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Old Nov 29th, 2021, 05:41 AM
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Madrid recommendations of where to eat

Perchance to dream - hopefully we shall be spending a few days in Madrid over Xmas, although with this new variant...... so tired of this virus!

The last time we went to Madrid, a much-loved destination (especially with those amazing art galleries), we discovered that our favourite places to eat were no longer that great - any suggestions of great places to eat, would appreciate any recommendations?
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Old Nov 29th, 2021, 06:13 AM
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You're in luck, Patricia. There are some great recommendations here on this recent thread which may be helpful including some from Maribel, our local expert on Spain.

2.5 weeks in Seville, Granada, Madrid and Morocco
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Old Nov 29th, 2021, 07:38 AM
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I can't remember the name of the restaurant, but it was adjacent to my Madrid hotel: NH Paseo del Prado Plaza Cánovas del Castillo, 4. I ate there every night!

Edited to add, I think it is Estado Puro
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...ro-Madrid.html


Last edited by TDudette; Nov 29th, 2021 at 07:40 AM.
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Old Nov 29th, 2021, 09:04 AM
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That looks like a nice place, TD. I could easily eat tapas every night in Spain.
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Old Nov 29th, 2021, 09:33 AM
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patricia,
It would be helpful if you could give us your hotel location, so that we can recommend some great restaurants within walking distance. There are several that I like very much around the Prado area, but I don't know if that is where you'll be staying.

I'll also be in Madrid during the Christmas holidays and have already made my restaurant reservations so as not to have to travel a great distance from the hotel in what could be quite chilly temps at night. And taxis will be in short supply, in my experience, on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, so I've made sure that my restaurants will be within easy walking distance from my lodging.
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Old Nov 29th, 2021, 10:41 AM
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Mariblel, our rental is on General Pardinas street. I know are a few places you like there...would appreciate lunch and dinner recs. thanks
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Old Nov 29th, 2021, 11:17 AM
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Hi plambers,
I think I know exactly where your rental is on that street, as we've been thinking about renting that apartment as well, even though we don't need 2 bedrooms. I'd love to know how you like it, if you could shoot me a PM after your stay.

For that area of the Salamanca district, I really like TREZE, and now is a good time to try chef Sáez's game dishes, if you're up for it, as he's a master of them. If not, it is always a good bet and has a lovely indoor terrace. We go there often for his great value weekday lunch menú del día served in the bar area. He just opened a casual tapas bar across the street, TerZio Bar. We'll be at both soon, I hope.
https://trezerestaurante.com
https://terzio.es.

We also like SANTERRA at Gral. Pardiñas 56 and have lunch there in the comfortable upstairs bar with table seating. The chef won an award for best croquettes, and the food there has always been consistent. Because the bar menu is ample, we haven't tried the downstairs restaurant there.
https://santerra.es.

Four blocks west of your apartment, at elegant Calle Velázquez 54, you have LA MARUCA, one of the 5 Madrid restaurants brought to the city from the Cañadío group of Santander. This group serves comfort food at its best--great croquettes, rabas (calamares), ensaladilla rusa, cod fritters, cheesecake and flan. It can get very, very busy, is always bustling given its location, so reservations are essential. There is another La Maruca way up north on the Castellana that critics like even better but not handy for you.
La Maruca is open Christmas Eve for lunch but closed Christmas Day, open New Year's Eve for lunch but closed New Year's Day, according to the booking engine.
https://restaurantelamaruca.com

Since you have an apartment, if you want provisions for snacking "at home", I would walk the 10 minutes west to the wonderful Mercado de la Paz. We're going to pick up provisions there ourselves for noshing: our King Cake (Roscón de Reyes) from the Cientotreinta Grados stand, jamón ibérico from Álvarez Selección (outside), cheese from La Boulette and you have fantastic tortilla española from the take-out stand of Casa Dani. The French stand/tiny restaurant, Oh, Dèlice Bistró, serves nice rice dishes.
https://www.mercadodelapaz.com
https://www.mercado47.com/Oh-delice

For wines we walk the short distance from the market to Calle Ayala and shop at the beautifully stocked, gorgeous to look at, gourmet delicatessen, Mantequerías Bravo.
https://mantequeriasbravo.com/en.

Meant to add that 15-minutes southwest you have the snazzy "restaurant row" of Calle Jorge Juan--with the line up of Dani García's LOBITO DE MAR (nice seafood and rice dishes and a great, buzzy vibe), LA MÁQUINA & LA PARRILLA, (grilled meats), OCAFÚ TABERNA GALLEGA (Galician fare) and TABERNA LOS GALLOS, most with covered outdoor terraces, heaters and blankets.

Last edited by Maribel; Nov 29th, 2021 at 12:12 PM.
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Old Nov 29th, 2021, 10:55 PM
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Another vote for the tasting menu of Santerra at General Pardiñas 56
https://santerra.es/
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Old Dec 1st, 2021, 11:57 AM
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The new icon of gastronomy in Madrid has opened its doors in the heart of the city, at 12 Calle Alcalá. With 13 restaurants, each with a different style and nationality, the Galería Canalejas Food Hall is already offering somewhere that both locals and visitors alike can enjoy a unique experience every time they come. https://galeriacanalejas.com/en/news...ens-its-doors/
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Old Dec 1st, 2021, 11:58 AM
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The new icon of gastronomy in Madrid has opened its doors in the heart of the city, at 12 Calle Alcalá. With 13 restaurants, each with a different style and nationality, the Galería Canalejas Food Hall is already offering somewhere that both locals and visitors alike can enjoy a unique experience every time they come. https://galeriacanalejas.com/en/news...ens-its-doors/
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Old Dec 2nd, 2021, 05:18 AM
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So glad to have found this thread, as I’m getting ready to fly to Madrid in a couple of days , and I’m also looking to update my list of restaurants to visit.
I hope the OP doesn’t mind me asking for any recommendations in the Barrio Las Letras area ( ie near Plaza Santa Ana) ? Thank you in advance!
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Old Dec 2nd, 2021, 12:12 PM
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Hi cruiseluv,
On our next trip, after this one, we'll be staying back in the Barrio de las Letras at your favorite hotel on Calle Prado (if I remember correctly). We alternate between Letras and Salamanca.
In Letras we like TRICICLO and its less expensive sibling TABERNA LA ELISA (for classic Madrid tapas, pretty old Madrid tiled décor) both on Santa María.
https://eltriciclo.es

On Plaza Matute the business partners of Triciclo opened A MANO, that we also like, but now it's only open for dinner. High top tables in the front and dining room in the back, Informal but reservations usually needed.
https://amanorest.com/en/

On Moratín for sit down, candlelight dinners we enjoy VINOTECA MORATÍN. Sister restaurant, MORATÍN 44.
https://www.vinotecamoratin.com

For cheese/charcuterie platters or conservas along with wines by the glass, served in the back room on marble top tables, we go to CASA GONZÁLEZ, the gourmet deli at Calle León.
https://www.casagonzalez.es

There's a new pastry shop on Plaza Jesús that you may want to check out, ESTELA HOJALDRE, for its beautiful puff pastry creations, like her milhojas.
https://estelahojaldre.es

For churros/chocolate, there's CHOCOLAT at Santa María
https://chocolatmadrid.com/?lang=en

You probably already know well OCAFÚ TABERNA GALLEGA on Prado for tortilla de Betanzos (wet style), octopus, etc. Typical Galician tavern fare and it keeps long hours so handy outside of the typical Spain meal times.
But for high end Galician with fabulous wines, we go to ALABASTER at Montalbán 9, a short walk away, on the other side of the Paseo del Prado, and we sit at the high tables at the bar and make a light meal of their empanadas, crawfish croquettes, fried artichokes. It's considered one of the best upscale Galician restaurants in the city, with a Repsol sun (so not cheap).

Speaking of Galician, after a visit to the Museo de Arte Reina Sofía, there's a handy and busy Galician nearby on Calle Argumosa , O PAZO DE LUGO (technically in Lavapiés, not Letras)
https://www.opazodelugo.es
The owners have a wine bar next door LA CANÍBAL.
https://lacanibal.com

Since it's become very popular to dine at the small restaurant stands in Madrid's markets, we've made several surprisingly good discoveries at the Mercado Antón Martín at the border of Letras and Lavapiés. Downstairs there's Cafés TORNASOL for its tortilla, breakfast sandwiches and excellent coffee. Also we had a particularly good lunch at LALÓPEZ BAR-a fantastic garbanzos stew, paella style rice with red prawns and for dessert, tiramisú prepared table side by the chef. Amazingly low prices for such high quality. Husband and wife team, and one can tell he's had fine chef training. We have lunch reservations coming up at SINCIO, another tiny restaurant downstairs.
https://lalopezbar.es
https://www.sinciomadrid.com

Have a great trip!

Revulgo,
Thanks for the news about the opening of the Canalejas food hall. We have reservations at the original Taberna Garelos soon and are tempted to switch to their new space in the food hall, but I assume the prices will be elevated there, given the high rents.
I found interesting that the chosen representative for rice dishes in the food hall is St James. I used to have paella, way back in the day, at its original location (and still going strong) on Juan Bravo.


Last edited by Maribel; Dec 2nd, 2021 at 12:47 PM.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2021, 07:03 PM
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Hola Maribel!!

So good to "see" you! Oh my gosh, thank you so much for all this information. All these places are new to me and for sure I'll be checking as many as I can!

And let me ask you, I love cordero asado and usually go to Posada de la Villa for it. Do you have any other recommendation for that specific dish?

Once again, thank you, and hope you also enjoy your upcoming trip to Madrid!

Just editing to add that I'm still staying at Calle del Prado but lately at Catalonia Las Cortes

Last edited by cruiseluv; Dec 3rd, 2021 at 07:07 PM.
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Old Dec 3rd, 2021, 07:16 PM
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Hola cruiseluv,
I love cordero asado as well!. I've actually had it too at Posada de la Villa, because I like its old Madrid tavern atmosphere.

The several locations of Asador de Aranda serve an authentic dish (Aranda de Duero being labeled "la Cuna del cordero asado"), but the one that I've been to is at Diego de León, but there's one closer to Letras at Preciados 44. I don't know that it would be any better version, though, as the one at Posada de la Villa, but you can check it out.

Great to "see you" again, and have a wonderful time!
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Old Dec 3rd, 2021, 07:44 PM
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Maribel, as always , muchisimas gracias!
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Old Dec 3rd, 2021, 11:15 PM
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Also, cabrito asado (roasted goat kid) in El Chorrón. Metro: Manuel Becerra.
https://www.restaurantechorronmadrid.com
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Old Dec 7th, 2021, 09:29 AM
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Hi @Maribel - I would also welcome your advice - we are staying in the Centro area - 28 Dec - 1 Jan with two kids (10/14) - so we are doing Airbnb. A few questions - 1) any suggestions on family friendly restaurants? 2) Any suggesitons on day trips? (Toledo or Sengovia)? 3) How easy (or not easy) will it be to get to airport on 1 Jan? Should we plan a shuttle pick up?
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Old Dec 7th, 2021, 11:55 AM
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1) Family friendly restaurants:
Ocafú Taberna Gallega Santa Ana at Calle del Prado 10 in the Barrio de las Letras.
(There are now 5 of these restaurants with the newest one at Sagasta 24: (metro: Alonso Martínez) They have extended hours, open for lunch from 1-5:50 and for dinner from 7:30-midnight and on weekends they open continuously from 1 until midnight.

La Tapería del Prado across from the Prado Museum, next to the Radisson Blue Hotel, reminds me a bit of an American style coffee shop and is very family and tourist friendly, serving dinner starting at 7 pm

Lateral is a small chain of tapas restaurants that keeps long hours and you'll find one on the Plaza Santa Ana in the Barrio de las Letras. Inexpensive and handy for tourists.

The very tourist friendly El Barril de las Cortes at Carrera San Jerónimo 17, El Barril de Recoletos at Recoletos 9 and La Entretenida at Cervantes 16 all belong to the Oter group and also keep long hours.
All 3 will be open on New Year's Eve BUT El Barril de las Cortes and La Entretenida have a gala dinner costing 150/person and 125/person respectively.

To avoid a very pricey, gala NYE dinner, you'll need to dine at a fairly modest ethnic restaurant, a pizza/trattoria place, or go to Dingos at Paseo de Recoletos 14 (American) or go to an indoor market that morning and pick up provisions for your airbnb. You'll need to avoid trying to rely on a taxi on NYE and instead choose something within walking distance or close to a metro or bus stop.

If you're staying close to the Royal Palace, across the street you have one of Madrid's oldest tavern restaurants, El Rey Anciano de Vinos, that has an attractive back room for sit down dining, open on NYE with the 1st table available at 8:30 (according to The Fork) and on the Plaza del Oriente you have La Botillería (by the Lezama group) with the first table available at 8 pm (again, according the The Fork). But I would book now, if interested.

2) To Toledo or Segovia: it really depends on what interests your kids.
Toledo can be a very tiring, heavily art-intensive day trip if you plan to visit the cathedral, El Greco Museum, the 2 ancient synagogues, Museum of the Transit, Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, Iglesia de Santo Tomé. But there are the ubiquitous sword shops that may be of interest to the kids (but I personally find them somewhat of a tourist racket).
Segovia I find easier, lighter, less tourist crowded, less intensive, and your children will most likely enjoy climbing up to the top of the fairly tale like Alcázar and the artillery museum inside. To me Segovia is more "fun", while Toledo, with its vast artistic patrimony, is more like immersion into an intensive art history course, that is, if I plan to hit all its museums, monuments (which is hard to do in just one day).

3) I would pre-book a taxi to the airport for the morning of Jan. 1. With 4 persons and luggage you will want a larger taxi.
https://www.tele-taxi.es/index.php/taxi-aeropuerto




Last edited by Maribel; Dec 7th, 2021 at 12:09 PM.
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Old Dec 8th, 2021, 08:06 AM
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Thank you - my kids are excited about the cuisine, and we are happy to eat at less touristy places that still don't mind kids. Any suggestions in the neighborhood we are staying (Latina area)
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Old Dec 8th, 2021, 09:33 AM
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In Madrid we loved Casa Alberto, one of the oldest taverns in Madrid (1827), and Pelotari (Basque restaurant)
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