Viavelez near Nuevos Ministerios in Madrid is the modern Asturian by chef Paco Ron, with a refined take on fabada, bonito and the rice canon, in a clean Asturian-tiled dining room.
Signature dishes: Fabada asturiana, Bonito de Asturias, Arroz cremoso de bogavante
Must order: The fabada asturiana with compango and the arroz cremoso de bogavante. A bottle of Albarino from Rias Baixas.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead for weekend dinner. The tasting menu runs 65 euros weekdays; carte is 50 to 70 euros per head.
Address: Avenida del General Peron 10, 28020 Madrid
Los Galayos in Plaza Mayor in Madrid has cooked the Castilian roast lamb and the migas pastoriles since 1894, with a terrace under the arcades and wood-fired ovens in the basement.
Signature: Cordero asado, Migas pastoriles, Patatas bravas
Order: The cordero asado from the wood oven (1/4 lamb portion) and the migas pastoriles with grapes.
Tip: Book the inside dining room for cordero; the terrace is fine for tapas but the lamb needs the wood oven downstairs.
Casa Revuelta off Plaza Mayor in Madrid has fried the bacalao rebozado (battered cod) to standing-room counters since 1924. The bar pours cana and the tapas plates are 4 to 8 euros.
Signature: Bacalao rebozado, Callos a la madrilena, Croquetas
Order: Bacalao rebozado at the counter (5 euros per piece) with a cana. Add the callos in winter.
Tip: Walk-in only; the bar fills up after 13:00. Order at the counter; cash is the default though card now accepted.
Los Patos in Madrid has cooked Valencian paella and Catalan arroces in wide flat pans over a wood fire, with the duck a la naranja that gave the room its name as the headline dish since 1976.
Signature: Paella valenciana, Arroz negro, Pato a la naranja
Order: The paella valenciana (minimum two people, 35 euros per head) cooked to order and the pato a la naranja.
Tip: Paella cooked to order requires 35 to 40 minutes; order at the start of the meal. Book a week ahead for weekend lunch.
La Pescadora in Madrid's Salamanca district sources its seafood daily from Galicia, with the centollo, ostras and rape al horno running the carte since 1985, in the dining room behind the marble counter.
Signature: Rape al horno, Centollo, Ostras de Galicia
Order: A centollo (spider crab) from the live tank and the rape al horno with patatas a lo pobre.
Tip: Book five days ahead for weekend dinner. The marble counter seats six; the inside dining room is the formal one.
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 at the front of the room, then finished in the oven.
Signature: Chuleton de ternera, Cochinillo, Callos
Order: The chuleton de ternera for two (450g per person, 28 euros per head) and the callos in winter.
Tip: Walk-in only at lunch; reservation taken for dinner. The downstairs dining room is the wood-panelled original.
Casa Dani inside Mercado de la Paz in Madrid's Salamanca has cooked the tortilla de patatas (sliced thick, runny in the centre) for 40 years; locals call it Madrid's best slice of egg-and-potato.
Signature: Tortilla de patatas, Croquetas, Menu del dia
Order: The pincho de tortilla de patatas (2 euros) and the menu del dia (13 euros weekdays).
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 13:30 or expect a queue. Cash preferred at the bar; card accepted in the dining room.
