Madrid is a fantastic city for a city trip, with many things to do and see both in and around the city. However Madrid is also known for having some of the best restaurants in Spain. Surprisingly the capital is even known for having the best seafood, even though it’s about as far away from the coast as any other city in Spain. I’ve lived in this lively city for about a year and a half and I have taking the liberty to try out a lot of restaurants, bars and clubs for you. In this post you can find my list of best addresses for having classic tapas in Madrid. If you are looking for something less traditional, check out this post with a list of creative tapas places.

The Classic Tapas

Behold my choice for the best local and authentic places to go and enjoy a drink and your classic tapas. They rarely have very exotic tapas on the menu and their menu rarely changes. However all these places have great food and a fantastic atmosphere. They are all perfect places to have either a tapas lunch or dinner.

7. 100 Montaditos

This place is actually a chain and they are not only found in nearly every area of Madrid but also in the entire country. Since the opening of their first restaurant in Islantilla, a small coastal community in the south of Spain, they have spread to Italy and Portugal and even across the ocean to Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Chile, Costa Rica and the US. The group that owns the franchise, Restalia, has more than 600 restaurants worldwide (including TGB and La Sureña).

Where: Everywhere, about 5 of them in the center and at least 30 all over Madrid. There is one near Gran Via, Plaza España, Plaza Mayor and Plaza Jacinto Benavente. These are the most central ones but chances are you are never more than 10 minutes walking away from one.
What: Sandwiches, Snacks and cheap drinks. A Montadito is actually a small sandwich and the name says it all: they have 100 different ones. The menu changes sometimes but most classics stay on it all the time. You can also order snacks like, olives, chips/crisps, fries, cheese balls, chicken wings… and other snacks. They have all kind of soda but also beer wine and tinto de verano.
Price: A sandwich will cost you between € 1 and 2 €. On Sundays and Wednesdays all of them are 1 €. Drinks are equally cheap with a big beer/soda for € 1.5.
When: Most branches in the center are open from 11:00 to 0:00.

6. La Ideal

Around Plaza mayor you’ll see almost all restaurants selling a Bocadillo de Calamares. This very typical snack is usually accompanied by a caña (a small beer). After extensive market research this small restaurant just off Plaza Mayor is the best place to try it. They make them fresh to order and will serve you a nice cold caña from the tap. Don’t be alarmed by the crowd, just take stand at the bar or take yours to go and enjoy it in the sun on Plaza Mayor.

Where: Calle Botoneras, 4, 28012 Madrid
What: A fresh bread roll with Squid rings coated in flour and fried in hot oil
Price: € 3
When: Opens all days from 9:15 to 23:00 (0:00 on Fridays and Saturdays)

5. Mercado de San Miguel

This amazing place is actually not a restaurant but a covered market. However the market has long since been converted in a huge food paradise. The entire glass building is filled with small restaurants and bars serving all kinds of small snacks and drinks. Some offer a place to sit at their bar, others only give take away and you’ll have to find a spot at the tables in the middle of the market. It’s very touristy but that does not mean the food is less good. You can also just go there and enjoy a good glass of wine or vermouth or a cold beer, while taking in the atmosphere.

Where: Plaza de San Miguel, s/n, 28005 Madrid
What: All kind of yummy finger food and snacks
Price: Depends if you go for half a lobster or just a cone of great Spanish ham
When: Every day from 10:00 to 0:00 (1:00 on Fridays and Saturdays)

4. Sidreria El Tigre

A Madrid classic, known with locals and visitors alike, this place has opened up three venues in te same area due to popular demand. Even so, on busy night lines might form in front of each one of them, a good sign of their popularity. This place does not actually sell food but adheres to the original concept of the tapa: a small snack/dish you get for free when ordering a drink in a bar. However they took this concept to a next level: you order a big beer or tinto de verano and you get a huge amount of food for free. The tapas served are not the best quality in the city. You will mostly find local students trying to save money by buying some drink for the group and stuffing themselves with the tapas.

Where: El Tigre, El Tigre 2, El Tigre del Norte. If one of them is full, just check out the other ones.
What: Bread with ham, tortilla, croquetas, patatas bravas,… and a huge drink
Price: € 5
When: All days from 9:00 to 0:00

 

3. El Capricho Extremeño

This small shop in the La Latina neighbourhood is only open during the weekends. It’s draws most of its crowd on Sunday during the weekly Rastro market that takes over the surrounding streets. They sell a variety of huge slices of bread with a topping. This can be pulpo a la gallega, or tortilla or salmon with asparagus but also just delicious ham and cheese or goat cheese with jam. It is the ideal place to have lunch while roaming around on the Rastro market. It is difficult to find something as local and classic as this surprising restaurant.

Where: Calle de Carlos Arniches, 30, 28005 Madrid
What: big slices of bread with all kind of delicious cold toppings
Price: A slice varies from € 3 to € 6 depending on what’s on it
When: Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00 and Sunday until 18:00

2. Celso y Manolo

This Tasca is a small restaurant full of surprises, although it looks like a classic small spanish bar at first sight, it is full of surprises. You can enjoy some delicious dishes here using all the classic ingredients of the Spanish kitchen. Yet their dishes, atmosphere and menu are just that bit different from the other places like it. The menu for example is a huge newspaper like poster that you have to carefully read in order to choose between all their tasty options.  They also have all kind of home made cocktails and other drinks, they’re quite expensive but worth the money. Do try the Pear Cider, it is godly. You should probably reserve a table if you don’t wanna count on luck, which you can do online here.

Where: Calle Libertad, 1, 28004 Madrid
What: The classics but with fresh ingredients and eye for details
Price: Most dishes vary between €9 and €12 – 3 dishes is perfect for 2 people
When: Every day from 1-5 PM and 7:30 PM to 2 AM

1. Stop Madrid

Maybe a weird name but this truly is the ideal place to stop for lunch or dinner. It is one of the 20 oldest taverns of Madrid. This local looking and feeling bar/restaurant fills up with locals at night chatting about the events of the day over a beer or a vermouth. The menu does not get any more classic than in this place. You can order plates the of great Spanish hams, chorizo and other embutidos, enjoy some canned delicacies or a slice of bread with anchovies, gulas or melted camembert cheese. They top of their menu with some seasonal tapas. It is truly a classic Madrileño experience. Do try out their wonderful homemade sangria or just a caña from the tap or one of their 40 different wines by the glass.

Where: Calle de Hortaleza, 11, 28004 Madrid
What: The classics, you can find their menu on the website
Price: € 4 – € 10 for a tapa
When: Every day from 12:30 to 02:00

The Map

Below you can find my google custom map containing all places I would recommend. The map does not only contain the classic tapas restaurants listed above but also other restaurants, bars and clubs. You can find more details on these in other posts on TVA Travel.