This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Madrid
Madrid is experiencing a boom. Its economy is now larger than Milan’s and Amsterdam’s, with a metropolitan area accounting for about 20 per cent of Spain’s GDP. Yet in a city that is rapidly changing, some of the best of Madrid lies in its authentic, historic charms — the city of bullfighting and sherry-filled nights that Ernest Hemingway so fondly immortalised.
That Madrid is best embodied by its old tapas taverns, scattered across the barrios and dotted in meandering and labyrinthine alleyways. As Spanish cuisine quickly ascends the ladder of prestige in global gastronomy, in large part thanks to the efforts of boundary-pushing culinary stars such as Dabiz Muñoz (Diverxo) and Victor Arguinzoniz (Asador Etxebarri), the city’s culinary scene is basking in a new light of interest and admiration.
What makes Madrid’s tapas scene so celebrated is the diversity of its offerings: colourful Basque eateries offering elaborate and delicately crafted pintxos with a refreshing glass of dry cider or txakoli wine; Galician seafood houses showcasing impressive selections of seasonal pulpos and gambas from the country’s Atlantic coast; Andalusian bodeguitas preparing the best cuts of jamón ibérico, that national treasure of nutty, earthy fattiness. Madrid’s taverns bring the best delicacies from across the peninsula in one place. Today, that diversity is amplified by an influx to the city of people born outside Spain — a 20 per cent increase since 2016. With many new residents from Latin America, contemporary Madrilenian tapas served in some of these timeless taverns can be as Peruvian as they are Castilian.
Madrileños of all ages and backgrounds flock to these old haunts in search of their favourite dishes. For many residents, these establishments have become a fixture in their way of life, and their longevity a source of communal pride.
Casa Revuelta
Calle de Latoneros 3, 28005 Madrid
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Good for: A quick, satisfying bite on a lazy sunny afternoon
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Not so good for: A sit-down meal in peace and quiet — Casa Revuelta is almost always chock-full of people
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Prices: Battered cod, €4.90; other dishes, €4–€20
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FYI: If you visit on a Wednesday or Thursday, you can find Casa Revuelta’s other house special: slow-stewed tripe. For wine enthusiasts, the house wine, Valdepeñas, is served in a chato glass here. Widely consumed in the 1980s, it is now available in only a few bars in the city
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Opening times: Tuesday–Saturday, 10.30am–4pm and 7pm–11pm; Sunday, 10.30am–4pm
On a recent visit to the city, my curiosity (and appetite) revealed many surprises and hidden gems, one of which being Casa Revuelta, located in the heart of the old town. Here, wait staff bearing slender glasses of Madrid-brewed Mahou, vermouth and Valdepeñas table wine poured from pitchers zigzag through packs of hungry diners, as the smell of deep-fried batter wafts through the space. Indeed, I came here for its iconic crispy battered cod. The piping-hot fritters, paired with a caña (small glass) of cold beer, are the epitome of the sweet Madrilenian life (in total I had three, unable to resist ordering more). Aside from the famous cod, other classic dishes such as pimientos de padrón and croquetas de bacalao are also popular.
More than the food, Casa Revuelta offers a sense of community. It has attracted a growing number of tourists in recent years, but residents of the La Latina barrio still congregate at this local favourite — some I spoke to even come here weekly. The ambience, though raucous, is always warm and infectious. Despite its fame and proximity to tourist attractions such as Plaza Mayor, Casa Revuelta feels like a preserved neighbourhood corner bar from a bygone era, a piece of Old Madrid frozen in time. In short, it represents what the best tapas taverns are meant for.
Casa Toni
Calle de la Cruz 14, 28012 Madrid
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Good for: For diners looking for a more unvarnished, authentic side of Spanish cuisine.
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Not so good for: Those seeking comfort and luxury, or a quieter dining experience
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FYI: Order a caña de cerveza to pair with your food — the perfect summer combination in Madrid’s sweltering heat
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Prices: Dishes, €5–€13
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Opening times: Wednesday–Monday, 12.20pm–4pm and 7.30pm–11.30pm
For a truly immersive experience into old-school Madrid cuisine, Casa Toni is the place to go. Do not be put off by its humble interior or chaotic atmosphere; this place is a true Madrid institution. Celebrated by locals for decades, it is where audacious and meat-loving diners reward themselves with hearty portions of offal, from intestines to kidneys.
The air, filled with the smell of fried meat as I walked in, welcomed the heaps of hungry souls flocking in. The two-storey tavern was packed wall to wall with groups of drinking buddies, students, pensioners and tourists. Waiters were weaving through tables of mounting caña glasses and shouting the latest orders across the room. In Casa Toni, exhilarating chaos replaces formality and decorum: cheering, yelling, unbridled laughing. For me, it felt like eating in a big village fiesta, with all of Madrid’s social distinctions melting away.
The house special here is the mollejas de cordero — sweetbreads. I ordered the callos a la madrileña, a classic beef tripe stew, and the oreja a la plancha (fried pig ears). The pieces of tripe, marinated in a thick tomato-based broth, were so chewy and soft that they instantly melted in my mouth. The pig ears, fried with garlic and parsley, were incredibly tender and gave off a hearty sensation of fatty richness and gamey savouriness.
Los Huevos de Lucio
Calle de la Cava Baja 32, 28005 Madrid
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Good for: A comfortable dining experience with family and friends. The interior is modern and the service is top-notch
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Not so good for: Those wanting to dine in a rustic and antiquated taberna might be disappointed — the atmosphere feels more refined and sophisticated
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FYI: Before finishing the huevos (eggs), ask for some bread to soak up the residual yolk
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Prices: Egg dishes, €10.90–€25.50 Other dishes, €8–€30
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Opening times: Daily, 1pm–4pm and 8pm–11.45pm
Los Huevos de Lucio, located across from its sibling restaurant Casa Lucio in the vibrant La Latina district, is famous for its signature dish huevos rotos, that classic crispy, gooey goodness of olive-oil-fried eggs and jamón on top of potato chips. The tavern has a fairly modern decor, with a wine and cocktail bar facing the entrance and a spacious main dining room with a more traditional setting in the back. On weekends, the place becomes a popular gathering spot for local families, grandparents and children abound chatting over delicious Spanish classics such as pulpo braseado (braised octopus), rabo de toro (oxtail) and the other house standout alcachofas salteadas con foie (sautéed artichokes with foie). It is a heartwarming reminder of how these taverns are so intertwined into Madrid life.
My companion and I ordered a full portion to share, and topped our huevos with chistorra (a special type of chorizo from the Basque country), which I prefer over the other popular toppings of bacon or pisto (Spanish vegetable stew). We tossed and scrambled the chips, chorizo and eggs into a thick, gluey, even mixture — a fun, DIY prelude to the savouring. The result: a filling combination of smoky paprika flavours with a silky, rich egg yolk. We downed our meal with the help of some fine Rioja Alta from the tavern’s extensive wine cellar.
La Venencia
Calle de Echegaray 7, 28014 Madrid
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Good for: An immersive drinking experience in a well-preserved historical environment where old Madrid comes to life.
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Not so good for: Anyone looking for a filling meal — the tavern only serves sherries, other liquors and small bites
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FYI: Purists can abide by the old civil war rule of holding the stem of the sherry glass when drinking. Holding it differently would reveal your identity as an intruder and draw suspicion in those days
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Prices: Sherry, €2-€14. Small bites, €1.5–€12
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Opening times: Daily, 12.30pm–3.30pm and 7.30pm–midnight
A short walk from Plaza de Santa Ana, one of Madrid’s most charming squares, is La Venencia, the famously obscure watering hole that was a favourite of the Lost Generation including Hemingway himself. Opened in 1922, La Venencia later became a hide-out for Republicans during the Spanish Civil War and the go-to spot for journalists looking for the latest intelligence from the frontlines. Upon arrival, customers are met with a sign clearly stipulating the bar’s three basic rules: no spitting, no tips and no photography. The latter two are a reference to the bar’s egalitarian socialist roots and a way to protect the identity of its patrons during the war, many of whom were spies. Today, the revolutionaries and war correspondents have been replaced by an interesting mix of tourists, artists and photographers, white-collars in fancy suits and elderly patrons from the neighbourhood, but the interior remains unchanged. Vintage bullfighting posters, dark wooden benches and walls with century-old cigarette stains, rows after rows of sherry bottles behind the counter covered in thick layers of timeless dust. Visiting La Venencia is like walking into a time machine, becoming a part of history itself.
I came here for the sherry, where it’s often relished with old-school favourites like mojama (salt-cured Andalusian tuna), lomo (cured pork tenderloin), salchichon (cured Spanish summer sausage), cecina (dried beef), Manchego cheese and free dishes of olives and fried almonds. Bartenders are reticent to talk much beyond a simple acknowledgment of your presence. “House rules,” they say. The sherry is poured straight from the oak barrels that fill up the bar. Given five varieties to choose from ranging from the tangy and light Fino to the dark and nutty Oloroso, I went for a Manzanilla and an Amontillado, the medium options. Paired with some sweet and smoky salchichon, tender mojama and anchovies drenched in olive oil, it was the perfect finale to a mouth-watering walk down Madrid’s memory lane.
Best of the rest
After a day exploring the city’s Golden Triangle of Art, stop by Casa González and Los Gatos in the Huertas neighbourhood. Here, you can enjoy top-quality jamón ibérico and platters of Manchego in dining rooms that look straight from the 1920s, savouring vermouth and the finest Rioja just as Hemingway did. Similarly, Casa Gerardo is a gem in La Latina, offering one of the best taberna experiences with its exceptional jamón, cheese and bread selection.
For diners looking for something similar to Casa Toni, Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles is another traditional highlight. This is a family-run establishment, founded in 1942 by Amadeo Lazaro, who still works in the tavern. Its garlicky snails, cooked in a spicy broth with chorizo, is now a Madrilenian classic, a zesty dish for a lively night of late night drinking.
For seafood lovers, check out La Casa del Abuelo, with multiple locations across Madrid. Founded in 1906, it is renowned for its gambas al ajillo, (garlic prawns). Lastly, for devotees of the classic dish tortilla de patatas, Casa Dani in the upscale Salamanca district serves arguably the best in the capital.
Share your favourite places in Madrid for tapas in the comments below. And follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @FTGlobetrotter
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