Spanish cuisine is up there with some of the best in the world, and below you will find some great spots all across the city that will give you the best traditional experience!
A real traditional Spanish restaurant with a great vibe and good food. Great brunch spot during the weekends. We recommend just going to the bar rather than the restaurant so you can take in the atmosphere. Reservations are not required for the bar.
Arguably our favourite restaurant in Madrid. Fantastic Spanish food in a lively and fun bar setting. A few years ago one of Marta's best friends introduced her to this gem, and it has become a firm favourite ever since. Try the "Milhojas de ventresca" or "Arroz meloso con pulpo y calamar" or the "coquinas"...Super Rico! We highly recommend booking in the bar rather than the restaurant!
Right in the heart of Madrid, Casa is a stop in time. The street where it is located, the Cava Baja, is one of the oldest in Madrid! Food is incredible!
Great traditional Spanish food available at a few locations across Madrid. A real safe bet if you want a great Spanish experience. Make sure you do not miss the Ensaladlla Rusa, Croquetas or Pincho de Tartar de Atún. In general the seafood and meat are great as well!
One for the experiential foodies! SDD offers incredible exotic small dishes that are prepared right in front of you.
A traditional Spanish restaurant cooking fantastic food from the north of Spain. Located in one of the most exclusive streets of Madrid, you will be able to enjoy amazing traditional dishes from Cantabria.
You can't really go wrong with the classics here. Really great food and atmosphere. We definitely recommend booking if you want to go to the restaurant, however the bar caters for walk ins.
La Ardosa is highly regarded as having the best Tortilla in Madrid. It is a great little spot to drop in for a "Pincho de Tortilla" and a beer or glass of wine. You cannot reserve and it tends to get busy so you may need to wait or be lucky on arrival.
A Basque restaurant in the middle of Madrid that offers great Pintxos and excellent wine. We recommend going for lunch rather than dinner.
A food market that offers lots of different types of foods. There is something here for everyone, however our "go to" was always the oyster and champagne bar.
We acknowledge that not everyone may want Spanish Food, so the below offers a few alternate cuisines in small chains that are easily accessible across the city (or if you feel hungover after the wedding!)
Easy restaurant that incorporates several cuisines in a few locations. The food and ambience are great. Reservations highly recommended.
Authentic Italian pizza restaurants that also offer Gluten free options. Really good pizzas and sides....make sure to have the Burrata and Vitello Tonnato as well as a pizza!
Great sushi spot with fantastic atmosphere. They have a couple of locations across Madrid.
Great innovative burgers restaurants. Make sure you are hungry if you are heading her. We recommend the Kevin Bacon Burger! They have a few locations across the city.
A more "traditional" burger restaurant than Goiko, but still really good. A few locations across Madrid as well.
A general all round sort of diner that works for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A safe bet if you are just looking for an easy not fancy option...or nursing a hangover.
You would have already read across this website that Madrid is a very social city, full of vibrant people and bars. Below we have included a few bars that we personally love and we would love for you to enjoy the traditional bar scene as much as we do. If you are looking for specific neighborhoods to head for a great night and where you can just hop from one bar to another, we recommend Ponzano, Malasana or Cava Baja (La Latina). Below are a few examples of bars we like, however if you head to these areas you can't really go wrong, just grab yourself a seat on a terrace and a Copa de Vino or Un Doble!
Traditional bar with beer served the "traditional way". Small and bustling with locals, it is one of our favorites!
Fun place to go for tapas and drinks. Later on in the night they will play some music and also have a club downstairs for dancing long into the night.
We also recommended it on the restaurant section. We simply love it, it´s located really close to where we used to live. You cannot miss the "ensaladilla rusa", "croquetas", "jamón con pan con tomate" or "pincho de tartar de atún". If you are into the seafood and you would like to get your hands dirty, this is definitely a great spot as well.
Small wine bar with great wine selection. They also serve cheese and charcuterie. It´s a more intimate space, so not recommended for big groups as it would be harder for you to get in.
Hands down one of our favourite cocktail bars where we have created so many memories together as well as with friends. The Dash is located in Plaza de Olavide, a very popular spot full of bars and terraces where the Madrileños love to hang out any time of the year! Marta´s favourite: Whisky Sour with Maker´s Mark.
More than a cocktail bar. Super cool spot! A few years ago it was ranked one of the 50 best cocktail bars across the world. Amazing place, super recommended!
Fantastic small two floor bar. Classic on Madrid’s cocktail scene.
The best rooftop bar in Madrid with the most incredible views. We highly recommend heading their for sunset but it can get busy so best to plan ahead!
Another great rooftop located near Plaza De Espana.
Great little music bar between Malasana and Alonso Martinez. Expect people dancing on the tables and the bar to live music!
Fantastic music bar that has live bands each night. You will be guaranteed a great night here and can dance the night away until the early hours. Bobby's Tip: Watch out for the shots of "ThunderBi*ch".....they'll get ya!