6 Best Food Destinations for Madrid First Timers (Tips + Map!)
Updated: Aug 3, 2022
We travelled to Madrid with the primary mission of eating. And eat we did. We wanted to eat like locals as far as was possible with our limited grasp of Spanish so I like to think that this list can be used by Madrid first-timers looking for tourist friendly-ish options (where a little bit of English can be understood) that are also not unpopular with locals.
By the way, once you've sufficiently fed your face, have a look at my general tips for a weekend in Madrid, and recommended tourist attractions.
1. Museo de Jamon
This is real Spanish fast-food, frequented by tourists and locals alike. We ordered two sangrias (€2 each) and received a bonus little portion of chorizo. Yes I know sangria isn’t something locals order when they go out, but we were craving it. This was by far the best sangria I’ve had in my life. To best experience Museo de Jamon, wait until a spot becomes available at the bar then elbow your way in. It’s lively and energetic and wonderful. There are a few locations around the centre of the city.
2. Chocolateria de San Gines
Yes, it’s touristy and hyped but oh my god it’s worth it. To experience this like a local, come for breakfast. We ordered a portion of hot chocolate (literally melted chocolate) with 6 churros (€4.20) and a coffee with 6 churros (€3.50). The prices are reasonable given the how famous the restaurant is (I suspect they'd still have a line of customers if they doubled prices). The only appropriate word for this was ‘decadent’. The chocolate was thick and the churros delicate, warm and crunchy. Tip: Get glasses of water. You’ll need it.
3. Cervaceria 100 Montaditos
A montadito is a tapa sized roll of bread, like a mini baguette. This chain offers 100 variations. This is yet another great way to try a variety of different dishes and stop by for a quick snack. We ordered a variety of dishes, all which we'd highly recommend including the Pollo tandoori (my husband insisted), tortilla de patatas and the nachos. Also the sangria. We really liked sangria. Tip: On Sundays, all montaditos are €1.
4. Taberna la Tia Cebolla
We visited this restaurant because the previous night it was empty at 8pm and packed at midnight (a good indication of popularity with locals rather than tourists). We ordered patatas bravas and paella - I know Paella is from Valencia not Madrid, but we wanted Paella and figured it would be better in Madrid than in London. They did us the usual unsolicited bread but the olive oil that came with it was heavenly so I was happy to pay the extra €1. Along with our Sangria (yes another Sangria), the meal was €22.
5. Taberna Pompeyana
This is famous for its pizzas but we opted to try the croquettes and empanadas instead. They were delicious. We also received a plate of aioli drenched potatoes with our beers. All up this was €19
6. Mercado de San Miguel
This almost deserves it’s own post. I know it has a reputation for being a bit of a tourist trap but I really do believe that if you navigate it correctly and don’t get lost in the insanity, it can be a very high quality, good value way to taste a range of different dishes. Everything we tried was incredible and were things we never otherwise would have. Standing and eating this delicious food in the mercado was a dream. My top three recommendations:
La Hora de Vermouth: €2.70 for a glass, it’s strong
La Casa del Balacao: ~€1.50 per tapa. Our highlights were the anchovies (especially the Boquerones and Anchoas con pimentos)
Pintxos: €12 for three tapas, I don’t know the split. The tapas on bread were incredible (I don't know what I was eating)
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