Spanish restaurants in Madrid
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Casa Julio
A city-wide poll for the best croquetas (croquettes) in Madrid would see half of those polled voting for Casa Julio and the remainder not doing so only because they haven’t been yet. They’re that good that celebrities and mere mortals from all over Madrid come here to sit alongside crusty old locals and sample the traditional jamón (ham) variety or more creative versions such as spinach with raisins and gorgonzola.
reviewed
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Este O Este
Este o Este balances a largely Spanish menu with Moroccan touches, such as the Sunday couscous special (€15).
reviewed
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Conache
With Asian and African decoration, creative Mediterranean cooking and a noisy Spanish clientele, Conache is a hub of barrio life and is as good for breakfast as for dinner. The food is outstanding; the salmorejo is among the best we’ve tasted this far from Córdoba. It's difficult to snaffle a table on the outdoor terrace but worth the wait.
reviewed
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Kitchen Stories
Cafe, restaurant and food store in one, Kitchen Stories, at the foot of the Arco de Cuchilleros stairs, is a refreshing break from the often classical cooking in the area, with a bright modern space and Spanish flavours blended with international tastes, with everything from Thai vegetable curry to roast beef.
reviewed
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El Pedrusco
If you haven’t time to visit one of the asadores (restaurants specialising in roasted meats) of Segovia, head to this fine restaurant where the cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and ¼ lechazo (quarter roast lamb) are succulent and as good as any in Madrid. It’s the sort of place where a salad is a must to counterbalance all that meat and you’ll be delighted to see a vegetable.
reviewed
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La Buga del Lobo
La Buga del Lobo has been one of the ‘in’ places in cool and gritty Lavapiés for years now and it’s still hard to get a table. The atmosphere is Bohemian and inclusive, with funky, swirling murals, contemporary art exhibitions and jazz or lounge music. The food’s traditional with a few creative detours, with meat and fish dishes for mains and croquetas (croquettes), cheeses or salads for entrées, but it’s best known for its groovy vibe at any time of day or night.
reviewed
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La Favorita
Set in a delightful old mansion and famous for its opera arias throughout the night sung by professional opera singers masquerading as waiters, La Favorita has an ambience all of its own. The outdoor garden courtyard is delightful on a summer’s evening, while the music and food (which leans towards the cuisine of the northeastern Spanish region of Navarra) are top drawer.
reviewed
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La Finca de Susana
It’s difficult to find a better combination of price, quality cooking and classy atmosphere anywhere in Huertas. The softly lit dining area is bathed in greenery and the sometimes innovative, sometimes traditional food draws a hip young crowd. The duck confit with plums, turnips and couscous is a fine choice. No reservations.
reviewed
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El Brillante
Just by the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, this breezy, no-frills bar-eatery is a Madrid institution for its bocadillos (filled rolls) – the bocadillo de calamares is an old favourite – and no-nonsense raciones (large tapas servings). It’s also famous for chocolate con churros or porras (chocolate with deep-fried doughnuts) in the wee hours after a hard night on the tiles. There’s another branch in Chamberí.
reviewed
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El Original
With the best products and signature dishes from most Spanish regions, El Original turns out well-priced cooking and instead of messing with some of Spain’s favourite dishes, they’ve gone for creativity in the decor – trees grow throughout the dining area and the decoration is pleasingly contemporary. Dishes include the suquet de pescado y marisco con patatas nuevas (fish and shellfish stew with new potatoes).
reviewed
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Casa Ricardo
This brilliant little 1930s-era taberna (tavern) is tucked away in residential Argüelles. Its speciality is callos (tripe) but there’s plenty more. Like any old Spanish bar worth its salt, it’s cramped, adorned with bullfighting photos and is aimed at aficionados rather than tourists.
reviewed
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Como Me Lo Como
Traditional Spanish dishes given the odd international twist to suit 21st-century palates and excellent value for money are the hallmarks of this trendy place down Malasaña’s lower end. Portions are generous and the friendly service is another winner, as is the three-course evening menu for €16.90.
reviewed
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El Placer del Espíritu Santo
Surrounded by retro clothing shops, El Placer del Espíritu Santo is a sanctuary in the heart of hard-living Malasaña with food ‘for body and soul’ and a clean-lined dining area in which to enjoy it. The rice dishes stand out, as does the carpaccio de pulpo (octopus carpaccio; €10.50).
reviewed
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La Gloria de Montera
From the same stable as La Finca de Susana, La Gloria de Montera combines classy decor with eminently reasonable prices. It’s not that the food is especially creative, but rather the tastes are fresh and the surroundings sophisticated. You’ll get a good initiation into Spanish cooking without paying over the odds. It doesn’t take reservations, so turn up early or be prepared to wait.
reviewed
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Casa Lucio
Lucio has been wowing madrileños (people from Madrid) with his light touch, quality ingredients and home-style local cooking for ages – think roasted meats and, a Lucio speciality, eggs in abundance. There’s also rabo de toro (bull’s tail) during the Fiestas de San Isidro Labrador and plenty of rioja (red wine) to wash away the mere thought of it. The lunchtime guisos del día (stews of the day), including cocido (meat and chickpea stew) on Wednesdays, are also popular. Casa Lucio draws an august, always well-dressed crowd, which has included the king of Spain, former US president Bill Clinton and Penélope Cruz.
reviewed
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Club 31
An old Madrid classic, Club 31 has a vaguely contemporary design with long black seats, leaning wall mirrors and bright white designer lamps hanging from the ceiling, but the cuisine is classic. The accent is on fish and venison, with the occasional modern touch (such as the lobster soufflé). Last time we ate here, royalty was at the next table.
reviewed
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Le Café
It can be almost impossible to get a table here at lunchtime on weekdays, when locals stream in from surrounding offices. The atmosphere is bright and informal and the food is largely traditional Spanish fare (rice dishes are a recurring theme), which is done well; we enjoyed the beef tenderloin hamburger with peanut cream and garlic sprouts.
reviewed
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Museo del Jamón
Famous for having appeared in Pedro Almodóvar’s 1997 film Carne Trémula (Live Flesh), and equally beloved by first-time visitors to Spain for the sight of hundreds of hams hanging from the ceiling, Museo del Jamón is definitely a local landmark. Prices for a ración/bocadillo (large tapas serving/filled roll) start at €2.50/1.50 and can go much higher depending on the quality of the jamón.
reviewed
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Puerta 57
There are many reasons to recommend this place, but the greatest novelty lies in its location – inside the home stadium of Real Madrid; its Salón Madrid (one of a number of dining rooms) looks out over the playing field. Needless to say, you’ll need to book a long time in advance for a meal during a game. The cuisine is traditional Spanish with an emphasis on seafood and it gets rave reviews from its predominantly business clientele.
reviewed
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Las Tortillas de Gabino
It’s a brave Spanish chef that fiddles with the iconic tortilla de patatas (potato and onion omelette), but the results here are delicious – such as tortilla with octopus, and with all manner of surprising combinations. This place also gets rave reviews for its croquetas. The service is excellent and the bright yet classy dining area adds to the sense of a most agreeable eating experience. Reservations are highly recommended.
reviewed
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La Galette
This lovely little restaurant combines an intimate dining area with checked tablecloths and cuisine that the owner describes as ‘baroque vegetarian’. The food (both veg and non-veg) is a revelation, blending creative flavours with a strong base in traditional home cooking. The croquetas de manzana (apple croquettes) are a house speciality, but the truth is that everything on the extensive menu is good. The only problem here is that the tables are so close together you get the feeling that diners need to breathe in and out at the same time for everyone to fit.
reviewed
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Costa Blanca Arrocería
Even if you don’t have plans to be in Chamberí, it’s worth a trip across town to this casual bar-restaurant that offers outstanding rice dishes, including paella. The quality is high and prices are among the cheapest in town. Start with almejas a la marinera (baby clams) and follow it up with paella de marisco (seafood paella) for the full experience. As always in such places, you’ll need two to make up an order.
reviewed
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Taberna del Alabardero
This fine old Madrid taberna (tavern) is famous for its croquettes, fine jamón (ham), montaditos de jamón (small rolls of cured ham) and montaditos de bonito (small rolls of cured tuna) in the bar, while out the back the more classic cuisine includes rabo de toro estofado (bull’s tail, served with honey, cinnamon, mashed potato and pastry with herbs; €20.10). Prices aren’t cheap, but Madrid’s notoriously fussy diners generally accept that it’s worth it. Their sister restaurant around the corner in Plaza de Oriente, La Mar del Alabardero, is renowned for its high-quality seafood and rice dishes.
reviewed
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Salvador
This old Hemingway favourite is typical of many Madrid classics – walking past, you wouldn’t give it a second look. Since 1941, locals have been coming to the ‘Saviour’ for lashings of hearty Madrid cooking, and among them are plenty of bullfighting aficionados and toreros (bullfighters, or matadors), especially during the Fiestas de San Isidro Labrador. Ordering a plate of rabo de toro is a way to win friends, while the remainder is simple, no-nonsense fare.
reviewed
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Sua
Sua is the height of softly lit sophistication and cooking that provides a new slant on nouvelle cuisine. Dishes are organised around four temperatures – 25°C, 50°C, 75°C and -2°C (desserts) – and it draws its inspiration from the Basque Country, Spain’s hothouse for culinary innovation. The service is faultless and adept at helping you negotiate your way through the menu, but we suggest the €36 menú de degustación (tasting menu) , which gradually increases the temperature.
reviewed