Good food in Madrid
 

I'm a student on a budget and I'm looking for good places for lunch while I'm here. I'm looking for places that will run me less than 10 euro including drink, but I'm open to spending a little more if its good food. Thanks!

Are you at Complutense? When my daughter was a student (2006) I think she usually ate lunch (menu del dia) on or near campus for about that price.

under 10E for one person shouldn't be hard at most tapas bars. I copied this from my trip report in May 2007, prices may have changed.All the prices I listed were for 2 people.


Larrizan-Basque style pinxtos which were delicious. Menu del Dia included drink, 4 pinxtos and an entree for 9.50E and was far too much for one of us to eat. After this we decided just to share several tapas.

Casa Camu- casual modern tapas near Plaza Santa Ana.2 sangria, 1 saltienes ( egg potato dish) and 1 tosta with lobster totaled 13 E

Vinoteca Barbarecha- we ate here twice, great service and food. The tortilla and croquettes were my favorite. 2 glasses of wine and 4 tapas totaled 15 E.

Cervezeria Alemana- Plaza de Santa Ana. This one is in all the guide books and for good reason. Nice view of the plaza and good albondigas. 2 glasses of Sangria, 1 chorizo bocadillo and albondigas totaled 12 E.

also lots of good African/Greek take out(or casual eat in) places for 5-7 E

I talked to my daughter and she said each facultad (department) on campus had a cafeteria and you could get the menu del dia for about 5E. There were other places off campus for about 8-10E.

Where you will be attending classes (i.e., Ciudad Universitaria or Alcalá de Henares) will definitely make a difference. My strategy would be to 'scout out' the area; look for Tabernas with chalkboards advertising 'Menu del Dia,' which usually includes a drink & Postré.
Try to find out where some of the other students go for midday meal.

It's usually available from around 13:00 to 15:30. Get there around 3:00 PM and the portions get bigger. When I was studying there I alternated among 2 or 3 places.

I'm actually not studying through one of the universities here but through a private program. Our school is actually near Retiro Park and my home stay is in the Gran Via/Plaza de Espana area so its a bit more expensive. The advice so far has been really helpful though; any more will definitely be appreciated.

GreeenRose,
Here are a few places downtown offering a cheap menú del día, in or around 10 euros, or a bit more, taken from my Madrid guide:

El Txoko-3 courses WITH wine, unbeatable!!! Go early!
in the Basque Cultural Center, on Jovellanos, across from Teatro de la Zarzuela

Isla del Tesoro-daily lunch menus (Mon-Fri) for 10-vegetarian, where we're headed Tues.
Manuel Malasaña 3
www.isladeltesoro.net

Terra Mundi
Lope de Vega 32

Maceiras
Huertas 66

Café Central
Plaza del Angel, across from ME hotel

Ginger
Plaza del Angel

La Finca de Susana
Arlabán 4

Gloria de Montera
Caballero de Gracia 10

(the 3 above belong to the same chain, along with Bazaar in Chueca)

Casa Patas
Cañizares 10

Pinocchio Bel Canto
across from Reina Sofía Museum

El Armario
San Bartolomé 7, corner of San Marcos

back room of González delicatessen
León 12

El Original
Infantas 44

Dómine Cabra
Huertas 44

Hope this helps.

Almost forgot Casa Mingo, on Paseo de la Florida (metro: Príncipe Pío), the cheap, bustling and atmospheric Asturian tavern-cider house across from San Antonio de la Florida.
Their spit-roasted chicken and chorizo braised in cider have been nourishing poor university students for decades!
It was certainly my ace in the hole for cheap Sunday dinners when I was a student.

www.casamingo.es

GreeenRose,
In between museum visits, I've spent the day walking through Old Madrid and have found more good spots for you:

Antipodas, which is a new and stylish sushi bar/restaurant (featured in the NY Times) on the corner of Lope de Vega and San Agustin-3 course menu del dia for 7,50, including drink.

Casienhuertas on Lope de Vega has a menu for 10.50 (today was cocido day-they offer a cocido completo, noodle soup, garbanzos and vegetables and the meat course plus drink, dessert or coffee.

The menu at Terra Mundi,mentioned above, on Lope de Vega costs 10, Mon.-Fri., 11 on Sat. and 12 on Sun./holidays.

The menu at Ginger, also mentioned above, costs 9,95 and includes 3 courses, drink, bread and VAT.

Miau on the Plaza Santa Ana charges 10.20 for their 3 course menu with bread and drink.

I saw a very stylish looking new place in the Barrio de las Letras on the corner of Infante and Leon serving Mediterranean cuisine-"La Hilera", which offers a menu for 11-3 courses plus bread and drink.

And Bar Repa on Calle Santiago, off Calle Mayor, going towards the Plaza Santiago and the Teatro Real, has a menu for 8.50 which is very popular. If you dine on the outdoor terrace it will cost 2 euros more.

Lots of choices in Old Madrid. Just wander around and about noon, they start putting out the menu del dia in the window or on a chalkboard at the door. Plenty of options in the Barrio de las Letras.