finding places where our large group of marathon runners could carbo-load, so nothing to report there. However, once we finished the race and my husband and I broke off on our own, we enjoyed a couple of noteworthy places (and, of course, many places where we stopped for a delicious bite or two but cannot remember the names).

The Mercado de San Miguel is great if you want to grab a pastry or fruit or something else to go - it is VERY crowded, and there is little seating.

Las Bovedas de Cibeles (on Calle de Alcala) was a great stop after viewing the fantastic collection at the Prado. There we enjoyed the most wonderful pulpos a la gallega - so incredibly tender and flavorful. Made us wonder why it is so hard to get non-chewy octopus in the States...hmmm...

Our lunch at Botin was terrific as well - my hubby was dying to try cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig), and he was not disappointed. Excellent service, too - it looks like it is going to be stodgy, but it is actually quite friendly and relaxed.

Hubby was getting tired of drinking Mahou and Estrella, so he dug up Cerveceria Europa in the Bilbao neighborhood. Tucked away on a smallish street, you will know you've reached this place when you see the crowds pouring out the doors. They actually have a respectable selection of beers - we ended up loving the Guinea PIgs IPA from Cervezas Yria, a small Spanish microbrewery. We didn't order any food (probably a mistake, given how much beer we consumed), but they served Bugles and cheese puffs as munchies.

Finally, I will wholeheartedly recommend the Intercontinental Hotel, a little north of city center at the Gregorio Maranon Metro. GREAT bar staff - you don't expect to make vacation memories at the hotel bar, but we absolutely did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We'll be in Madrid in about ten days. I've read over what's on this thread, but any new/different recommendations? For Madrid or Seville.

Two words: Velazquez and Goya.

More importantly, we're about to have our website's first chat in almost four years. Luckily for you, it's going to be with Gerry Dawes and it's going to be next week, so get your questions ready for Gerry. Seriously, this is about the most serendipitous thing that could happen to you with respect to trip planning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From my article on Departures website, the not-to-be missed Mercado de San Miguel. Just do not go on a weekend evening.

Mercado de San Miguel

Madrid

Since re-opening in 2009 after a multi-year restoration project, El Mercado de San Miguel, one of Madrid’s oldest markets, has become the hottest tapas destination in town. Just steps from the Plaza Mayor, it draws shoppers and noshers by day; at night, the place is full of madrileños nibbling slices of smoked salmon, sheer slivers of jamón ibérico de bellota (ham from acorn-fed, black-hoofed pigs) and fresh shellfish, like carbineros (large scarlet prawns), while sipping wines and Champagnes from Pinkleton & Wine. There’s an oyster bar, a pickle-and-olive stand and a caviar joint, and impeccable cheeses are on offer at José Luis Martín’s Fromagerie. The Mercado de San Miguel is a must—just don’t go on a weekend night, when the place is jam-packed. Plaza San Miguel (just off La Plaza Mayor), Madrid.

Where to Stay: Near the Prado is the venerable, newly refurbished Palace Hotel (rooms, from $485; 7 Plaza de las Cortes; 34-913/608-000), where Hemingway placed some of the final scenes in The Sun Also Rises. Salvador Dalí, Federico García Lorca and Luís Buñuel all frequented the bar. Among the alternate choices are the ultra-modern Hotel Urban (rooms, from $300; 34 Carrera de San Jerónimo; 34-917/877-770), whose Glass Bar is one of the liveliest places in Madrid for an aperitif or a late-night drink, and the Hotel Wellington (rooms, from $310; 8 Calle Velázquez; 34-915/754-400) in the silk-stocking Barrio de Salamanca.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Group Lezama's Café de Oriente in Madrid: Platos de Cuchara (dishes eaten with a spoon) and Other Dishes from Chef Pedro Quían; The Solemn Changing of the Guard at the Palacio Real; Celebration of Chinese New Year in La Plaza de Oriente (A restaurant owned by the same group founded by Padre Luis de Lezama of Washington's Taberna del Alabardero.) At Café de Oriente, one of the great platos de cuchara is verdinas (young, green, flageolot-type beans) cooked with centollo (spider crab), a specialty of northern Spain, especially in Asturias.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dinner at Casa Lucio

Casa Lucio on Cava Baja is one of my favorite restaurants in Madrid. It is one of the best known restaurants in Madrid and reservations are hard to come by, but Lucio Blásquez, Mari (his daughter) and Javier (one of his sons) treat me like a long-lost family member when I show up and somehow manage to find me a table. Get the boquereones en vinagre con olivas gordas (house-cured anchovies en vinegar, served with fat green olives), huevos estrellados (just fried potatoes topped with "broken" fried eggs), alcachofas con jamón (artichoke hearts cooked with ham) and chuletón (steak). Have bottle of Chivite's Viña Salceda Crianza Tinto or a bottle of rosado and have fun. There may be better food in Madrid, but this place is super Madrid, Damon Runyon-esque, every night, especially on Sunday night, when other restaurants are closed. Tell Javier, Lucio's son, who speaks English that I sent you and maybe it will help you get a table.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Make sure you try LA CASTELA. Doctor Castelo, 22. Teléfono: 91 573 55 90. Don't be put off by the jam-packed tapas bar, which is very good (try zamburinas, baby scallops). Get a reservation beforehand in the restaurant in back, which is quite good, has good wines and is not terribly expensive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the best tapas bars in Madrid, with a wonderful modernized traditional cuisine, tablecloth restaurant in back, frequented by some of the top food lovers in Madrid.

IMG_6105.JPG

Victor, behind the bar at La Castela, Madrid.

IMG_6110.JPG

Tapas available in the bar at La Castela, Madrid. Photos by Gerry Dawes©2012

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

IO Restaurant

Manuel de Falla 5

28036 Madrid

Tel: + 34 91 3440616

Try this relatively now restaurante by a chef who used to be at the former and quite wonderful, Principe de Viana Restaurante, that used to be in this same location. Chef Iñaki Oyarbide is from the famous culinary family who started Zalacain, Madrid's first Michelin-starred restaurant. Check out the My Little Madrid website for info in English on IO.

Bar.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cervecerías: Madrid's Beer Bars (With a Couple in Barcelona)

IMG_5747.JPG

La Maja Desnuda, now with a padlock (which did not used to be there)over a sensitive portion of her anatomy, at the very campy Cervecería Los Gatos tapas bar, Madrid.

Curro Romero is the bullfighter. Photo by Gerry Dawes©2010 / gerrydawes@aol.com.

Gerry Dawes's Spain: An Insider's Guide to Spanish Food, Wine, Culture and Travel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Make sure you try LA CASTELA. Doctor Castelo, 22. Teléfono: 91 573 55 90. Don't be put off by the jam-packed tapas bar, which is very good (try zamburinas, baby scallops). Get a reservation beforehand in the restaurant in back, which is quite good, has good wines and is not terribly expensive.

La Castela, Madrid

IMG_3906.JPG

Zamburiñas (small scallops), La Castela, Madrid.

Photos by Gerry Dawes©2012

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

And other Madrid specialties...

I know this is not dc related, but you guys know a lot. Any must go to places in Madrid for specialties like soap de oja or gallinejas or anything else?

Thanks in advance!

Simul

Sopa de ajo? (Garlic). I've never heard of sopa de oja. I've had sopa de olla, and maybe there could be something called sopa de hoja....

The original La Taberna del Alabardero is in Madrid.

I hate to tell you this, Simul, but other than catching La Taberna del Alabardero on a good day, you're going to have trouble finding anything of culinary merit on the Madrilenian front (I haven't been to Taberna recently, so cannot vouch for how the kitchen is performing under Chef Javier Romero).

If it's Sopa de Ajo you seek, there are numerous places in town that offer it: Tia Queta, Bodega, Jaleo, Las Tapas, and of course your best bet, the $14.95 Sopa Riberena de Ajo y Cebolla, Su Pan u Queso de Cabra Gratinado from La Taberna del Alabardero. Ris Lacoste has been known to have this on her menu in the past, but I wouldn't count on it being there.

As for Gallinejas, how set are you on a traditional Madrilenian preparation? You may be better off in search of soul food or even something French like Tripe a la Mode Caèn at La Chaumière. I know it's not the same thing, but the only possible hope of finding this would be to call La Taberna and ask if they could do it as a special preparation. Sol de Espaí±a in Rockville might have had this at one time, but that restaurant has closed. I would estimate the odds of finding this at a place like Las Tapas or Jaleo as something close to nil. Your next best bet might be to call around various Salvadoran restaurants and seeing if they could make this as a special order on a weekend - you never know when you're going to find an ambitious cook with some talent who would be delighted to try this. This is also the type of thing where a manager at Las Tapas might have married someone from Madrid with cooking talent - you'll have to get on the blower and root around, but stranger things have happened. You also might want to call the Spanish Embassy. Even though Chef Romero might not offer this dish, he would quite possibly be the best person to ask where to find it. Also, maybe call Tio Pépé in Baltimore and ask what they think. Now that I'm thinking about it, send Gerry Dawes a message, and tell him you're a friend of mine. He probably knows where to find this in New York City (just remember that this is Gerry's profession).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And other Madrid specialties...

I know this is not dc related, but you guys know a lot. Any must go to places in Madrid for specialties like soap de oja or gallinejas or anything else?

Thanks in advance!

Simul

It sounds like you are asking for recommendations in Madrid.  If so, you should look here - much good intel.

Madrid is my favorite place in the whole world, and I find that you can walk into any number of restaurants and have amazing food.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We spent a phenomenal two weeks in Spain a couple of months ago, and I thought I'd share some of my favorites from the various cities we visited.  Apologies for the lack of detail; I'm not very good at writing food reviews, and when I think about doing it, I just end up putting off posting.

Some favorite tapas bars from Madrid, mostly in El Centro and near Plaza Santa Ana (which is an ostensibly touristy area, but we tend to gravitate towards local color, grit, and ambience, and I was pleasantly surprised how untouristy all these places seemed): 

Casa Gonzalez (family-run wine bar, great atmosphere, great wines, get the pork cheeks; we came back here multiple times); 

La Venencia (just down the street from Casa Gonzalez; ostensibly a favorite haunt of Hemingway’s – tons of atmosphere and like a place out of time; serves only sherry and cured meats/cheeses olives; the dried beef (cecina) is delicious; note that the proprietor is crusty and has a longstanding no-photos allowed policy); 

La Chata (great traditional tapas bar; I loved the lettuce hearts with anchovies (cogollos con anchoa) so much that we went back a second time just to get them again; the oxtail (rabo de toro) was also great); 

Bodegas Ricla (tiny space with standing room only; one of the few places in Spain where the people behind the bar seemed genuinely happy to see us, rather than vaguely harried and no-nonsense; the boquerones in vinegar are excellent, as is most of the menu); 

Casa Toni (on a VERY touristy strip, but this place is great; the pig ears and the boquerones fritos are both recommended; I'm embarrassed to say we kind of got kicked out -- or, rather, I'm pretty sure they decided to close early rather than take further orders from us -- when a pair of loud and drunk Americans came in off the street and proceeded to attach themselves to our party, which I guess is a risk of that location).

I wholeheartedly endorse the wine at each of these establishments as well (and in places where I wasn't as confident about their selection, the following tip from Rick Steves served me extremely well: when in doubt, ask for una copa de crianza; it'll be better quality than what you'll get if you ask for the house red or white, and at not much more cost). 

(We also did a day trip to Segovia from Madrid, which was lovely and felt like a world away.  I can't remember the name of the place in Segovia where we had lunch, but it was old-school and white tablecloth and simply fabulous, if not cheap; both the Segovian specialty cochinillo (roast suckling pig) and -- especially -- the hake head I had was just sublime.  When I look up the name of the restaurant, I'll post it here.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few notes from a couple recent trips to Madrid.  

La Castela is as excellent as unpretentious and excellent as Gerry Dawes describes above.  You can sit outside, hang out in the front bar, or eat in back.  There's lots of good seafood here.

Casa Lucas is a favorite for tapas on Cava Baja.  Get the squid with bacon and squid ink.  It's delicious and a fun show.  Let the bartender pour you wines by the glass.  Make a reservation or show up early.  You'll be among the only tourists in a place full of locals.  Casa Lucio seems similar, but I haven't been able to snag a seat yet... next time.  

Roostique is excellent for a wood fired oven dishing out artichokes, clams, pizza, and as good of a steak as I've had in Spain.  

Vides is a cool, little wine bar off Gran Via.  

StreetXO is currently closed pending a new location.  I thought it was a must visit before it closed and expect it will be again once it reopens.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...