flavours of Madrid

On Calle Colon in Madrid’s hippest neighborhood, Malasaña, sits one of the city's oldest and most beloved tapas bars, Bodega de la Ardosa. Since 1892, it has proudly served locals and visitors alike, including the late Anthony Bourdain The bar has a gritty, nostalgic appeal articulated through the vintage bottles and old photos that line the walls. You'll find all the notable classics here: Iberian ham, crispy croquetas and huevos rotos. But their tortilla de patatas, a traditional Spanish omelet made with egg and potatoes, is what you come. With an oozy, moreish consistency, Bodega de la Ardosa's tortilla practically melts in your mouth. Another worthy dish is their salmorejo, the creamier cousin of gazpacho. If you're lucky enough to be there in season, don’t miss the artichokes. 

If you want to try tortilla de patatas in a slightly more formal setting and with fewer tourists, Sylkar is the place. This family-owned taverna, helmed by Alfredo and Carmen García, has been around since 1970. Neighbourhood locals and politicians come for the award-winning tortilla - served rare. Located a stone’s throw from Calle Ponzano, a bustling street in Madrid’s Chamerí neighbourhood, Sylkar channels the spirit of the ‘70s; decades ago, the area served office workers, so it remains closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays to this day. While the tortilla is the obvious standout, Sylkar’s menu is rooted in traditional Madrileño cuisine. Callos madrileños (Madrid-style tripe), mollejas (sweetbreads) and calamares en su tinta (squid in its ink) are classics you simply must try. In keeping with Spanish customs, the couple also serves cocido madrileño (chickpea stew) on Wednesdays and fabada (bean stew) on Thursdays. Finish the meal with an order of torrijas, a typical Madrid pastry akin to French toast.

Optimally located in the bustling La Paz Market, in the heart of Salamanca, Casa Dani’s appeal has always been its simplicity. While it’s a newer establishment than others on this list, having opened in 1991, Casa Dani is committed to serving simple Spanish dishes rooted in memories of eating at their grandmother’s home. Their tortilla española is one of their most popular items; it’s unique in its preparation, as it uses sour manchego, potatoes and sunflower oil to fry, giving it a distinct sour flavor that perfectly balances the sweetness of the onions. And at €2.80 a tortilla, you’ll likely find yourself returning more than once. 

While less well-known than others in the city, this authentic taverna in Lavapiés has been a bolthole for seafood epicures for over 60 years, serving high quality seafood at low prices. It’s one of those classic bars where you can stop in for a small plate of gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp), seasoned perfectly, or stay to indulge in an authentic platter of seafood delicacies. As the name would suggest, the boquerones (anchovies) are among the standouts here, along with shrimp, prawns and crayfish, which are carefully selected each day by the owner, San Sebastián-bred Pedro Andrés Simón. His keen taste for seafood informs his decisions when hand-picking the best oysters from Galicia. 

Located at the end of a hidden alley in Chamartín, Sacha (named after the owners' late Galician-born Pitila Mosquera and Basque-born Carlos Hormaechea son) first opened its doors in 1972. Sacha Botilleria y Fogon  serves an upscale fusion of traditional dishes from Mosquera and Hormaechea's native regions. Throughout the years, Sacha has become an institution for travelling chefs and foodies visiting the Spanish capital; they stop in for the bistro’s signature dishes, including tortillas vagas (lazy tortillas), falsa lasaña de erizo (sea urchin lasagna) and the restaurant's beloved pickled oyster. As the menu changes with the seasons, let Sacha himself guide you.  He’ll never steer you wrong. 

Central to Madrid’s gastronomic scene since 1942, located right in the flea market in the heart of Plaza Cascorro, Casa Amadeo Los Caracoles is known for its salty caracoles (snails) and callos (Madrid tripe stew), as well as other traditional dishes. While now helmed by his children and grandchildren, the taverna’s original patriarch, Amadeo, currently in his early 90s, is often on-site scooping bowls of snails and regaling his sangria-sipping patrons. 

When Lucio Blázquez was 12, he began working at the hundred-year-old restaurant, Mesón El Segoviano, located in La Latina. In 1974, he purchased the hallowed spot and re-opened the restaurant as Casa Lucio. Blázquez serves home-style comfort food in a friendly atmosphere. Undoubtedly, Casa Lucio’s most famous dish is its huevos rotos – they’ve become so famous, in fact, that years later, a store honouring Lucio’s emblematic dish opened across the street, named La Taberna de los Huevos de Lucio. The simple egg dish isn’t the only worthy option here; Blázquez serves fantastic iterations of traditional delicacies like callos, cocido and tortilla española with pisto (Madrid’s version of ratatouille). For dessert, don’t skip the arroz con leche (warm rice pudding). 

Wild mushrooms are the certified showstopper in this Chueca taverna. El Cisne Azul Taberna's directive has always been to opt for the best raw materials: wild mushrooms, meats and cheeses. The mushrooms served are seasonal and prepared raw in carpaccios or sautéed with egg, truffle or even seafood. Think wild oyster mushrooms sautéed with white prawn from Huelva, in southwestern Spain. Although the specialty here is the mushrooms, they also offer grilled beef and tomato salads, along with an extensive wine list.