downtown

Maribel

Booked the Eurostar Granada Thank you for this suggestion and all the breakfast Recommendations! .Please if you could, when you have a moment , any recommendations for lunch and dinner in Madrid, Seville ,Granada and Barcelona. I did make note of Cerveseria Catalana in Barcelona for tapas.I am so happy that the accommodations came in mostly below budget! Last things to tie up are Las Ventas , tour with Concepcion, Picasso Museo and Mad to Sev and Sev to Gra Renfe connections..I think that will about do it. Once I have it all down on Word I will send you a copy so you can see how much your selfless effort has helped produce a wonderful itinerary!.. Thank you.

Don

Maribel

That's very kind! It's great that your lodging has come in under budget! Whew!

Before I give you recommendations for lunch/dinner in Madrid, Sevilla, Granada and Barcelona, what kind of dining experience are you seeking, what type of food, atmosphere, etc. (also budget). After I've had an idea of what type of dining you prefer, I'll work from there.

downtown

Maribel

Was giving this much thought ,you have given me so much of your time and effort and want to minimize your effort when possible knowing that this is and has been a rather large undertaking for you.
We would like when possible a non touristy place to eat be it lunch or dinner ( you have given us breakfast options in each city already..thank you). Not sure how much of a "thing "it is is Spain to also include say a place for a lunch for take away to enjoy on a park on a bench etc.
So for a non tourist preference casual dining be it just tapas and some drinks to sit down 2-3 course dining. It would be nice to have in each city at least 1 upscale dining place be it just tapas or 3 course dining.
I would say when it comes to budget for casual dining lets say in the area of 100Euro give or take 25Euro..so lets call it for a sit down casual meal 75-125 Euro if possible
On the days that we take lunch later in the day our meals can be on the lighter side of just tapas (not sure how one calculates a budget that consists of tapas for dinner call it 50-75 up to100Eu?)
I consider myself a foodie but feel a good meal doesn't have to occur in a fancy setting but like the option to go fancy if we choose
Oh and don't leave the desert part or course!
Let me know if this gives you enough to work with. Thank You!

Don

Maribel

Some locals do like to have a picnic in Retiro park on a weekend. The gourmet deli and pastry shop, Pastelerías Mallorca at Serrano 6, one block from the park entrance at the Puerta de Alcalá, can provide you with nice picnic items.

I'm not sure if your budget is per person or per couple. I assume per couple?

Here are some ideas that would be a short walk from your lodging.
(Madrid and Barcelona have wonderful restaurants in (most) all neighborhoods but I don't want to send you on a long taxi ride since your time is. relatively short and since a dining spot closer to your hotel will suffice.)

MADRID in or near the Barrio de las Letras

• Downstairs in the Mercado de Antón Martín, the wonderful LaLópez Bar, recently reviewed on Hungry Onion, is far more than a mere market dining stand. It's one of my favorite places to dine on smalll plates (and loved by my Madrid foodie friends). The warm welcome by San Sebastian-born Maia, a gracious hostess who speaks perfect English, and the very original and constanty changing dishes created by her husband, Sergio, are the reason I could dine here every week. Closed Sun.
• For fancy dining, Alabaster at Montalbán 9, Michelin recommended and Galician focused, for superb grilled fish-crustaceans. One can dine at a high table in the bar area on small plates from a limited bar menu or splash out in the elegant dining room. It has an excellent wine list, with many albariños and godellos that best accompany these fish dishes. Closed Sun.
• Ditto to the more casual Vinoteca Hermanos García de la Navarra at Montalbán 3, down the street, with a superb wine list and excellent vegetable dishes. It sports one Repsol sun, always a good sign. Again one can dine at high tables at the bar or in the more sparely decorated dining room. Closed Sun/Mon
• Vinoteca Moratín at Moratín 36 is a small, cozy charmer in the heart of the Barrio de las Letras with candlelight dining at night. It´s received a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good value. Closed Sun/Mon
• La Caníbal at Argumosa 28, near the Centro de Arte reina Sofía (Picasso's Gernika) is a lively places for small plates, charcuterie, cheeses, natural wines and craft beers and also hearty Galician fare. Extremely popular with very reasonable pricing. It has a Repsol "solete" (unpretentious, very casual spots with solid cuisine). Also recently reviewed on Hungry Onion. Open daily.

SEVILLA around the Plaza de la Encarnación

• Barra Baja at Javier Lasso De la Vega 14, a small, unpretentious looking but immensely satisfying restaurant run by a husband and wife team with a superb curriculum, former chefs of the Hotel Mercer who decided to go off on their own. The best seats here are the 8 comfortable chairs directly in front of the open kitchen so as to watch these very creative chefs work their magic. We enjoyed a wonderful birthday lunch there last week. Every dish that they prepared for us shined. The menu changes seasonally. Closed Mon/Tues
• Salmedina at Guardamino 1, focuses on the freshest, finest seafood brought in daily from the Costa de la Luz piers. High tables only in this lively, all white space with open kitchen. Another winner for us last week. Open daily.
• Taberna Zurbarán, again a casual, beautifully decorated, tile and painting lined tapas bar tucked away in a lovely orange tree scented square with large outdoor terrace and inside, high tables around the bar. For tapas. No reservations. Open daily.
• La Azotea at Mateos Gago 8, the closest of the two near your hotel on Sevilla's "restaurant row", in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, a place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Always packed. If you prefer a more sedate dining experience without the tourist crowds, we love the original branch at Conde de Barajas 13 and it's worth the walk Open daily.
• Tradevo Centro at Cuesta del Rosario 13 facing a small square with outdoor terrace and low tables inside. A favorite for small plates to share or more substantial dishes. Michelin recommended. Open daily.
• Alfarería 21 Casa Montalban, at Alfarería 21, if you have time for a walk in colorful Triana, across the Isabel II bridge. It's housed in a former ceramics factory and displays its original, beautiful ceramic tiles in its interior dining spaces and in the charming, private interior courtyard. One can reserve on Cover Manager. Open daily.

Next up, GRANADA & BARCELONA

Revulgo

Madrid. In addition for a Sunday, Sala de Despiece 2 at Calle Virgen de los Peligros 8.
https://english.saladedespiece.com/

Maribel

Good call, Revulgo!

And for beef from one of the country's best purveyors (Luismi), steaks, chuletas, steak tartar, in a minimalist setting, Askuabarra at Arlabán 7, a short walk from Las Cortes. Nice desserts as well. Repsol recommended. Open for Sunday lunch.

Maribel

GRANADA, downtown
(The city isn't blessed with many "foodie" treasures, as the locals tend to stick with the traditional, tried and true dishes like habitas con jamón (baby limas with Trevélez ham), tortilla de Sacromonte (potato & egg omelet with calf brains), remojón (a cold salad of oranges, salt cod, red peppers, scallions, garlic, olive oil), cabrito (roasted baby goat), rabo de toro (oxtail stew)...). And Granada is the land of the complimentary tapa served with each drink order.

• Taberna la Tana, the city's best wine and small plates bar in a tiny cul-de-sac, Placeta del Agua 3, off Rosario. Reservations essential and very atmospheric, especially at night. Huge wine list and fresh tapas from the tiny kitchen. Sister and brother team. Open daily.
• Taberna Malvasía, at Rosario 10, nearby, another fine wine and tapas bar. Closed Mon.
• Oliver, on the Plaza de la Pescadería, specializing in fresh fish and crustaceans from the piers of Motril. With outdoor terrace, lively tapas bars and relaxing, pretty sit down dining in the. back room. Bourdain filmed there. Closed Mon.
• Los Manueles Bib-Rambla on the pretty Plaza Bib-Rambla for sit down dining, the newest of the Los Manueles group. Open daily.
  
• Saint Germain, near the cathedral at Postigo Velutti 4 for wines and tapas. No web page. Closed Sun/Mon.
  

In the Albaicín, evocative, ancient Arab quarter, near the famous viewpoint, the Mirador de San Nicolás

• Carmen de Aben Humeya—may be the best of the several in the Albaicín for special, formal, sunset sit-down dining with those stunning, full frontal Alhambra views; Maitaitom has dined here— look up his trip report. Open daily.

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Thank you Rev!

downtown

Maribel

Yes your are correct the budget is per couple. Thank you so much for these recommendations! I am going to pour over these and study them well!
I very much appreciate your time. Thank you.

Don

Maribel

BARCELONA, dining in the Eixample, arguable where the city's best foodie favorite restaurants sit---prices here will be higher than in your other cities and all have been "discovered"

• Alta Taberna Paco Meralgo (a play on words, "pa' comer algo", the owner isn't named Paco) at Muntaner 171, for terrific small plates, tapas, great tomato bread, in a lively atmosphere with amusing waiters. No sit-down dining, all high tables or counter seating. Michelin recommended. Our staple for Sun. nights. Open daily.
• Cerveseria Catalana at Mallorca 236 or its sister, Ciutat Comtal at Rambla de Catalunya 18, for inexpensive noshing at any hour, breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner, late night snacks or drinks, open daily and late until 1 am.
• Tapas 24, at Diputació 269, my favorite for chef Carlos Abellán's bikini (heavenly ham, cheese and truffle creation), wildly popular, so go early or late.
• Gresca, at Provença 230 for modern, creative, chef-driven haute catalán cuisine from chef Rafa Peña. Michelin & Repsol recommended. Open daily.
• Compartir, at València 225, a high end, modern chef-driven restaurant from the former chefs of El Bulli. and currently chefs at the number one Disfrutar. Closed Sun/Mon.
• Mont Bar at Diputació 220, now with a Michelin star and a Repsol sun, must reserve as it's very small or dine around the corner at their offshoot Mediamanga at Aribau 32. Closed Sun/Mon
• Petit Comité at Passatge de la Concepció 13 (a dining mews), cuisine by well regarded chef Carlos Gaig, for a special evening. Michelin & Repsol recommended. Closed Sun.
• Windsor, at Còrsege 286, with elegant, interior garden, romantic at night, offering a good value fixed price menu, a favorite recommendation of Eixample hotel concierges. Closed Sun.

Off the tourist soaked Ramblas

• Bar Cañete, at Carrer de la Union 17, around the corner from the Gran Teatre del Liceu, another favorite, lively, must-reserve tapas bar, like Paco Meralgo, where sitting at the counter facing the open kitchen is the most fun. Come here at night, when the locals dine. Open from 1 pm until midnight. Closed Sun.

In the Gothic Quarter (where tourist-centered restaurants abound)

• Bar La Plata, at Mercè 28, a favorite of chefs on their hours off, and a classic, 70-year old institution, a "tapas temple" for fried fish, boquerones fritos. and tomato salad. Closed Sun.

In El Born, near the Picasso Museum

• Tapeo del Born, at Montcada 29, casual, creative tapas bar with, high table and counter seating only. Open daily from noon until midnight.

In Barceloneta, the former fishermen's quarter

• Cervecería El Vaso de Oro at Balboa 6, off the tourist-trodden path and one of the great classic tapas bars, with narrow counter seating, over 60 years old with old school uniformed waiters, loved by locals, open daily from noon until midnight.
• Can Majó at Carrer d' Emilia Llorca Martín 23 for a lovely rice-centric (paella) meal on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. It sits next to the beach. Closed Sun dinner and all day Monday.

There you go, Don, I'm done. Don't add any more cities!

Maribel

Two more new Barcelona Eixample-situated restaurants getting really solid reviews that I want to try on my next trip:

• Besta at Aribau 106, a Galician-Catalán seafood hybrid. Closed Sun/Mon.
• Batea at Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes 605, another modern seafood emporium. Closed Sun/Mon.

downtown

Maribel

Wow!.. So many recommendations, so much to choose from, I was in in Madrid and Barcelona way back when I graduated college as part of a 3 month trip in Europe .Looks like gone are the down and gritty casual places I saw back then. Times change and so do all things associated with the change in time and in this case the restaurant business. I can see from your recommendations Seville as well as Barcelona they will be will be a fun place to enjoy a nice meal and a stroll to walk it off. I see you referenced Hungry Onion which honestly I was not familiar with .Generally in the New York/New Jersey area I frequently use Yelp and now have another resource. I learned something today, thanks. I will continue to pour over these recommendations and use Hungry Onion as an added tool but for this trip and in my area of New Jersey and New York in the future. I am looking forward to venturing out to enjoy alot of these recommendations. These recommendations will add to the cultural experience as much as the museums, architecture etc during our time in Spain. Thank you very much!

Maribel

You're welcome, Don.

Yes, Hungry Onion is a good source for dedicated "foodies". On the New York board, look for recommendations from poster Ziggy, who even does Manhattan food tours, I believe.

downtown

Maribel,

Hope you are well..Aside from the fantastic restaurant suggestion you have given here.Can you recommend any "old school" non touristy standards in Madrid,Seville,Granda and Barcelona serving traditional fare that 2 people can dine on in the range of E100? Thanks

Don

Maribel

"Old School" in Madrid near your Barrio de las Letras lodging-

Casa Alberto, since 1827, with 1 Repsol sun. Yes, it will receive tourists but most come in for a vermouth before lunch, as the food tours take them there. The back dining room is highly atmospheric and does have an English menu. (It's on Revulgo's nifty map).

"Old School" in Barcelona that is non touristy is quite difficult, as most are widely featured in the guides and press, and Barcelona is a huge tourist magnet.

For non touristy and classically elegant, II prefer the landmark Windsor in the Eixample, where you'll find classic, traditional Catalan fare served in an elegant setting and no avant-garde foams, etc. The "Windsor Menu" is now priced at 65/each but one can dine a la carte.
And also in the Example,
I also enjoy L'Olive, a classic place, with a sort of Parisian bistro ambience. It's not tourist centered.

There's Can Culleretes, from 1786, the oldest restaurant in the city but it's not "unknown" among tourists, as is Set Portes for rice dishes, since 1836, but I haven't been to either for several years and they aren't on my Must Do list. Cal Pep, over the years, has become mostly a tourist-centered restaurant and thus, I haven't been in quite a while.

In Sevilla for "Old School"--restaurants, not mythic, time warp tapas bars, of which there are many''

Becerrita is a classic and much loved by locals and far enough walk from the Barrio de Santa Cruz that most tourists don't reach it. Although it has a lively tapas bar in front, I enjoy most sitting in the back dining room. Very nice service from veteran waiters. Well within your budget.

El Cairo in El Arenal, also a classic that attracts few tourists because of its location on Reyes Católicos, outside of the Santa Cruz quarter.. Elegant dining room, veteran wait staff. The emphasis here is on fish and crustaceans.

downtown

Maribel
Thank you for these additional recommendations. We love classics but will try some avant-garde foam types for sure. I can already see between the sites and food that Seville is going to be our type of city. Really appreciate your time and help on this and yes I will be referencing Revulgo's nifty map!
Another item you previously discussed with me here is the trains from Madrid to Seville and Seville to Granada. You mention the Avants are the no connection faster trains and see them listed for a dummy date of May 5/23 for our preferred departure time of 12:18pm an know you said they will release the Avants closer to departure dates. The Madrid to Seville for a dummy date of May 5/20 shows only one direct to Seville at 9:05 am (2:33hr) with next best time being a connection in Cordoba(2:43hr) for our preferred departure time of 11:05 am. Do I have this correct? Thanks

Don

Maribel

About the high-speed trains from Madrid's Puerta de Atocha station to Sevilla's Santa Justa station:
Renfe on that route runs more AVEs (the fastest train) and just an occasional AVANT or an ALVIA, which are slower. For the Madrid to Sevilla route you will want to take the AVE. Faster, more departure times.

Will you be traveling from Madrid to Sevilla on a SUNDAY?
On www.renfe.com
I see for example on May 5, this coming Sunday, there are AVE departures from Madrid to Sevilla at 9:05, 10, 11:53, 1 pm and 2 pm. The AVEs are the ones that you will want for Madrid to Sevilla.

(The cheaper AVANTS that are released closer to departure dates that I mentioned on another thread are the ones that run on the Sevilla-Córdoba route)

There is another non AVE option from Madrid to Sevilla on the new Italian IRYO, but one needs to purchase tickets directly from another website, since these trains aren't run by RENFE. It's www.iryo.eu. But I don't want to confuse you. IRYO also operates from Madrid's Atocha rail station to Sevilla's Santa Justa, as it is now a competitor on the Madrid-Sevilla route.

You can also see all the options and purchase tickets later on on www.thetrainline.com, which charges a slight commission.. I just purchase my tickets either www.renfe.com or. www.iryo.eu. but some prefer to use www.thetrainline.com, as they have trouble using their American bank issued credit cards on Renfe. I don't because I'm registered and my c.c. works on Renfe. But...Renfe does accept Pay Pal.

ekscrunchy

From a thread I wrote here years ago, about Granada. This bakery was recommended by Maribel, por supuesto:

En route back to the hotel, we stopped at Pasteleria Lopez Mesquita for a large slice of their famous Pastel Moruna, a flaky sugar-dusted pastry stuffed with shredded chicken and studded with cinammon that is a close relative of the famous bisteeya of Morocco. Superlative! With one bite, I quickly settled on my meal for the flight the next day.