A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Madrid

  Hot Chocolate with Spanish Churros

Sometimes in Spain it seems that all things revolve around - or come second to - eating, drinking and generally having a good time. And nowhere in the country is this more the case than of its capital, Madrid.

For many travelers, sangria and paella dominate their notions of Spanish dining. Given the range of other mouth-watering dishes on offer, ordering them in Spain, however, will often result in a chuckle from your waiter or perhaps a weary rolling of the eyes.

Breakfast in the city is an important ritual. From atmospherically scruffy little bars where old men wheeze into their brandies to smart cafés where suited office workers discuss the morning’s affairs, the variety of options reflects its importance in day-to-day life.

For budget travelers looking to get under the skin of the city, ‘tapas’ is a better option than formal dining. Essentially just a small dish, (often eaten at a stool or standing up) it can include anything from excellent ham or rustic stew to seafood and cheeses.

In terms of where to go to ‘tapear’, the alternatives across the city are practically limitless, although its a good idea to avoid the main squares lined with tables (and multilingual menus) in the more over-crowded areas such as Sol and the Plaza Mayor.

Better hunting grounds for reasonable tapas bars include Huertas (a little to the south of the center) and Malasana and Chueca (to the north). All three areas are full of places serving reasonable fare and also double up as lively hubs of Madrid's nightlife.

And when it comes to drinking, Madrid is awash with options. Smarter places where you settle in over a good bottle of rioja or 'ribera del duero' won’t necessarily cost too much and a ‘caña’ (draught beer) in a rough-and-ready bar is always really rather cheap.

As is the case across Spain, dinner (whether formal or informal) is generally eaten much later than in many other countries. Most restaurants and tapas bars won’t even open until after 9pm and it’s not uncommon for locals to sit down to eat at 11pm.

As such, it’s best to be prepared for a long evening of sitting out in a café or bar chatting, watching the world go by and the city wind itself for a night of partying...

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