Restaurants and Bars

Good food and drink are central to life in Madrid, and there's no shortage of either anywhere in the city. The bars are full of people having tapas along with a drink. Two of the most popular tapas are boquerones en vinagre (marinated anchovies) and empanadas (pastry filled with tuna and tomato or quite possibly anything). Or you might find people sharing raciones (larger versions of tapas) such as plates of chorizo (sausage), jamón serrano (cured ham), tortilla de patata (potato omelette), and champiñones con ajos y jamón (mushrooms with garlic and ham). Bars usually have both tapas and raciones menus to choose from.

Tapas have an interesting history dating back to the 13th Century when stagecoach drivers used to stop off in taverns to take a break and have a glass of wine after an exhausting journey transporting merchandise. They would get so drunk and become such a menace on the "highways" that the government introduced a law forcing them to eat something while they drank. They would usually be given a piece of bread and ham placed on top of their glass or jar of alcohol. These tapas (tops or lids) became a sensible and healthy custom that continues today.

Spaniards in general, and the people of Madrid in particular, are proud not to be bound by the rigid timetables that other nationalities follow. They're happy to sit down to a three-course lunch with wine and coffee at three o'clock in the afternoon before returning to work. Many foreigners see it as "wasting" two whole hours when they could be working, and they wonder how anyone could eat and drink so much and then continue to do any constructive work. Visitors are also often surprised, and a little alarmed, at the sight of everyone in the bar throwing used toothpicks, rolled-up napkins, cigarette ends, peanut shells and prawn heads onto the floor. No Spaniard will be offended at seeing a bar full of rubbish, but that custom, like hanging a leg of ham from the ceiling to slice jamón iberico from, sometimes has a profound impact - and not a very pleasant one - on the visitor.

Huertas & Santa Ana

The area around Plaza de Santa Ana is a popular place to tapear (have tapas in more than one place). The Cervecería Alemana is located here and it's usually full of tourists. La Dolores is at the end of Calle Huertas just before it joins the Paseo del Prado and offers a great range of delicious tapas. There are similar bars on the same street that are just as good, such as Naturbier, a great micro-brewery not to be missed. Also in Huertas is Las Bravas, one of the best places in the world for patatas bravas (fried chunks of potatoes in a delicious, spicy, secret-recipe sauce), a specialty that no one outside Madrid seems to do properly.

La Latina & Lavapies

The Plaza de la Cebada has lots of good tapas bars, as well, such as El Almendro. Plaza de Alonso Martínez and Calle Conde Duque are both recommended for a tapas crawl. The best callos is served in Botillería Maxi on Calle Cava Alta and the best wines to accompany it are reds from the Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions, although wines from the Madrid area are becoming increasingly popular. Other popular dishes include: caracoles (snails), tortilla de patata and sopa de ajo (garlic soup). Fish is brought fresh to the capital from the coast daily.

Plaza Mayor, Ópera & Sol

After you've toured a few bars and tried their tapas, it's time for lunch or dinner. You'll find the best local dishes in La Bola Taberna and Botín near the Plaza Mayor. The Madrid specialty is cocido madrileño, a stew with noodles, chickpeas, meat, and vegetables. It's perfect for a cold winter afternoon. Another Madrid favorite is callos madrileños, tripe with chickpeas, chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), and bacon fat in a slightly spicy sauce. You'll love it or hate it.

Castellana

The Castellana district is best in summertime when the tree-lined avenues are crowded with outdoor terrazas (sidewalk cafes) that remain busy until very late with trendy, well-dressed young professionals. Some of Madrid's oldest literary cafes like the Cafe Gijón are here, and you can still see tertulias (discussion groups) taking place today.

Salamanca

Quality foreign restaurants in Madrid can be somewhat of a hard thing to find. The Italian, Argentine, Mexican, and American restaurants are acceptable, but the Chinese are not very good (except for Tse Yang, which is excellent but prohibitively expensive for most), and there are few affordable "exotic" restaurants.