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Textbook-perfect paella in...Latina? Madrid is a notoriously disappointing city when it comes to the rice dishes popular on the Mediterranean coast, but Aynaelda slam-dunks with its sizzling paellas flavored with heady aromatics and concentrated stock. Be sure to scrape up the socarrat, that swoon-worthy layer of crisp rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan. Avoid Sunday lunch as there's usually a waitlist.
Calle de los Yébenes 38, Madrid, 28047, Spain
Known For
- Rice dishes up to Valencian standards
- Bright airy dining room
- Excellent croquettes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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Carabanchel's best-known bar, Los Minutejos, is synonymous with distressingly inhalable griddled sandwiches of crispy pig ear doused in fiery brava sauce. Tamer tapas are available for the squeamish. To drink? An ice-cold Mahou, of course.
Calle de Antonio de Leyva 17, Madrid, 28019, Spain
Known For
- Crustless "minutejo" sandwiches
- Ample space to spread out
- No-nonsense service
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Approximate a vacation to northern Spain by dining at this true-blue Asturian restaurant (or at the more casual sidrería in the bar area), where that region's unsung comfort-food dishes—such as fabada (pork-and-bean stew), Cabrales cheese, and cachopo (cheese-stuffed beef cutlets)—take center stage. The obligatory tipple is sidra, bone-dry Asturian cider that's aerated using a battery-powered gadget designed for this task.
Calle de la Farmacia 2, Madrid, 28004, Spain
Known For
- Authentic fabada
- Cider bottles with fun DIY aerators
- Local crowd
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun.
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Whether you pull up a stool at at the marble bar or sit down for a soup-to-nuts feast in the azulejo-lined dining room, you're in for some of Madrid's finest traditional tapas with a twist here. Madrileños come from far and wide to share heaped plates of ensaladilla rusa, a house specialty, as well as textbook-perfect croquetas and hefty steaks served with sherry gravy and house-cut fries. Vermouth (on tap) is the nonnegotiable aperitif, and there are always several Spanish wines to try by the glass.
Calle de San Vicente Ferrer 44, Madrid, 28004, Spain
Known For
- Hidden gem in Malasaña
- Dependably exceptional old-school tapas
- Over-and-above service
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Always crisp and never greasy—that's the mark of a well-made churro, and Madrid Chocolat's piping-hot baskets of fried dough always hit the spot.
Calle de Santa María 30, Madrid, 28014, Spain
Known For
- City's best churros
- Comfortable dining area
- Terrific grilled ham-and-cheese sandwiches
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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All the Galician greatest hits are on the menu at this Latina stalwart with an old tile floor and wooden benches. Paprika-dusted octopus, smoky lacón (cooked ham), and weighty slabs of empanada gallega (tuna pie) go down a bit too easily when accompanied by gallons of the house Albariño.
Calle de Saavedra Fajardo 16, Madrid, 28011, Spain
Known For
- Galician peasant food
- Devoted local crowd
- Hefty free tapa with every drink
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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Expertly pulled espressos, natural wines, and unexpectedly outstanding food—think velvety scrambled eggs, flavorful quiches, and homemade cakes and pastries—have made this café on Plaza del Biombo an instant hit with locals and expats, many of whom treat the roomy communal table like a coworking space (just be considerate and order more than a coffee if you plan on staying awhile).
Calle de Calderón de la Barca 8, Madrid, 28013, Spain
Known For
- €15 weekday prix fixe
- Genial bilingual staff
- Industrial-chic decor plus sunny patio seating
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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In the heart of the tourist fray but blissfully under the radar, this teensy lunch-only restaurant with an old tin bar serves all the Asturian favorites, from fabada (bean stew) to cachopo (ham-and-cheese-stuffed cutlets) to creamy rice pudding. Asturian cider is the requisite beverage.
Calle de Tabernillas 13, Madrid, 28005, Spain
Known For
- Northern Spanish comfort food
- Easy-on-the-wallet prices
- Kitsch decor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sat. No dinner
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To get a literal taste of Lavapiés's vibrant West African community, step into this family-run Senegalese hole-in-the-wall that serves the neighborhood's best mafé (meat-and-peanut stew), samousas (spicy meat-filled turnovers), and thieboudienne (Senegal's national dish, made with fish and vegetables)—at exceptionally affordable prices.
Calle de Caravaca 12, Madrid, 28012, Spain
Known For
- Senegalese home cooking
- Warm and welcoming staff
- Almost exclusively West African clientele
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This laid-back Andalusian barroom, one of three locations (the others are in Retiro and Chamberí), embodies the joyful spirit of that sunny region. Let the cheerful waitstaff guide you through the extensive menu, which includes fried seafood, unconventional croquetas (flecked with garlicky shrimp, for instance), and heftier shareables like creamy oxtail rice and seared Barbate tuna loin. The ensaladilla rusa (tuna-and-potato salad) is one of Madrid's best. In summer, outdoor seating is in high demand.
Calle de las Conchas 9, Madrid, 28013, Spain
Known For
- Carefree Andalusian vibe
- A shoal's worth of seafood dishes
- Free marinated carrots with every drink
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun.
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Plan on a siesta after dining at this phenomenal down-home restaurant that hasn't changed a lick since opening a half-century ago. Whether you're in the boisterous downstairs bar or cozy upstairs dining room with cloth napkins and popcorn walls, you'll be blown away by Sylkar's lovingly prepared specialties including creamy ham croquettes, braised squid in ink sauce, battered hake, and the best tortilla española in Madrid for those in the runnier-the-better camp. If the torrijas (custardy Spanish "French" toast) aren't sold out by the time you order dessert, don't miss them. The 9:30 am opening time makes Sylkar a fine spot for breakfast as well.
Calle de Espronceda 17, Madrid, 28003, Spain
Known For
- Legendary tortilla española
- Irreverent banter with the waitstaff
- Free tapa with every drink
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner Sat.
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Scarfing down a hot calamari-filled baguette (bocadillo de calamares) while strolling through the Plaza Mayor is a Madrid tradition, and this bar's rendition is a cut above the rest.
Calle de Botoneras 6, Madrid, Spain
Known For
- Plaza-side dining
- To-go hoagies
- Mix of tourists and locals
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Your reward for overlooking the soulless IKEA furnishings of this family-run dinette is honest home-cooked food served at exceptionally reasonable prices for the neighborhood. Try Cordoban-style flamenquines (ham-and-cheese-stuffed pork), salmon tartare, or (on Sunday) a crave-worthy paella Valenciana.
Reservations are a must for Sunday lunch; call ahead or visit the website to book a table and preorder your paella.
Calle del Noviciado 2, Madrid, 28015, Spain
Known For
- Budget weekday prix fixes
- Sunday paella
- Local crowd
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun.
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Locals flock to Casa Carola for one dish, cocido madrileño, Madrid's famous boiled dinner whose roots can be traced to a medieval Sephardic stew called adafina. Served ritualistically in three courses, or vuelcos—broth, then chickpeas and vegetables, then meats—it's an essential Madrid experience, especially in the cold-weather months. Madrid has several famous cocido restaurants, but Casa Carola stands out for its ultrabuttery garbanzos, nostalgic decor (think black-and-white photos and old newspaper clippings), and service with panache. Tie on your starched cloth bib and prepare to feast. Lunch only.
Calle de Padilla 54, Madrid, Madrid, 28006, Spain
Known For
- Cocido madrileño served in three courses
- Old-timey interiors
- Warm service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed mid-June–mid-Sept.
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The traditional tapa at this old-fashioned bar is battered salt cod fritters. Have a tajada de bacalao here, then meander over to Casa Revuelta (in La Latina), Madrid's other famous cod corner, and decide for yourself whose is better.
Calle de Tetuán 12, Madrid, Spain
Known For
- Legendary fried cod
- One-time revolutionary hangout
- Open since 1860 (and hasn't changed much since)
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If you haven't tried Chinese food in Madrid, you're missing out—the city has some of the best Chinese restaurants in Europe thanks to a vibrant immigrant community. Casa Lafu, with its serene white-tablecloth dining room, stands out for its expertly prepared repertoire of regional dishes, from Sichuan-style málà (spicy) plates to Shanghainese wine-cooked meats and Cantonese dim sum. Well-priced tasting menus and hot pot options round out the offerings.
Calle de la Flor Baja 1, Madrid, 28013, Spain
Known For
- Hot pot
- Upscale Chinese cuisine at affordable prices
- Rare regional specialties
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Madrid's oldest sidrería (cider house) is a grand cathedral-like hall with barrel-lined walls, double-height ceilings, and creaky wooden chairs. The star menu item is roast chicken, hacked up unceremoniously and served in a puddle of cider jus—old-school bar food at its finest (the other dishes are nothing to write home about). Casa Mingo is an ideal spot for a nosh after strolling along Madrid Río or visiting Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida, located next door; it's also well-suited to large groups.
Paseo de la Florida 34, Madrid, 28008, Spain
Known For
- Asturian cider
- Roast chicken
- A Madrid institution
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San Ginés is to Madrid what Café du Monde is to New Orleans: a historical fried-dough mecca. For generations this 19th-century café has been frying spirals of piping-hot churros and porras (the churro's fatter, chewier cousin—try them) day and night. Dunk your breakfast in café con leche or Cola Cao (Spanish chocolate milk) since the melted dark chocolate, which tastes processed, isn't what it used to be.
Pasadizo de San Ginés, Madrid, 28013, Spain
Known For
- A local institution
- Chocolate con churros
- Central location
View Tours and Activities
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Trace the western side of the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales until you reach Chocolatería Valor, an ideal spot to indulge in piping-hot churros dipped in thick hot chocolate. Valor's churros are chewy, puffy, and snipped into batons, more akin to porras (churros' baking-soda-leavened sibling) than to standard crispy churros.
Calle del Postigo de San Martín 7, Madrid, 28013, Spain
Known For
- One of the best chocolaterías in town
- Family-friendly atmosphere
- Outdoor seating
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The opulent Confitería El Riojano was founded in 1855 by Dámaso Maza, the personal pastry chef of Queen Maria Christina of Austria, and the original mahogany counters and ornate display cases are still in use. The pastries are hit-or-miss these days, but the ladyfingers (soletillas) dunked in hot chocolate are a safe bet and the historical ambience compensates for any culinary foibles.
Calle Mayor 10, Madrid, 28013, Spain
Known For
- Ladyfingers dipped in melted chocolate
- Art Deco interiors
- Lots of history and lore
