The 19th-century residential quarter north of Bilbao, home to Sala de Despiece on Calle Alonso Cano, Sacha and the Madrileno modern-taberna corridor along Calle Ponzano.
Casa Mono in Madrid's Arguelles district is the modern taberna by chef Ramiro Vazquez, with a market-led carte of croquetas, tartares and slow-braised.
OrderThe croquetas de jamon and the carrillera estofada with potato puree. A glass of Lopez de Heredia rosado.
TipBook a week ahead for Saturday lunch; the dining room is small. Lunch menu del dia runs 22 euros weekdays.
Sala de Despiece in Madrid's Chamberi runs the room like a butcher's counter: stainless steel benches, white tiles and the meat carved in front of you.
OrderThe lomo en manteca (pork loin in lard) and the bone marrow roasted with capers. Glass of Mencia by the glass.
TipWalk-in only; arrive before 13:30 for lunch or 20:30 for dinner. The bar stools are the seats locals want.
Sacha in Madrid's Chamartin is the bistro by Sacha Hormaechea, whose lazy-tortilla and lasana de boletus are reference dishes for half the country's modern.
OrderThe tortilla vaga (lazy tortilla, undercooked and topped with caviar) and the lasana de boletus.
TipBook three weeks ahead; tables of two are easier than four. The dining room is intimate, the chef circulates between courses.
La Falda de Chamberi took over the historic Sylkar space in Madrid in 2024 and now bakes the official 2025 national-champion tortilla de patatas of Spain.
OrderTortilla de patatas (12 eggs and 3 extra yolks, no onion) cooked to a runny middle.
TipReservations are wise after the 2025 championship win; lunch service from 13:30 is calmer than the dinner sitting.
La Tasqueria de Javi Estevez moved from Salamanca to Chamberi in 2024, keeping the 1-star Michelin and the brief that matches casqueria (offal).
OrderThe cabeza de cochinillo crujiente, the sesos rebozados and the tasting menu (65 euros lunch, 95 dinner).
TipBook three weeks ahead for the seven-seat counter; the dining room books one week. Closed Sun-Mon.
Mision Cafe in Madrid's Conde Duque is the specialty third-wave room with house-roasted beans, a daily-changing brunch carte and a clean Scandinavian-design.
DrinkSingle-origin filter
TipOpen daily 09:00-20:00. The weekend brunch sets (14 to 19 euros) book up by 11:30; walk-in only.
Cafe Comercial on Glorieta de Bilbao in Madrid is the 1887-founded grand cafe, reopened in 2024 with chef Carlos Moreno on the carte. Located in Chamberi.
DrinkCafe con leche
TipOpen daily; breakfast set (cafe con leche, tostada, OJ) is the morning staple, with cocido madrileno among the weekly classics.
Panaderia Mision in Madrid's Conde Duque is the bakery-and-cafe by the Mision Cafe team since 2020, with sourdough breads, croissants and a focused brunch.
DrinkCortado
TipOpen daily 09:00-19:00. The croissant with cortado (4 euros) is the morning headline; sourdough loaves sell out by 14:00.
Mision Cafe Roasters in Madrid's Conde Duque is the specialty roastery and cafe since 2017, with house-roasted single-origin beans, a brunch counter.
BeansBrazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala
BrewsEspresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
TipWhole-bean bags (14 to 19 euros) at the counter and a brewed flat white (3.50 euros) are the morning recommendations.
Amor de Madre Coffee in Madrid's Chamberi is the specialty third-wave roastery cafe since 2019, with a small Probat sample roaster, house single-origin beans.
BeansColombia, Ethiopia, Burundi
BrewsEspresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
TipClosed Mondays. The single-origin Burundi (18 euros bag) is the staff recommendation; the V60 filter at 4.50 euros.
Vinothecvm on Calle Bravo Murillo in Madrid's Chamberi is the natural-wine bar and shop since 2018, with 150 by-the-glass references, Spanish and French.
PourSuertes del Marques from Tenerife, by the glass
WineSpanish and French natural wines
FoodTablas, conservas
TipClosed Sundays. The shop is open during bar hours; bottles to take home from 18 euros and up.
Masa near Plaza de Olavide in Madrid's Chamberi is the natural-wine bar from Antonella Tignanelli since 2023, with a selected by-the-glass list of European.
DrinkBy-the-glass natural wines
FoodSeasonal small plates, tapas
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. The 10-seat counter is the spot for the by-the-glass flight; vinyl-soundtracked back room from 21:00.
La Tape on Calle San Bernardo in Madrid is the wine-bar-and-tapas room since 2015, with 80 by-the-glass references, a focused daily-changing tapas pizarra.
DrinkBy-the-glass wines
FoodTapas, small plates
TipWalk-in. Closed Sundays. The corner terrace seats 14; the inside bar is the standing-room scene.
Sylkar in Madrid's Chamberi fries what many call the city's best tortilla de patatas at the family-run since-1959 taberna, with the runny center that pools.
TryTortilla de patatas
TipWalk-in. The pincho de tortilla runs 4 euros; the half-wheel for two is 12. Closed Sundays.
Panaderia Mision in Madrid's Conde Duque sells sourdough sandwiches at the counter, with daily fillings of jamon iberico, tortilla and salmorejo.
TrySourdough sandwich
TipWalk-in only at the counter. Sourdough sandwich runs 6 to 8 euros. The loaves sell out by 14:00; buy early.
La Tape on Calle San Bernardo in Madrid is the Spanish craft tap-house since 2015, with 16 rotating taps from Spanish breweries, a focused tapas carte.
TipClosed Sundays. Walk-in. Tasting paddle of 4 craft beers runs 10 euros; the tapas pizarra changes daily.
Mercado de Maravillas in Madrid's Tetuan district is the city's largest traditional municipal market with 200 stalls, an unmatched seafood section landed.
TipClosed Sundays. Most stalls break from 14:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and Saturday runs straight through to 15:00; the iberico counter Cantanal sells whole shoulders.
Mercado de Vallehermoso in Madrid's Chamberi is the 1933-built market hall renovated in 2019, with 50 stalls mixing the canonical fishmonger and butcher.
TipClosed Sundays. The Tripea ten-seat counter (book ahead) and the Peruvian cevicheria are the headline counters.
The Cooking Clubhouse in Madrid's Chamberi is the hands-on Spanish cuisine school with paella, tapas, regional Spanish and dessert workshops.
TipBookings via website. Drop-in classes from 65 euros; the full paella workshop (95 euros) includes a market walk.
Mision Cafe in Madrid's Conde Duque is the specialty third-wave room with a focused brunch carte; eggs benedict, avocado toast and smashed-egg plates.
OrderEggs benedict on house sourdough with cured Iberico
TipWalk-in only; the Sunday brunch fills up by 11:30. The brunch sets run 14 to 19 euros; cortado at 2.20.
Panaderia Mision in Madrid's Conde Duque is the bakery-and-brunch room by the Mision Cafe team since 2020, with house-baked sourdough toasts.
OrderHouse sourdough toast with Iberico jamon and tomato
TipWalk-in only. The sourdough-and-jamon toast plus cortado runs 10 euros; whole loaves to take home from 5 euros.
Specka on Avenida del General Peron in the Orense nightlife strip has run uninterruptedly since 1989, evolving from post-punk and EBM through trance into today's techno temple with weekly international bookings.
TipFriday and Saturday 23:59-06:00 only; Thursdays by appointment. Closer to the Orense club strip than to the centre; cab back is fastest after closing.
Sala Galileo Galilei on Calle de Galileo in Chamberi has run since 1985 in a former cinema with 500 capacity, programming nightly indie and Spanish-songwriter concerts plus comedy and magic.
TipConcerts nightly; check the calendar for the headliner. The Greek-temple decor and tight 500 capacity make it the most intimate of Madrid's mid-size rooms.
Honky Tonk on Calle de Covarrubias in Chamberi has booked rock, blues and rhythm-and-blues live every single night since 1987, with a downstairs concert hall and a pop-leaning upstairs DJ lounge.
TipLive concerts 365 days a year on the lower level; upstairs DJ pop lounge runs in parallel. Closed Sunday and Monday; weekdays 21:30-05:00.
Guided tour · 3h 30m
Enjoy incredible local tapas and a fun, informative, private or shared walking tour of Madrid’s historic city center. Discover how the city’s food and history go together.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Enjoy a delicious initiation to Spanish cuisine at the small, family-owned eateries Madrid locals know and love best.
4 hours
Get immersed in Spanish food culture with a hands-on cooking class led by local chefs. Choose between a paella class with a market visit in the morning or a tapas clas...
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