Eat well in Madrid for under €15 a plate: the locals'-budget edition.
Eat well in Madrid for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Casa Labra near Puerta del Sol in Madrid fries the bacalao rebozado at its 1860-founded counter, with the pincho de bacalao still under 2 euros, a cana for 2.50 and the standing-room bar a working-day local.
Try: Pincho de bacalao
Tip: Walk-in only at the counter. Cash preferred. Bacalao plus cana under 4 euros; the dining room runs more expensive.
Casa Camacho in Madrid's Malasana has run the 1928 working-class taberna since its founding, with yayo cocktails for 3 euros, tortilla pincho 3 and a complete cheap lunch under 9 euros at standing-room.
Try: Yayo cocktail and tortilla
Tip: Cash only. Closed Sundays. Walk-in only at the standing-room bar. Whole meal under 9 euros each.
Bar La Ideal off Plaza Mayor in Madrid is the bocadillo de calamares counter where a full bocadillo, cana and a slice of lemon runs under 8 euros, defining the Madrileno cheap working-day lunch since 1955.
Try: Bocadillo de calamares + cana
Tip: Walk-in only at the counter. Bocadillo 5.50 euros, cana 2.50; cash preferred at the bar.
Casa Dani in Mercado de la Paz in Madrid has cooked the city's most-talked-about tortilla de patatas for 40 years; the pincho runs 2 euros and the menu del dia stays at 13 euros for three courses.
Try: Pincho de tortilla, menu del dia
Tip: Walk-in only. Closed Sundays. The pincho de tortilla at 2 euros is the cheapest tortilla in Madrid; menu del dia under 13.
Casa Mingo on Paseo de la Florida in Madrid is the 1888 Asturian sidreria where a whole roast chicken and a bottle of natural cider feeds two people for 18 euros, with no service charge.
Try: Pollo asado + sidra
Tip: Walk-in only. Roast chicken 12 euros plus 6 euro bottle of sidra; arrive before 13:30 or after 22:00 to avoid the queue.
Casa Toni near Sol in Madrid serves the offal canon at counter prices: oreja a la plancha 6 euros, callos 8, cana 2.50; the whole working-day lunch runs under 10 euros at the standing-room bar.
Try: Callos, oreja, cana
Tip: Cash only. Walk-in only at the standing-room bar. Closed Wednesdays. The bar is full by 13:00.
Casa Revuelta off Plaza Mayor in Madrid has fried the bacalao rebozado at the counter since 1924, with the pincho at 5 euros, cana 2.50, the whole working-day lunch under 7 euros at the standing-room bar.
Try: Bacalao rebozado por unidad
Tip: Walk-in only at the counter. Cash preferred. Closed Mondays. Cod sells out by 15:30 on weekends.
El Tigre in Madrid's Chueca pours large jarras of cana with free heaped plates of bravas, croquetas, oreja and jamon at the standing-room counter, every drink coming with a full free plate of tapas.
Try: Free tapas with jarra
Tip: Cash only. Walk-in only at the bar; no table service. A jarra of cana for 5 euros gets a full free plate of tapas.
El Rey de Gallinejas in Madrid's Embajadores quarter serves the offal cheap-eat canon (fried lamb intestine and lamb-belly fat) at 6 to 8 euros per racion, the working-quarter Madrileno lunch since 1947.
Try: Gallinejas y entresijos
Tip: Walk-in only. Cash preferred. Closed Mondays. The racion of gallinejas with patatas runs 10 euros under all conditions.
Chocolateria San Gines off Calle Mayor in Madrid has fried the churros con chocolate since 1894; a set of 6 churros and a thick chocolate cup runs 4.30 euros, the cheapest 24-hour breakfast in the centre.
Try: Churros con chocolate
Tip: Walk-in only. Open 24 hours daily. Cash and card. The 03:00 to 05:00 post-club slot has the fastest queue.
La Castela near El Retiro in Madrid runs the working-day menu del dia at 18 euros: three courses with bread, water and a glass of wine, with the daily-changing pizarra carte for the regulars.
Try: Menu del dia weekday lunch
Tip: Book two days ahead for weekday lunch. The bar serves the same pizarra menu standing for half the dining room price.
Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles on Plaza Cascorro in Madrid's Lavapies has cooked the caracoles in spicy chorizo broth since 1942; a racion serves two for 12 euros, eaten with bread at the standing-room bar.
Try: Caracoles a la madrilena
Tip: Walk-in only Sundays during the rastro market. Cash preferred. Closed Mondays. Sundays 12:00 to 16:00 is the local hour.
Peak food season in Madrid is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Madrid rewards trust.