As you might imagine, dragging myself out of bed and going to work on a Saturday morning is not really my idea of a good time, especially when it involves getting on a bus and schlepping all the way to Las Rozas. Ok, so it’s not really THAT far (about 20 minutes on the bus from Moncloa) but since I was making the effort to get out there, why not aprovechar and visit Cervezas La Virgen brewery and tap room afterwards?

I’m sure most of you have tried one of the delicious artisan beers made by La Virgen, or at least seen them around at events like MadrEat. At their brewery in Las Rozas they offer tours (on Wednesdays only), tastings and, most importantly, a tap room where you can sample all of their tasty beverages. After I was done with work on Saturday, I toddled off to meet my friends there for some lunch and a few beers in the sunshine.

The brewery is located on an estate called Európolis, which perhaps isn’t the most picturesque corner of Madrid, although there was a nice yard full of cherry pickers across the road, plus the shop next door was called Bebépolis (sadly just full of baby stuff, not another place to drink at).

We tried the Madrid 360 beer and a tasty IPA called Esperanza (they’d run out of the Veraniega) and both were excellent.

They also serve a variety of bar food, including burgers, hotdogs and plates to share such as potato wedges and pinchos morunos. Again, all very tasty.

It’s a popular spot for a Saturday afternoon, so all of the long tables inside were heaving with punters eating, drinking and making merry. We managed to grab a table outside on the terrace, which was very pleasant in the sunshine and afforded us the excellent view of the aforementioned cherry pickers. The whole place really had the feel of an American brew pub about it.

La Virgen isn’t exactly in the most convenient of spots, so the easiest way to get there is probably by car. However, if the car isn’t an option or no one fancies being the designated driver, there are plenty of buses from Moncloa to Las Rozas, and it’s a short(ish) walk to the brewery from there. The tap room is open every day from 12:30-16:30 and from 18:30-00:00, except for Sunday afternoons and Mondays. And for those of you who just can’t get enough, they also do beer to take away!

Info

Where: Parque Európolis nave A, Calle Turín, 13, 28232 Las Rozas, Madrid

Phone: +34 910 804 742

Website, Facebook and Twitter

Book tour here

Situated on an unassuming street behind Príncipe Pío lies Café del Rey, a modern restaurant that’s totally unexpected. Although it’s a five-minute walk from the train station, as well as the Royal Palace, Templo Dubod and Plaza de España, the street it’s located on is quite off the beaten path.

James and I went on a Saturday night when the center was uncomfortably crowded, as per usual. Dodging pedestrians left and right, we headed down Cuesta San Vicente. Just before reaching the station, we turned right onto a quiet street called Paseo del Rey and bam! We’d completely escaped the city’s hustle and bustle and could finally breathe again.

Two minutes later we arrived at the restaurant, whose stylish decor stands out among the surrounding residential buildings. What is this modern restaurant doing here? It looks like it should be in Malasaña, Chueca, or even Salamanca. That said, we were happy it wasn’t located in those neighborhoods because it gave us the chance to try something new and head in a different direction.

photo from their Facebook, as are all the high-quality pics below!

The front part of the venue is a casual bar, delicatessen and shop. You’ll find sandwiches on baguettes, mouthwatering cakes and other treats on display, plus a great beer selection and wine list. We went for dinner so we sat in the dining area in the back, also chic and with plenty of space to remind us we weren’t in an itsy bitsy bar in La Latina (which we love, just sometimes we crave some leg room).

As we were eating dinner, we couldn’t help but talk about how oddly situated the restaurant was. How could anyone find it if they weren’t looking for it? Bottom line is you couldn’t. That’s kind of why we like it. While in the summer I’m sure it’s always packed because of its beach-themed outdoor terrace, during the wintertime I imagine the clientele is more from the neighborhood, as well as people coming in from Principe Pio or after spending the day along Madrid’s river. They also hold events like wine and beer tastings that bring in patrons.

Back to our dinner: James got a burger (which the waiter recommended) and I went with the salmon with vegetables (I’m on a bit of a health kick these days), accompanied by a few glasses of red wine.

The table next to us was having a true feast and I must say the pasta and tuna dishes they ordered looked huge. We enjoyed our meal and the price range was reasonable. For example, the burgers cost €8-11. We didn’t end up trying their famous cakes which I honestly regret. That’s their specialty – the red velvet and carrot cake in particular – and they looked incredible!

The wait staff were also very friendly and attentive. Since Café del Rey serves breakfast and brunch menus too, we’ve got plenty of reasons to go back. I also can’t wait till summer to check out their outdoor seating areas.

Info

• Facebook
• Website
• Twitter/Instagram: @cafedelrey22

Madrid’s craft beer scene has been flourishing in recent years with several bars and vendors popping up to meet an increasing demand. Fogg Bar, a new establishment situated on C/ Moratin in Huertas, stands out for serving exclusively Spanish-made artisanal beer on tap along with delicious cheeses.

My friend Diana and I ventured in on a quiet Tuesday night and perched ourselves at the bar. We were able to chat with the charming proprietor, Marisol, who helped us decide which beers to sample. She and her husband opened this bar in September.

They take a lot of pride in collaborating with smaller breweries and cheese distributors, often hosting tastings and gatherings where attendees can meet the brewers.

First I sipped #5, the Columbus Goes North, an IPA from La Quince, a brewery in Madrid. This was followed up by #6, the Sweet Milk Stout from Four Lions, a distributor in León.

I was impressed with the presentation of the tapas that accompanied each drink, as well as the butifarra, a typical Catalan sausage. I was quite taken by this establishment and recommend it to all craft beer aficionados looking to taste Spanish-made beers.

Info

• Facebook
• Website
• Address: C/Moratin 5
• Metro: Anton Martin

For more on Madrid craft beer, check out:

• Beer State of Mind in Madrid
• Heightened Beer State of Mind in Madrid
• La Buena Cerveza, all things beer in Madrid

It was love at first sight for me with La Bicicleta. La Bicileta Café fills a void in a city filled to the brim with bars serving coffee, but sparsely populated with the type of homey workplaces that I hold dear to my heart. There is something comforting about spending hours holed up in a cafe, calmed by the stop and go of an espresso machine. I like to search out spots where I can stake out territory and sit while minutes tick into hours, my fingers hammering at a keyboard or eyes scanning over pages of a book. La Bicileta is one such spot where this is possible and encouraged and might I say, all the rage. It fosters productivity and sociality and the consumption of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages: what could be better?

La Bicileta bustles at pretty much any given hour of the day. While the sun is still out, it functions more or less just as it bills itself: a cycling workplace and café. You will see people perched in the windowsills with their laptop and coffee within equal reach. Cyclists come and go with their bikes. They barge through the front door and head downstairs to where they store or repair their rides. All of this while waiters bustle about with salads and tostas, cañas and coffees. Once the sun goes down, it becomes progressively unlikely to find anyone doing work. The place metamorphosizes into a social hub with so much traffic that the entryway is hardly ever free of spillover customers.

 Coffee drinks come in all shapes and sizes. The standards are available, but innocent intentions of ordering a cortado may be redirected upon a glance at the spunkier options on the menu like the oreo frappuccino, for example. As can happen at the Bicicleta, one may feel torn between alcohol and caffeine. Options abound on both listings. The food landscape includes sandwiches, salads, tostas, a [pricey] brunch menu on the weekends, and a display case stocked with baked goods: cookies, cakes, and the like.

As Yogi Berra once said: “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” Well, not quite. There are still plenty of people at La Bicileta; but Yogi was right, it’s definitely crowded. Real estate is hard to come by despite the plethora of sofas, elongated work tables, and quaint table and chair setups available to patrons. While it attracts a determinedly international crowd who may not (probably are not) natives to Madrid, it feels like that good ol’ neighborhood joint on the corner.

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Just around the corner, you’ll find these amazing spots:

Mercado de San Ildefonso – Malasaña’s new food palace

Naif: King of Burgers

Greek & Shop in Malasaña

La Paca – the perfect Malasaña café

Aiò – Sardinia, pizza and bike haven in Malasaña

In a city so jam-packed with restaurants that one could eat out in a different place every meal and never repeat, it’s saying a lot to return to a place more than once, and then too many times to count. Such is the case with Naif, a cozy/grunge burger spot nestled into Plaza de San Idelfonso serving burgers, with a side of sass. Ask for a glass of water and one of the snarky waiters will return saying they’ve run out of water, but they do have gin. Alternatively, copas of beer and wine are available for cheap and are a must for washing down the grub.

The jocular banter with the waiters, the hype that comes with having to (almost) yell over the music in order to be heard across the table, the flickering candles of the dining room, all contribute to making repeat Naif visits, but the real reason to return is for the burgers. Never a disappointment, never.

Here, the king of burgers, is, undoubtedly, the Hamburguesa de Trufa: hamburger gold. The rich flavor of truffles oozes out of the burger with every bite. La Ibérica also pleases with its hefty slices of jamón and manchego respectively. Naif has the Goldy Locks principle working to its advantage: the burgers are not too big, not to small— they’re just right. Nevertheless, they can be a challenge to eat; baskets of napkins are placed on the tables for this very reason. Don’t mind about minding manners.

A large chalkboard wall boasts nachos among the house specialities. What comes to the table is a casserole dish of chips bathing in a tangy bath of cheese, plus some avocados and peppers for a spicy punch. These are not skating rink nachos. They can be a meal in itself or something to share– cheesy fingers for all.

And beyond burgers, dessert awaits on the horizon. There is carrot cake, of course, as well as cheesecake and American Pie. It’s not your mom’s recipe, but it’s pie! Inexplicably, it lacks the bottom layer of crust, but there’s a top. Let’s not be too picky, now. The carrot cake benefits from the addition of nutella and walnuts.

Eating at Naif is addicting. You want to be there, wrapped up  in this rough and rugged metropolitan environment, until closing time. Naif can serve as the backdrop for any social situation: friends, dates, and parental visits alike. The soundtrack somehow always fits the occasion and the dim lighting makes everything seem cooler than it probably is.

Looking for other cool spots in Malasaña? Check out:

La Paca, the perfect Malasaña café and bar

Pepe Botella, a coffee place where you can think

Toma Café, Fuel up, Feel hip

Best Café-Bookshops in Madrid

Best First Date Ideas in Madrid for foodies

Beer lovers this is for you again! You can read my first article on craft beer bars in Madrid to explore/discover more. The main idea is to go try and find your favourites’.

There truly is a very special place just North of Metro Bilbao that I like to call the triangle of craft beer. It involves 3 craft beer bars that are within throwing distance of each other. It really is the perfect place to have your heart’s desire of good beer satisfied without feeling trapped in the same bar the entire night. The 3 bars are named ANIMAL, Oldenburg and Cervercería L’Europe. What they all have in common is their huge offer of various beers from across the world. This selection of bars promises a night out where you know your next destination and be sure to arrive as well.

ANIMAL I wrote about in my previous article and you can follow the link to take a look. It is a bar that consistently offers excellent beers from all parts. Tivo, the owner, also speaks good English.

1) Oldenburg, in Calle HARTZENBUSCH, 12

Famous for standing in the Guinness book of world records as the establishment that offers the greatest variety of beers per square meter. Opened some 25 years ago, this bar lets you choose among 200 varieties. One of the very first craft beer bars in Madrid, it inspired the opening of Fabricas Maravillas and is loved by the owner of La Buena Cerveza. However beware there are 2 Oldenburgs and this is the younger bar. More of an institution than an ordinary bar, the brilliant thing here is that you can order Alt bier. This beer is brewed according to the German “Reinheitsgebot” (shouting it makes the pronunciation easier) and originates from Düsseldorf. It is a dark beer that is incredibly hard to find unlike the Cologne cousin Kölsch beer. If you are familiar with the LENT beers, Thor is brewed after the same recipe.

Alt bier is the beer of my home city and I will always be biased to this incredible bar for stocking it. The Belgians, apart for being famous for having no one famous (name 10 famous Belgians, footballers excluded) and no government, make incredible beer. Oldenburg offers the most varieties of Belgian beer in Madrid. Every beer brand in Belgium has its own beer glass to drink from. The glass is designed to increase the flavour of the beer.

Metro: Bilbao
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2) Cervercería L’Europe in Calle Cardenal Cisneros 19

You enter and believe you have been transported to the German Alps to celebrate a round of après ski fun. It looks like a drinking hall with kitsch decorated around the bar so skiers are reminded there is a home away from home. Terrible decoration aside, this place does offer excellent beers on tap and even more in bottles. In fact, it claims to have the largest offer of beers on tap and in bottle, check out the website, with nearly 100. The whole menu is online. The food here is typical German beer food on offer. Lots of sausages, potato dishes and sandwiches to soak up the beer.

Those that like an after work delight will be happy to know that between 18 and 20h all beers on offer are half price.

Metro: Bilbao
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3) Irreale in Calle Manuela Malasaña 20

The other bar not included in the triangle of greatness. However this bar does feature in the same street as La Tape. You just have to love this city. Irreale only recently changed location to their new home a few months ago. Recently having relocated from Calle de la Ballesta 15, this place is a gem. Having taken over the space from Ave Phoenix, the bar offers 12 different beers on tap. Similar principal to ANIMAL, these beers will also change once the keg is empty, meaning a lot of variety. The only two beers they always serve are La Virgen and Schneider Weisse. The latter being easily one of the best wheat beers in Europe.

The real advantage with Irreale is that it offers you the pub feel whilst also offering food. Most, however, stick with the beer and if you prefer the smell of hops and alcohol to chorizo and tortilla I recommend you take a visit. However let’s think bigger better more exciting! Media pinta beats caña, pinta beats media pinta, but the king will always be the keg. You need a place for a birthday party or a friend’s leaving due, Irreale will let you rent the cellar of the bar for free. All you need are thirsty friends and yourself if you order one keg (20 litres) and the room is yours free of charge. They will also give you a 10% discount on the keg you order. Price will range with beer type so just go in and have a quick chat. English fluency is minimal here.

Metro: San Bernardo / Bilbao
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For more articles related to Madrid’s drinking culture, check out:

• A Beer State of Mind in Madrid, on the city’s best craft beer bars

• Martinis, Margaritas & More, on Madrid’s best cocktails

• La Buena Cerveza, an international beer shop offering a huge variety plus tastings and more

A bucket of Heineken for 5€, a pint of Mahou for 1,50€ and a can of whatever offered for 1€ by the smiling street vendor. Cheap is easy, cheap is good. Madrid is littered with examples of how to drink to your heart’s content for under a tenner. Taste, well it all tastes the same, doesn’t it? The beer sold in more than 95% of bars in this city does taste similar. The name changes but it doesn’t matter. The aftertaste vanishes as quickly as the first round of drinks.

Price is king and we all know it. Signs of the large distributors are all around us in the areas of Malasaña and Chueca. What furthers this dominance is their implied demand that a very high percentage of a bar’s income has to be made through their products, unless the owner wants to see a rise in price per litre. This restricts to a large extent the amount of freedom given to owners under contract with the big beer companies.

Luckily, more and more bars are coming to life in this area that are looking to rediscover flavour and verve. So don’t just impress your taste buds but dive into a different and less corporate world with the below bars. Salud.

1)   La Bodega de la Ardosa in Calle Colon 13

This precious place was one of the very first Irish pubs in Madrid, opened in 1892. At the bar, you’re likely to meet Antonio or Victor, both friendly faces who’ve been at La Bodega for years. It feels like an Irish pub when you enter, yet with the unmistakable smell of tortilla in the air. This pub only serves alcoholic beers from the tap and currently serves 4 in total. It’s one of the very first pubs in Spain to import Czech beer, with its main beer being Pilsener Urquell from the city of Pilsener in Czech Republic, the birthplace of pilsner beer.

Another option is König Ludwig, a Bavarian wheat beer which is excellent for the summer time as the yeast gives it a fruity beer flavour. It won the World Beer Award for best wheat beer in 2008. Usually available from the bottle in Madrid, La Bodega offers this fine brew straight from the keg.

Also on offer is PUNK IPA from Brew Dog. Indian pale ale (IPA) that packs an even fruitier punch but never becomes sweet and retains its bitter finish. The last beer on offer is Guinness. When you enter the pub you have to turn around and face the entrance. Above the door, you’ll find a Guinness leader board. At the top you’ll find a Sebastian from Germany who drank 14 pints in under 4 hours. You would receive free pints once you had surpassed the previous top score. The competition was stopped in 1990 due to health and safety regulations.

If the front bar is too crowded, he or another waiter will offer you to climb under the bar through to the other side, which tends to be more quiet and intimate. Also, it handily places you closer to the toilets, which are at the back of the bar.

La Bodega is also renowned for having some of the best Vermouth in Madrid, an option for all the non-beer lovers. If you become a little peckish (hungry), order the tortilla or salmorejo which are both incredibly good. Each beer is offered in either pints or half pints, akin to England, and will cost you between 3.50€ to 5.50€.

Metro: Chueca / Tribunal

2)   Las Fabricas Maravillas in Calle Valverde 29

An American from Chicago and a Frenchman from Bretagne created this bar. Living in Madrid, these longtime friends were frustrated that the only decent bar they knew offering craft beer was la Cervercería Oldenburg. So approximately one and a half years ago they opened Fabricas Maravillas. Each has a master in beer brewing and all the beer is produced in the same bar you enter. You can see the fermentation tanks through the glass behind the bar.

You can choose from several varieties, some named after different areas in Madrid such as Malasaña and Valverde. They brew ales, stouts and pilsners. If you’re unsure of your selection, just ask to have a try of the beer you fancy. The staff speaks and understands English.

The bar doesn’t serve food, only a few crisps (chips for those in America) and olives. It isn’t a big bar and if you want to sit you’ll have to go early or stand up on weekends because of the amount of people that enter. The bar enjoys a healthy mix of Spanish and expats.

If you find it too crowded, you can also find Fabricas’ beer at Bar Martinez (Calle Barco 4), a 3 minute walk away, which is less known and much more likely to have a seat.

Metro: Tribunal

3)   El ANIMAL in Calle Hartzenbusch 9

With 12 different beers on tap and many more in bottles in the fridges, this bar offers a multitude of different beers with flavour. Tivo, one of the owners of ANIMAL, changes the beers on tap when the keg is empty, replacing it with another of the many craft beers he has in storage. He tastes all the beers himself before serving them to his customers, ensuring their quality is up to his standards. If you can’t get enough of discovering new craft beers, this is an ideal place to visit. ANIMAL tends to offer more Danish, English and Irish beers, in particular offering a wide selection of ales.

In September, ANIMAL will turn 2 years old. The bar is situated on the same street as the same La Cervercería Oldenburg that the two creators of Fabricas Maravillas used to frequent. Tivo speaks English and encourages it with his “we speak English” sticker on the front glass door.

He’ll serve you a small portion of food with each beer you order. Tivo knows his beers and can explain to you in detail each taste profile and how the production affected this.

Not a large bar, ANIMAL has several tables for you to sit down and eat. It doesn’t have a typical pub atmosphere due to the variety of food on offer and seating area. The food is supposed to be excellent and the smell alone made me hungry.

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Metro: Bilbao / Quevedo

4)   La Tape in Calle San Bernardo 88

A craft beer bar which feels more like a restaurant than any other bar on this list. This bar offers 7 different craft beers on tap and the best thing to do if you are entertaining visiting friends is to try the beer tasting. You’re offered to try 4 different beers on tap for 10€. They change the beers on a weekly basis except for the first or second. The first is La Virgen, a Spanish craft beer that is very light. The second is a German wheat beer that is both fruity and a bit bitter.

The true treasure, however, is their huge selection of bottled beer. They have a menu solely dedicated to beers from across the world. Be sure to look at the very back of the menu where the temporary bottled beers are displayed. They’re off the menu as soon as the last one is sold.

Two Madrileños created La Tape a little over a year ago. Having travelled across several countries and continents, they both noticed the lack of different beers on offer, and continue to travel in search of new beers to stock in their bar.

My friends have told me the food is excellent. A restaurant is situated above the bar, serving mainly Spanish dishes and offering a large selection of desserts. A pint of beer will cost between 4-6€.

Website
Metro: San Bernardo

5)   REVOLTOSA on Plaza del Rey 4 (bar under contract with one of the big guys)

As summer time is approaching fast and we want to enjoy the sun, I mention this place as an alternative. This bar has a large terrace area outside with tables and umbrellas. They offer Konig Ludwig and Grimbergen (a Belgian beer) in bottles. It is a good place to try the more popular Spanish craft beers. Their 5 Spanish craft beers on offer are Cibeles, Aoora, La Virgen, Sagra Premium and Burron de Sancho Rojo. Going early to REVOLTOSA has its advantages, as all beers will be 50 cents cheaper during the day. The night prices start from 21.00 onwards.

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Metro: Banco de España / Chueca

Also check out Round 2, A Heightened Beer State of Mind in Madrid!

And…

• La Buena Cerveza, an international beer shop in Chueca offering a huge selection of beers, tastings and workshops

• Cervezas La Virgen, a microbrewery in the outskirts of Madrid offering tours, tastings and hot-dogs & sandwiches