Restaurants in Madrid & Seville
 

Chicago couple who appreciates great food and makes eating out a hobby...looking for new and established dining hot spots in Madrid & Seville. Not looking for your typical tourist destination. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Was just in Madrid with my husband...El Amparo is not to be missed. Amazing setting and the food was incredible. Have a great trip!

In Madrid there is a restaurant called Cornucopia - it is just off Sol near the Palza Major - but can't remember the name of the street.

Thanks for the info. I've heard of El Amparo and I'll look up the street address for Cornucopia. I know dinner is later in Spain....when do peopl start eating dinner?

For Madrid restaurants, this is a good guide:<BR><BR>http://www.guiadelocio.com/madrid/restaurantes/index.cfm<BR><BR>Most people eat around 10 o'clock, although there are plenty of places that serve somewhat earlier and later. Most places will open for dinner around 8 or 8:30. Note that lunch, at about 2 PM, is often the largest meal of the day for many Spaniards.<BR><BR>The only fine dining I can personally recommend in Madrid is El Pescador (calle Ortega y Gasset) that features excellent, fresh seafood. Very, very good. It is fairly pricey.<BR><BR>Mostly, I've had pretty good luck finding small neighborhood cafes and restaurants for a moderatly priced menu del dia (set price daily special).<BR>

In Madrid ty the Restaurante L'abbraccio capitan haya,51 infanta mercedes,94 28020 Madrid tel 91-571-8664 you must try the jamom museum (the museum of ham)

In sevilla go to La taberna del alabardero, calle Zaragoza. It's a lovely restaurant with gourmet food.

In Seville try the Case del Cordero in the Triana area, #3..excellent roasted lamb, try the shoulder . Very much a friendly neighborhood place. Also, Casablanca , Zaragoza #50 for elegant tapas .<BR><BR>I like the musuem of ham in Madrid, too.<BR>

I was in Madrid in March for the first time and while we did not eat out in any "fine Dining" restaurants I really enjoyed the food. A place I would reccommend for a drink before dinner is called El Ajibe and the street is CAlle Carlos III. This is a wide street off the Palacio Real. The bar is in the basement and is unusual as it is decorated in warm reds, comfy chairs but the best part is that the floors are clear and below is the remains of an excavation site and roman pots(some stll ebbedded in the ground). It was a lovely night I spent here having wine and relaxing. Uostairs is a trpical cafeoutside and inside so don't be fooled. Enjoy!

Thanks everyone for the great advice. Much appreciated!

tip

In Sevilla, Beccerrita is an excellent restaurant with fine food and a wide selection of spanish wines.

topping

Thought I'd conserve posts. Topping for restaurant suggestions in Madrid and Seville (and Granada, Cordoba, Segovia, Toledo, and Sanlucar de Barromeda). Thanks.

Vita,
From my dining files:

In Madrid for incredible seafood, besides El Pescador (terrific), I'll add lovely Combarro, also on Ortega y Gasset 40.

For an authentic 17th century Old Madrid tavern: La Posada de la Villa on Cava Baja

For celebrity spotting and fantastic food, all wrapped up in one: Casa Lucio, Cava Baja
or their sister tavern, El Lando on pretty Plaza Gabriel Miro in Parque las Vistillas

for handy brk, lunch, snacks, drinks or dinner:
Cafe del Oriente, facing the Royal Palace

For creative Basque tapas: Biotza, in the tony Salamanca shopping district, at Claudio Coello 27.

For a great steak in a Basque cider house:
new Casa Matias at San Leonardo off Plaza Espana or their Juan de Tolosa on the Cava Baja.

For best paella:
Casa de Valencia on Pintor Rosales or
more touristy La Barraca on Reina (where George Clooney recently dined)

For great wine bars in Old Madrid:
Taberna de Cien Vinos at Nuncio 17,
Taberna Almendro at Almendro 13,
La Carpanta at Almendro 22,
La Musa de la Latina at Costanilla de San Andres 12,
El Tempranillo at Cava Baja 38
Maritum at Cava Alta 17

for Madrid's signature dish, cocido:
La Bola at corner of Guillermo Roland and Bola, near the Teatro Real or..
La Taberna de la Daniela in the Salamanca district, on Sunday at mid-day (must reserve)

In Sanlucar de Barrameda-
for great langostinos and arroz caldoso:
Casa Juan, Bigote or Mirador de Donana, all on the Bajo de Guia facing the beach and Guadalquivir.

In Cordoba-
We just had a lovely lunch on the terrace of El Caballo Rojo (thanks, Graziella, for urging us to go back-it was perfect-food, wine and gracious service)

In Segovia-
roast lamb at Jose Maria, near the Plaza.
dessert at La Concepcion on the Plaza.

In Toledo-
courtyard of the Hostal del Cardenal, operated by the owners of Madrid's Botin
new wine bar discovery:
Taberna El Antojo, below Monasterio San Juan de los Reyes, #11.

In Sevilla-
tapas bars we recently enjoyed:
Bodeguita Romero, near bullring
Bodega A. Romero, ditto
El Rinconcillo on Gerona near Casa de las Duenas
Coloniales on Plaza Cristo de Burgos
Modesto at Cano y Cueto in Santa Cruz
Robles Placentines, near cathedral
La Albariza near Isabel II bridge on Betis in Triana
Casablanca on Zaragoza near Plaza Nueva

fine dining in Sevilla-
Egana Oriza near Murillo gardens (elegant!)
La Albahaca and Corral del Agua in Santa Cruz (romantic)
Casa Robles on Alvarez Quintero
Taberna del Alabardero on Zaragoza-go for the fantastic value mid-day menu del dia!
Salvador Rojo on San Fernando 23-have yet to try but hear it's very creative &quot;cocina de autor&quot;

in downtown Granada-
Chikito on Plaza del Campillo
Cunini at Capuchina 14
Antigua Bodega Castaneda on Almireceros, behind Plaza Nueva

5 km. outside of town on Sierra de Nevada highway at Cenes de la Vega:
Ruta del Veleta

for what's new, I check the Spain thread on www.egullet.com, as I think you've discovered too (the El Bulli article)

que aproveche!

Amazing, Maribel. Thanks!

A couple of additions to Maribels list: Posada de Javier in Torre Caballeros - suburb of Segovia. El Figon de Tinin el Mayor in Sepulveda [north of Segovia]. Wonderful lamb - Juan Carlos has been known to go there.

Vita,,
A second to both lweber's roast lamb trail suggestions, and I'll add el Yantar, right on the gorgeous square of equally gorgeous Pedraza, if you venture up to this spectacular little gem. Had a fantastic roast lamb feast there in Nov. on the way back from the Rioja after stopping at Tinin's in Sepulveda on the way up.

I forgot to list my very favorite &quot;bistro&quot;, non-expense account only Basque restaurant in Madrid, &quot;Alkalde&quot; on Jorge Juan 10, near corner of Claudio Coello in my old 'hood, the Salamanca district. It's the closest thing I've found in Madrid to Paris' Fontaine de Mars in the 7th, but without the outdoor terrace. Impeccable ingredients, great jamon, yummy crab bisque, cozy, very pretty downstairs tavern-bistro ambience-a real winner! And also open Sun.