Hidden gem restaurants in Madrid
 

We are planning a trip for September and are looking for the same tips. I have saved Sobrino de Botin as a possibility as it is the world's oldest open restaurant and it is steps from our Airbnb. Does anyone know anything about this place or is it just another tourist trap?

For culinary experiences, dining still under the radar and not yet featured in the Madrid guidebooks, I recommend dining in the Retiro district, just east of Retiro Park (metro: Ibiza), as most locals agree that this is the best price to quality informal dining in the city. It's about a 15-20 minute walk through Retiro Park to reach this area but it's a very pleasant walk.

There are so many "neo tascas/tabernas", "gastro bars" of quality there, the competition is so high, that you can be assured of high quality for your dining dollars. My favorite professional food critic, has a list of his top informal dining spots in Madrid and many are found in this area in the streets of Menéndez Pelayo facing the park, Calles Dr. Castelo, Menorca, Antonio Acuña and Ibiza.

Our favorites in the Retiro district:
On Menéndez Pelayo:
Arzábal--although it has a heavy presence in the tourist-centered Mercado de San Miguel and a branch in the Museo Reina Sofía, this is the original.
Barrio Húmedo-- with cuisine from León and wines from the Bierzo region
Berlanga--for one of the city's best paellas (if not the best) and other Valencian rice dishes (paella valenciana must be ordered in advance). Chef is the son of Valencia-born Luis García Berlanga, one of Spain's foremost film directors

On Ibiza:
Kulto--for cuisine from Andalucía with a touch of Asia, specializing in wild caught tuna in many guises and lemon pie for dessert
Rafa--at the corner of Ibiza and Narváez is one of the city's best seafood houses, if you're feeling flush. Very old school, an institution

On Menorca:
Taberna la Catapa--recently received a Repsol sun, most every food bloggers number one favorite gastro bar with small dining room, go early as it's always packed, closed Sat/Sun
Salino--the sister to tiny La Raquetista on Dr. Castelo, with sit down restaurant and informal tapas bar

On Dr. Castelo:
La Castela--hugely popular, where Queen Letizia took First Lady Michele Obama, with always packed bar and small dining room
La Monte--sibling to La Montería, high table dining, good value

On Antonio Acuña:
Castelados, the sibling of La Castela above, with a Michelin Bib Gourmand for value, one of our favorites, with bar and sit down dining room, great seafood dishes

Calle Ponzano
Another dining area still a bit under the radar for foreigners is found in the Chamberí district, where a younger crowd goes "Ponzaning" on weekends. On this long street filled with bars/restaurants we like the classics, El Double and Fide for seafood tapas and draught beer, Neo Taberna Santerra for sit down dining and Arima Basque Gastronomy (no longer has a bar but instead is focused on sit down dining, Basque specialities)

In the Literary Quarter, Barrio de las Letras, where many boutique hotels sit, close to the Prado:
Triciclo, one of the city's best "bistronomics" and its little sister, Taberna la Elisa, an old time tavern with beautiful tiles, redone by the Tricycle group serving classic Madrid tapas, but updated. Both are on Calle Santa Maria.

In Las Cortes:
Casa Mortero, new and terrific small restaurant with some of the best croquettes in town (behind the Thyssen Museum on Calle Zorrilla)
Askuabarra, for grilled meats from one of Spain's best purveyors and great steak tartare--for carnivores

Hope this helps!

Diharv,
I know Sobrino de Botín well, since 1970. Over the years I've dined there with my parents and with guests that have visited me and want very much to eat there, as it's known as ¨the oldest restaurant in the world¨, says the Guiness Book of Records.

Although it's not by any means my favorite Madrid restaurant, I don't see it as a ¨tourist TRAP¨ but rather as tourist-centered restaurant. It does offer decent value for the money, so I don't see it as a trap, if you want to sample its roast suckling pig and don't have the opportunity to try it in the Segovia province.
My major quibble is that because it's so wildly popular with tourists, the service can be very rushed, and I enjoy more leisurely dining.

I had a boyfriend in my youth who was a member of the Tuna de Medicina, a university troubadour group, each University school had its own tuna, a kind of strolling minstrel, musical group who played at Botìn every night, I believe that now Botín has its own Tuna that entertains diners at night.

Botín has appeared in all travel guides so is hugely popular with foreign visitors. Again, I can think of many classic Madrid restaurants that are as good or much better than Botín, but it continues to be a tourist magnet and a ¨must dine here¨ for many first time visitors to Madrid.

We loved La Catapa years ago as recommended in your guides, Maribel. We will go back again this Christmas.

Our first visit to La Catapa was years ago, the last in May 2019 for late lunch. As always , it was packed and fun.
Love to local vibe.

You can now make reservations at La Catapa online, finally! They've changed their closing dates again, Now closed Sunday-Monday like before.

https://tabernalacatapa.eatbu.com/?lang=pt.

good to know…we’ll definitely visit Madrid this year.

Hi,
I just want to know where i can purchase Sagrada Familia tickets? I'd prefer to buy it directly, which site do i have to go

Off the beaten path:
La Tasqueria. Offal haute cuisine https://latasqueria.com/en/la-tasque...-javi-estevez/
La Gloria. No frills Andalusian restaurant Home - Bar La Gloria
Cerveceria Alonso on 18 Gabriel Lobo St. Metro: Cruz del Rayo https://www.spottedbylocals.com/madr...eceria-alonso/

If you’re a found of offal, as in innards, yes La Tasquería. I haven’t gone because I’m just not a fan of offal. Kidneys and sweetbreads are my limit. Just saying…

No frills Galician restaurant. O'Curruncho on 36 Fomento St. Metro: Plaza de España. Recs: tortilla de Betanzos (slightly curdled tortilla), Padron peppers, pulpo (octopus), chipirones a la plancha (grilled squid). Dessert: filloas.

New, small and terrific restaurant for danon and others who stay in the Salamanca district:
KALDEA, on Calle Castelló 6, just a half block from Alcalá, near the Puerta de Alcalá and Retiro Park, opened during the pandemic in the former space of an Asturias restaurant, with long bar for tapas dining and small back room with 5 tables for more formal dining. It has a small outdoor terrace. Very attentive service.

This is really, really, really great food from a chef who trained in the Basque Country at Zuberoa.

Specialties: a very generous ensaladilla rusa, an incredibly delicious tortilla de patatas (that truly rivals that of Casa Dani, Juana la Loca and Taberna Pedraza), artichoke flowers on a parmentier bed, a "bikini" (Iberian ham and Manchego cheese sandwich), white beans with partridge and cheesecake La Viña of San Sebastián style with Galletas María ice cream. And very reasonably priced for this high rent district.

We had my husband's birthday dinner tonight at Taberna la Catapa, which, as usual, was jam packed. Miguel Angel had as many specialities off menu as those on his regular menu. He just received a Repsol sun, the home grown version of a Michelin star, so the cooking is even better than ever. Still highly recommended.

thx…🇪🇸. I cannot wait to go to Spain again.