Street food€centroDaily 10:00-24:00
Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid serves the gilda tapa (anchovy, olive and guindilla pepper on a stick) at 12 different counters, the Basque-origin pintxo.
Try: Gilda tapas
Tip: Gilda tapas run 2 to 3 euros each at every counter; pair with a glass of Txakoli from Casa Real Andaluza.
Street food€centroDaily 11:00-15:30 and 18:00-23:00
Casa Labra near Puerta del Sol in Madrid has fried the bacalao rebozado (salt cod in light batter) at its counter since 1860. Located in Centro.
Try: Bacalao rebozado
Tip: Walk-in only at the counter. Pincho de bacalao (1.30 euros) and a cana. Cash strongly preferred.
Street food€centroTue-Sun 11:00-16:00 and 19:30-23:00
Casa Revuelta off Plaza Mayor in Madrid has fried the bacalao rebozado in iron pans since 1924. Located in Centro. Open tue-sun 11:00-16:00 and 19:30-23:00.
Try: Bacalao rebozado
Tip: Walk-in only at the counter. Closed Mondays. Cash preferred. The cana doble runs 3 euros next to the cod.
Street food€chamberiMon-Sat 12:00-16:30 and 19:30-23:30
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.
Try: Tortilla de patatas
Tip: Walk-in. The pincho de tortilla runs 4 euros; the half-wheel for two is 12. Closed Sundays.
Street food€lavapiesTue-Sun 12:00-16:00
Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles on Plaza Cascorro in Madrid's Lavapies has cooked the caracoles (snails in spicy chorizo broth) for the Sunday rastro crowd.
Try: Caracoles a la madrilena
Tip: Walk-in only. Closed Mondays. Cash preferred. Racion of caracoles (12 euros) with bread; Sunday rastro hours are busiest.
Street food€centroDaily 11:30-16:00 and 19:30-24:00Cash only
Casa Toni near Sol in Madrid is the offal-counter taberna for oreja a la plancha (grilled pig's ear, crispy and tender), with the offal canon (callos.
Try: Oreja a la plancha
Tip: Cash only. Walk-in only at the standing-room bar. The oreja a la plancha (6 euros) is the headline; vermut beforehand.