34 editor picks in Madrid.
34 spanish places in Madrid we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Madrid | Spanish across every city.
This is Madrid's core: the tabernas, casas de comidas and grand old restaurants that define how the city eats. Sobrino de Botin near the Plaza Mayor and Lhardy on the Carrera de San Jeronimo are the historic anchors, with Casa Paco and Posada de la Villa carrying the la-latina roasting tradition and Malacatin serving the cocido madrileno. At the modern end, Sala de Despiece in Chamberi and Sacha keep reinventing the form.
Sobrino de Botin near Plaza Mayor in Madrid is the Guinness-certified oldest restaurant in the world, in business since 1725. Located in Centro.
OrderThe cochinillo asado roasted in the 1725 wood oven, then sopa de ajo with poached egg.
TipBook the cave dining room downstairs three weeks ahead. Lunch is calmer than dinner; the 14:00 service is the working-day local hour.
Lhardy on Carrera de San Jeronimo in Madrid has run the wood-panelled dining rooms above its Parisian-style charcuterie counter since 1839, serving.
OrderThe three-volcado cocido madrileno on a Tuesday or Thursday.
TipThe downstairs counter pours consome from the silver urn for 4 euros standing up; the cocido is upstairs by reservation.
Taberna La Bola near the Teatro Real in Madrid has cooked the cocido madrileno in individual clay pots over charcoal since 1870. Located in Centro.
OrderThe cocido madrileno served the three traditional volcados.
TipCocido served at lunch only; book three days ahead for weekday lunch. Cash strongly preferred. No card terminal until late 2024.
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.
El Sur in Madrid's Lavapies has cooked the steak tartare table-side, the croquetas and the pulpo a la gallega since the 1980s. Priced at €€.
OrderThe steak tartare prepared on the trolley and the pulpo a la gallega. A bottle of Mencia.
TipBook a week ahead for weekend dinners; tables of four are easier than two. Lunch menu del dia runs 18 euros weekdays.
Malacatin off Plaza de la Cebada in Madrid's La Latina has cooked the cocido madrileno in clay pots since 1895. Kitchen leans cocido madrileno specialist.
OrderThe cocido madrileno on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday lunch. A jug of Vino de Pitarra at room temperature.
TipCocido served at lunch only, three days a week. Book five days ahead; cash strongly preferred at the bar.
Casa Mingo on Paseo de la Florida in Madrid is the Asturian sidreria since 1888, serving roast chicken and natural cider poured from height.
OrderA whole roast chicken (12 euros) and a bottle of sidra natural poured from arm's length.
TipWalk-in only; arrive before 13:30 or after 22:00 to skip the queue. Pollo and a bottle of sidra for 18 euros per person.
Posada de la Villa on Cava Baja in Madrid's La Latina has roasted Castilian cordero in a wood-fired oven since 1642, with the cocido madrileno and callos.
OrderThe cordero asado roasted in the wood oven and the cocido madrileno (three vuelcos).
TipBook a week ahead for weekend lunch. Cordero orders must be placed when reserving; the lamb is roasted to order.
Viavelez near Nuevos Ministerios in Madrid is the modern Asturian founded by chef Paco Ron, now led by Enrique Limon since 2023, with a refined take.
OrderThe fabada asturiana with compango and the arroz cremoso de bogavante. A bottle of Albarino from Rias Baixas.
TipBook a fortnight ahead for weekend dinner. The tasting menu runs 65 euros weekdays; carte is 50 to 70 euros per head.
El Pescador on Ortega y Gasset in Madrid's Salamanca has sourced Galician seafood from Pescaderias Coruñesas since 1975, with the live-tank centollo.
OrderA centollo (spider crab) from the live tank and the pulpo a la gallega. A glass of Albarino from Rias Baixas.
TipBook five days ahead for weekend dinner. The bar opens 12:30 onward and is the easier door at lunch; the dining room is closed Sundays.
Casa Paco off Plaza Puerta Cerrada in Madrid's La Latina is the 1933 asador that pioneered the cast-iron skillet chuleton service: meat is sealed.
OrderThe chuleton de ternera for two (450g per person, 28 euros per head) and the callos in winter.
TipWalk-in only at lunch; reservation taken for dinner. The downstairs dining room is the wood-panelled original.
Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles on Plaza Cascorro in Madrid's Lavapies has cooked the caracoles (snails in spicy chorizo broth) for a Sunday rastro crowd.
OrderA racion of caracoles a la madrilena (12 euros) eaten with bread, and a glass of vermut.
TipWalk-in only Sundays during the rastro market; very busy after 12:00. Closed Mondays. Cash preferred at the bar.
Bar La Ideal off Plaza Mayor in Madrid is one of the bocadillo de calamares counters that built the local lunch tradition, with battered squid rings.
OrderBocadillo de calamares (5.50 euros) with a slice of lemon and a cana. Order at the counter to save time.
TipWalk-in only; the bar gets busy at 13:00. Cash strongly preferred at the bar; the dining room takes card.
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.
El Pescador on Calle Jose Ortega y Gasset in Madrid's Salamanca has cooked Galician seafood since 1976, with a live tank of shellfish and the rape (monkfish).
OrderPulpo a la gallega (24 euros), almejas a la marinera and a half-bottle of Albarino from Rias Baixas.
TipBook five days ahead for weekend dinner. The marble counter seats 8; the dining room is wood-panelled and formal.
Saddle in Madrid's Almagro district is the modern grand-bistro by chef Adolfo Santos, the 2018 Michelin-starred room with a tortilla cart, French-Spanish.
OrderThe truffle tortilla finished table-side from the silver cart.
TipClosed Sunday; bookings via website or directly. The truffle tortilla supplement runs 28 euros and is worth the spend.
Alabaster in Madrid's Retiro is Inaki Bretal's one-Michelin-star Galician seafood room, with daily-changing fish landed in the Bretal family's Pontevedra.
OrderThe tasting (€95) with the seafood that lands that morning.
TipClosed Sunday; ask for the corner table near the window. The owner-chef circulates between courses to talk fish.
Ramon Freixa Atelier on Calle de Velazquez 24 in Madrid's Salamanca is the Catalan chef's new ten-seat counter (opened July 2025, awarded 2 Michelin stars.
OrderThe Atelier tasting menu (225 euros).
TipBook four weeks ahead; Wed-Sat dinner only, ten seats per service. The companion Tradicion room next door does the day-and-evening carte.
El Invernadero on Calle Ponzano in Madrid is Rodrigo de la Calle's one-Michelin-star vegetable-only room, the canonical Spanish gastrobotanica tasting.
OrderChoose the 9 or 14-course vegetable-only tasting.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. The chef's table by the open kitchen seats 4 and is the seat to ask for when booking.
Lhardy on Carrera de San Jeronimo in Madrid has poured consome from a silver urn at its downstairs counter since 1839; the post-theatre crowd still drops.
OrderConsome from the silver urn
TipWalk-in only at the downstairs counter. Consome runs 4 euros, eaten standing. Upstairs dining room closes 23:00.
Casa Mingo on Paseo de la Florida in Madrid is the 1888 Asturian sidreria pouring house cider with roast chicken until midnight, every day of the week.
OrderRoast chicken plus sidra
TipWalk-in only. The 22:00-24:00 slot is the calmest; whole roast chicken 12 euros, bottle of sidra 6.
Casa Macareno is a Lavapies counter taberna with 90 percent locals; croquetas, callos and a cana run under 12 euros. Closed Mondays, cash preferred.
TipWalk-in only. Closed Mondays. Cash preferred. Croquetas, callos and a cana for under 12 euros at the counter.
Bar Trafalgar in Chamberi serves the citys reference Madrid tortilla, sliced thick and runny at 13:00 sharp; a second batch comes out at 14:30 daily.
TipClosed Sundays. Tortilla at 13:00; the second batch comes out at 14:30. The slice runs 6 euros at the counter.
Tres por Cuatro is a small 24-cover Chamberi taberna behind an unmarked door; tortilla de bacalao and a daily market pizarra anchor the local carte.
TipBook five days ahead for weekend lunch. Closed Sundays. The tortilla de bacalao and the daily fish are the headlines.
Casa Pepe de la Plaza is a Plaza Cebada working taberna with a 1956 zinc bar; callos a la madrilena in clay pots and vermut de grifo at 3 euros.
TipWalk-in. Cash preferred. Closed Wednesdays. The callos a la madrilena and the vermut de grifo are the working-day order.
Casa Salvador, a 1941 Chueca taberna off Gran Via, slow-cooks rabo de toro for four hours; the dining room is hung with bullfighting prints.
TipBook ahead for weekend lunch. The rabo de toro (22 euros) and the merluza rebozada are the headline plates; closed Sundays.
Taberna La Chata on Cava Baja keeps a green-tiled facade and a back dining room; vermut de grifo 3 euros and rabo de toro 18 since the 1980s.
TipWalk-in for the bar; the back dining room takes reservations. Vermut de grifo 3 euros; rabo de toro 18.
Casa Ricardo is a 1947 Chueca taberna with original tile walls; callos at 9 euros, patatas bravas at 5, cana at 2.50. Closed Tuesdays, cash preferred.
TipWalk-in. Cash preferred. Closed Tuesdays. Callos 9 euros, bravas 5, cana 2.50.
Garelos is a Centro Galician taberna serving pulpo a la gallega cooked over copper pots; Albarino by the bottle, lacon con grelos in season here.
TipWalk-in or book. Closed Sundays. Pulpo a la gallega 18 euros; bottle of Albarino 18 to 25 is the canonical pair.
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.
OrderPollo asado + sidra
TipWalk-in only. Roast chicken 12 euros plus 6 euro bottle of sidra; arrive before 13:30 or after 22:00 to avoid the 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. Booking recommended.
OrderMenu del dia weekday lunch
TipBook 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.
OrderCaracoles a la madrilena
TipWalk-in only Sundays during the rastro market. Cash preferred. Closed Mondays. Sundays 12:00-16:00 is the local hour.
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...
