Tapas get all the fame in Spain. Drinking wine, nibbling chorizo, sharing little bites late into the night—the tapa is romantic. Never mind that the definition is slippery and the quality unpredictable, or that an evening of tapa-hopping can cost you more in the end than sitting down for a proper meal.

But I’d like to take a moment to celebrate a lesser-known Spanish food tradition, one that’s equally praiseworthy but seldom mentioned: the menu del día. These three magic words will get you a three-course meal, with bread and wine included, at an incredible fixed price. 

Beginning as a government-mandated measure during the Franco years, this practical lunch tradition was designed to provide affordable meals to day laborers during the workweek. While no longer required by law, restaurants have carried the tradition full-force into the 21st Century, with even high-end establishments kneeling down to offer those of us on tighter budgets delicious lunches at bargain prices. It’s not as sexy or unique as the tapa, but the menu del día forms an integral part of the Spanish food culture and is perhaps one of Spain’s best-kept secrets.

The Club.

Over the last year some friends and I decided to take advantage of the menus around Madrid. I wouldn’t call us a club (ignore that I just did) but rather a shifting group of buddies hanging out over a different meal every Friday. We would fluctuate between two and ten people, though it was always anchored by a couple die-hard members, myself included.

I recommend that anyone with the opportunity start their own tradition as well. It’s a great way to try new food, see new corners of the city, and hang out with all the other no-goodnik three-day weekenders over something other than a bar stool.

We had only four rules. All menus had to be:

1. In one of the central barrios.

2. Less than 15 euros per person.

3. Good quality food.

4. Good quality people.

The Rankings.

This list is limited to our menu del día meet-ups over the past calendar year. I included both food and atmosphere in my decisions, though the process was by no means meticulous; I’m going off little more than my general impressions of each place. I also recognize this list skews toward trendy restaurants, which is partly because we liked to use the meet-up as an opportunity to get into otherwise busy spots (Friday lunch was normally little hassle), but also as a much-needed break from the every-day Spanish fare.  It’s worth noting that sometimes little Spanish joints in the outer barrios do the best menus of all!

1. Bacira (Chamberí, 14 euros)

It’s pretty astounding that a restaurant with a waitlist of more than a month offers a 14-euro fixed-price meal. If that’s not a testament to the spirit of the menú del día, I don’t know what is. Make a reservation, wait it out, and go here. The food is a fresh take on the Mediterranean-Asian fusion that’s the rage in Spain these days (thanks, David Muñoz) and the dining room is bright and welcoming with all the touchstones of modern aesthetics (dangling bulbs, faded wood, dark blues and whites) without feeling hackneyed. The food is fresh, creative and delicious. We felt like sexy young business people at English teacher prices.

2. Gabriel.  (Conde Duque, 14 euros) 

You know you’ve chosen your restaurant well when you find yourself eating next to Javier Bardem. The rich and famous have good taste, much better than Joe Nobodies like us, but this place stands on its own. The cuisine consists of modern takes on Spanish classics though there are the occasional Asian influences (again, all the rage), and the desserts are incredible. It also has the nicest bathroom in Madrid—shit’s straight out of a William Sonoma catalog. Atmosphere is cozy, intimate, and occasionally Bardem-ridden.

3. Momo (Chueca, 11.50 euros) 

Unlike other restaurants that include maybe two or three options for a first and second course, Momo offers the entire menu for the menu del día. The food is delicious and varied (again, some Mediterranean-Asian fusion going on—I’m spotting a trend).  The dishes can sometimes be a bit sauce-heavy (or maybe my tastes are becoming more Spanish) but choose wisely and you’ll love your meal. This is one of my go-to menus del día when I have visitors because of the wide selection. They also have a menu de noche for a reasonable 18 euros (same as the day menu), but if you’re going to be in the area for a reasonably-priced dinner, I’d suggest Baco y Beto.

4. Badila (Lavapiés, 13.50 euros)

This restaurant is intimate and classic (the chef himself sometimes takes the orders) with faded white wood walls and a chalkboard listing the daily specials. The food is classic Spanish with a touch of ‘lo moderno,’ and everything is fresh and seasonal. It’s still the best crema de verduras I’ve had in Madrid (had seasonal squash with a couple slices of intense chorizo), which says a lot in a city obsessed with creaming vegetables. Here’s a previous post on Badila. 

5. La casa dei Pazzi (chueca, 11.50 euros)

Casa dei Pazza

Just to switch things up here, let’s focus on quantity. Casa dei Pazzi offers a substantial salad as a starter and then a whole Italian-style pizza for your main course.  There’s also wine, bread and dessert. You’ll wonder how you got away with paying only 11 euros, half-expecting to look over your shoulder as you leave and see an angry Italian chef charging after you with a pizza paddle.

6. Los Chuchis (Lavapies, 11 euros)

Maybe the most charming atmosphere in the list, it feels a bit like an old diner, with a few tables around a large bar and counter in the middle, the hustle and bustle of the waiters running around and the steady chatter of regulars. The food’s great too. We showed up at 1:30 and it was fine, but it filled up quickly. Check out our previous post on Los Chuchis.

7. Bar Galleta (Malasaña, 11.50 euros)

This trendy restaurant in Malasaña has a similar feel to Maricastaña (see below), with both doing modern takes on classic spanish food, though Galleta’s menu skews a bit more French.  They’re also on the same street, so if you don’t like the look of one menu, try the other. I prefer the atmosphere here though—the warm gold lighting, the wide French doors to the street, the wood and brick interior with wild flowers in vases around the restaurant. When we went the food was classic Spanish but good (crema starter, entrecot, a fruit desert) but the menu del día seems to change frequently and dramatically, so you can probably catch it on a great day.

8. Maricastaña (Malasaña, 11.50 euros)

The food is classic menu del día —your typical crema de verduras starter (or hummus or a salad) with a protein-focused second (lomo, entrecot, meluza)—but what they do, they do well. It has a bit of that same late-2000s trendy look to it—exposed brick, sanded wood shelves, dangling lightbulbs and fading white paint—but they manage to pull it off. Galleta wins by a hair, but they’re both nice dining experiences.

9. La Candelita (Alonso Martinez, 12 euros)

We all enjoyed this place. They describe their cuisine as “Latin Criollo” (though it leaned more Spanish than Latin American) with a warm Latin-inspired atmosphere. They publish examples of their menú del día right on the website http://lacandelita.es/carta/menu-del-dia/ so you don’t have to take my word for it!

10. TukTuk (Chamberí or Chueca, 10.50 euros)

TukTuk doesn’t even need mentioning on an English-language Madrid blog. They do a nice variety of Southeast Asian dishes and have great quantity and quality menu for the price, so it’s always a popular suggestion in the expat community. If you’ve lived here for over a year, you’ve definitely heard the typical “let’s all go TuckTak! Takatuk! TACKATACKATUKKA!” They’re pronouncing it wrong, though—it’s “tuktuk.” Read our full post on Tuk Tuk.

11. La Tragantúa (Huertas, 12 euros) 

(photo credit Carlos Olmo Minube.com)

This place was consistently called the best menú del día in Madrid on TripAdvisor last year, and it might still have that reputation, but the second time I went, the quality and presentation seemed to have slipped. Who knows, it may have been an off day. I don’t know how you would characterize their food—it’s a bit of a Spanish-and-everything fusion. I would sum it up as “rich.” Be careful to mix up the starter and second course, otherwise you’ll be like “why’d I order fried cheese in blueberry sauce as an appetizer for pesto-smothered pork?”

12. My Veg (Malasaña, 15 euros)

I bumped My Veg down a couple notches because they didn’t include a drink with the menu del día, which is an insult to the very tradition! The final cost was closer to 18 euros, making it the most expensive menu we had all year. In terms of quality, it would be closer to the top. All the food was market fresh (they pride themselves on “tomatoes that taste like tomatoes”) and the presentation modern and meticulous. It’s a much fancier place than the outside suggests. Just ignore the terrible name.

13. El Apartmento (Huertas, 12 euros)

I came here after a particularly intense bike ride and without showering, so my memory is one of me hunching over my plate apologetically avoiding eye contact with all the well-dressed businessmen eating around us. The food was delicious though, Spanish food with a modern twist. I managed to take this blurry photo before losing all control and smashing my face into my plate in a black-out feeding frenzy.

14. Siam (Conde Duque, 11.61 euros)

I’m a sucker for Thai food and this place does a decent job for the (oddly specific) price. They include tom yum soup or pad thai as a starter, then a stirfry or curry as a second. The atmosphere is a bit odd, it feels a bit like a theme restaurant. While we’re on the topic of thai food, I actually prefer the menú del día at Maiia Thai (Plaza de España), though it doesn’t rotate much, and sometimes the new BambuBox (Chueca) has Tom Kha as a starter, which is nice. I haven’t included either of those on the list because they weren’t done as a menu with the group. Also: Krachai (Alonso Martinez) has very high quality food and some Michelin nods, though the menu is expensive, doesn’t include soup, and doesn’t rotate much.

15. Taberna DNorte (Sol, 10 euros)

So this place has a surprisingly nice interior and the food wasn’t bad (a decent-sized burger, a pisto starter for me, someone got a salad) but it’s located in an exceptionally ugly plaza between Sol and Gran Via and attached to a drab little hotel. It’s the kind of place you’d expect to see a man in a disheveled suit drinking a mid-morning cocktail and nervously waiting to meet his mistress.

16.Vietnam 24 (Chueca, 11 euros)

The menu food isn’t bad, but it’s not particularly noteworthy. We all had some type of chicken or beef stir-fry but they seemed to lack those bright fundamental vietnamese tastes (mint, lime, basil). I also would’ve liked to see pho as a menu option, but that’s wishful thinking. I prefer La Petit Hanoi in malasaña.

17. El b_US (Sol, 10 euros) 

Everyone else loved this place (including TripAdvisor, where it has some pretty outstanding rankings). It has a unique design concept I guess, but I was not blown away by the food. I also have no idea how we’re supposed to pronounce it. “El bus?” “El beh- OOS?” I end up saying it like I’m hesitant to recommend it, which I guess I am: “El b’us.”

18. Vivares (chueca, 9.90 euro / 12 euros veg option)

This restaurant is popular for lunch in Chueca, but I can’t figure out why, exactly. We experienced so-so food in a chaotic environment, nothing extraordinary, and the menu felt a bit too long for them to focus on any type of seasonal speciality. My strongest memory is that it was too loud. “Alright, gramps” you’re probably thinking, but the sensation was like being in an adult Chuck-E-Cheese without any of the cool robot puppets.

19. La Mucca (Malasaña, 10 euros) 

I enjoy La Mucca for dinner. They have a good boletus pizza and some quality appetizers, and it’s lively and fun in the evening. For lunch, this place disappointed. It was the first menu del día where someone had to set aside a dish—a greasy open-faced sandwich with an odd flavor. We were also sitting on the slanting terraza with the harsh mid-afternoon February sunlight blinding our eyes and giving the greasy Tosta an even more washed-out, dreary look. The highlight was this salad, but even that can be made easily at home for much cheaper. We sat there dreaming of all the better places on this list, knowing that next week was a fresh start.

Final Thoughts: 

You might have noticed almost none of these get awful reviews, but that’s simply because none of these places were awful. Maybe it’s a testament to our rigorous selection process, or maybe we just enjoyed ourselves everywhere. If a place were awful, I would have said so.

I think of Homer the food critic: “I’m giving this my worst review ever: seven thumbs up.”

I have more recommendations for menús around Madrid that were not included in this list because we did not go there in our Friday group. I had to set a limit for the list somewhere. Please add your suggestions below or on Facebook and we can compile another post.

Gallery

(all photos were snapped on scene with an iPhone, unless otherwise indicated)

Tapapies, the multicultural tapas route in barrio Lavapies, is my favorite Madrid festivity. The winding streets are even more lively than usual, filled with musical performances and happy crowds of people drinking and eating. Local businesses within the barrio can thrive by making themselves approachable to outsiders while simultaneously deconstructing the rampant misconception that Lavapies is unsafe.

From October 15th -25th the participating bars in Lavapies are serving a botellin of Estrella Damm and a unique tapa representing the cuisines of various countries & the regions of Spain. The abundance of tapa options in the pamphlet can be overwhelming, making it difficult to decide which locations to select. Readers be warned, the portions are quite small and the bars can get incredibly crowded so it is advised that you navigate this path strategically.

After two nights of field research, I have compiled a list of noteworthy samples worthy for your barhopping endeavors. This is an ongoing investigation and any leads from readers would be appreciated!

1. #37 La Amparito – C/ Amparo 88

The Berenjena Ay! Amparo,  a tapa consisting of mozzarella cheese wrapped in thinly sliced aubergine with a pesto sauce. As the first tapa that I managed to sample, it set the expectations for the bars to follow very high. This cozy bar is one that I would return to under regular circumstances because I enjoyed their selection of swing music.

2. #44 La Fantastica de Lavapies C/Embajadores 42

Tartar con Helado de Wasabi is exactly what it translates to in English, an ambitious combination of little bits of smoked salmon and wasabi ice cream.

3. #91 Tribuexete – C/ Tribulete 23

I’ve written about Tribuexete in a previous post, the location that served the winning tapa during last year’s festivities. I applaud their gastronomic sponge-like tapa Maite this year for it’s presentation, texture and combination of flavors. The origin of this tapa is Donostia, San Sebastian. I frequent this establishment and it fuels my longing to visit the Basque Country myself some day.

4. #74 Portomarin- C/Valencia 4 (Next to the Carrefour)

This location’s tapa, Vini-Cola, was a sizeable portion of bull’s tail with bordelaise sauce.

5. #12 Bierzo Alto-C/Sombrereria, 6

A small cup of shrimp and crab chowder was served at this location.

Inside Mercado de San Fernando

The noteworthy samples below can be found at the unnumbered locations in Mercado San Fernando, also written about in a previous post. The Mercado is an excellent location to enjoy Tapapies due to the numerous stalls serving tapas within close proximity.

6. Exargia

Bekri Meze, representing Greek cuisine, consisted of little bits of pork loin with rice, feta cheese and a white wine tomato sauce.

7. El Saja

Agasaja – two small crackers with homemade jams & Picón Bejes-Tresviso, a blue cheese typical of Cantabria.

8. Washoku

Cerviche Nikkei – the Japanese stall in the Mercado served a Ceviche of salmon & whitefish.

Which Tapapies tapa is your favorite?

We wandered Lavapiés on an overcast day, searching for our regular dosis of cafeína.  As we crept to the door of our usual haunt, my friends and I found a CLOSED sign awaiting us.  Spain’s siesta schedule had tricked us yet again – even baristas need a break.  The time had come to try a new café.

Open since last May, Swinton & Grant sits just off the Glorieta de Embajadores, amid North African falafel joints, street art, and cherry blossom trees.  As you walk down Calle Miguel Servet, you’ll first notice just how big the place is.  Natural light streaks through black velvet curtains, revealing two main areas: on the first floor, Ciudadano Grant, a café-bookstore.  In the basement, the Swinton Gallery, a large space for local artist exhibitions.

Hip folks feel at home here.  Bare bulbs and LEDs light customers’ way to the pressboard bookshelves lined with English and Spanish biographies, comics, and children’s picture books.  Jars of LEGOs and framed pictures of Leonard Nemoy draw your eye to bottles of Arizona Tea, Jones Soda, and fresh cakes and cookies.  Bon Iver, Jorge Gonzalez, and Fleet Foxes tickle the ears while you waltz through the space.

The menu, with its own abstract artwork, impresses.  Coffees come cheap (around €1.40).  For a small charge, you can enjoy the flavor palates of special bean blends from Costa Rica, Kenya, Colombia, and other countries.  Teas come in all sizes, colors, and temperatures.

The café offers a desayuno special before 1PM every day.  While you appreciate the art that is half-Banksy, half-neoclassical, you can try the classic pan con tomate, a ham and cheese sandwich, or a slice of cake with your choice of beverage – all for €2-4.  If you’re still hungry, go for a full-size bocadillo or a giant cookie.

After your sobremesa, take a look downstairs, where artists hang their work in rotating exhibits.  Next on the program are characteristic contemporary pieces from Luis Pérez Calvo, Victor Solana, and Antonyo Marest.  If you’re feeling fancy, feel free to buy the art, with prices ranging from a few euros to a few hundred.

Since my first fateful detoured day into Swinton & Grant’s doors, it’s quickly become one of my favorite Madrid spaces.  These days, when I’m in the mood for comfort, cake, and caffeine, I invariably make my way to Embajadores.

Info:

You may also like:

Best Cafe-bookshops round 1

Best Cafe-bookshops round 2

El Cafelito – for coffee lovers in Lavapiés

Desperate Literature – Santorini, Brookly and now, Madrid!

Misunderstanding—now there’s a theme to which everyone can relate. The fourth incarnation of La Chispa, a live storytelling event held on March 1, offered storytellers a platform to share tales of malentendidos with an audience gathered at Atelier Café de la Llana in Lavapies. La Chispa takes its inspiration from The Moth, an organization that hosts storytelling events across the globe and radio and podcast editions as well. La Chispa’s coordinator, Natasha Yaworsky, gave birth to the idea of hosting a Moth-like event in Madrid after listening to many of the organization’s programs. “The stories are always good,” she explained when asked why The Moth had become an auditory staple in her life, “no matter what,” she added.

As event organizer Dan Catalan (featured in the photo above) put it, a “passionate and clever little team” started La Chispa and has been keeping it running since September of this year. Animation student Diego Salas joins Yaworksy and Catalan to round out the co-founding group. The three started working on the idea for the event and from there, according to Salas, “our support network, friends, everyone stepped up to help.” After wandering around Lavapies, it was decided that Atelier Café de la Llana was the most qualified space, and owner Enrique de la Llana was willing to offer the setting as a background for the event.

Natasha Yaworsky

At the most recent event, the theme of malentendidos produced narratives that produced laughs. Catalan explained, “there is always a theme to the events, but it is purposely vague so that storytellers have freedom to take it and run with it.” What better theme than malentendidos for a gathering with an audience heavily comprised of expats for whom life is a landmine of misunderstandings when daily interactions must be carried out in a foreign language? Not only are the themes meant to be broad, they are also meant to be widely relatable. One story, dealt with a series of business interactions ridden with misunderstanding due to language difference. There was a moving account focusing on the themes of identity and acceptance all through an account of being misunderstood as a famous Asian prostitute while at a dance club in Tel Aviv. Another wove an elaborate saga about a misunderstanding that happened years ago in a summer camp bathroom. The stories ran the gamut, each with their own flair and intrigue.

Diego Salas

Storytellers participating in La Chispa are asked to keep their tales between 8 and 10 minutes. To mark the time, harmonica player extraordinaire, Diana Dwyer, alerted the speakers when their spot is about to end. If the harmonica sounds (pun-intended) kitschy, it did not seem at all out of place at the event. It was just another piece of the patchwork.

Inside the space, chairs were so crammed into the small cafe space that when one person would get up, another person would sit down in their chair, which also added to the collective ambience of the event. The pre-show period became a bit like a game of musical chairs, but what better way to circulate and share some of your own stories except not in front of a mic?

At La Chispa: Malentendidos, expats comprised most of the crowd, but according to various event-goers, the audience makeup has been different with each go-around. Yaworsky remarked that she liked the idea of hosting the event in Madrid because of its potential to “offer a middle ground to English and Spanish speakers.” Storytellers may tell their accounts in either English or Spanish (as long as they tell them without notes) and the pre-selected themes guarantee that speakers of either language will relate. The organizers expressed a desire for more Spanish storytellers to come forward and have their voices heard.

Another hope for future events is for the event to showcase stories from a broader range of perspectives, specifically and to have participants from a wider range of ages. Yaworsky’s ultimate goal for the project is to have The Moth come to Madrid and host an official event.

In the meantime, the event coordinators want to encourage storytellers—seasoned and burgeoning alike—to share their stories at upcoming events. The organizers were quick to acknowledge that the general public may think that they cannot tell a story, but were even quicker to offer assurances that story tellers will receive ample assistance in preparing for the event.

Once the story tellers have committed, the event organizers host workshops to rehearse the stories, hash out details, and give performers the chance to work out how exactly they want to spin their tales. At the workshops, storytellers hear feedback on how to crystalize the three main parts of the story: the beginning, conflict, and end as well as receive tips on how to “pretzel” or tie it all together. The theme for the next scheduled La Chispa has been set for ‘Las desgracias nunca vienen solas’ or ‘When it rains, it pours.”

The event will be held on Sunday, April 5 at 9 pm. Both storytellers and story-listeners are welcome. Yet another event is planned for Sunday, May 3. Keep an eye out for posters designed by Salas advertising the event. In the words of the event’s mastermind Nastasha Yaworksy: The more you listen, the more you realize that you have a story to tell. The photographic services company, Imagimedia, was on site to video record the event and the stories will be available for viewing on YouTube and Facebook.

To find out about upcoming La Chispa events, check out:

La Chispa’s Facebook group

Naked Madrid’s event page

Atelier Café de la Llana (event venue)

Bagels were a staple of my life back home in the outskirts of New York City—the inaccessible status of bagels was the only demerit against Spain in an earlier draft of my “Should I Move to Spain” pros & cons list. I’ve craved them badly during my time abroad, to the point where I have even asked my closest friend from home, Jake, to allow me to witness his consumption of authentic bagels via Skype. Bagels are a foreign concept here—whenever I’m describing them to Spanish folks, they can’t visualize the distinction from a donut or roscon de reyes. 

However, due to Madrid’s growing American expat population, I held out hope that opportunist business owners would step up and fill the circular void. The ensuing investigation had me scouring the city, running down every lead and pressing on every underworld connection. These are my findings: I strongly advise purists to manage their expectations when sampling imitations of such an esteemed snack from the old country.

So here, my friends, is a list of Madrid’s bagel joints. In true form, I’ve saved the best bite for last…

1) Restaurante Olsen — Calle del Prado 15 (CLOSED DOWN)

The pursuit began with a rocky start for me and my friend Julie. Although the servers at Restaurante Olsen, a Scandanavian restaurant near the Prado, were kind enough to give us their leftover “bagels” for free, they weren’t at all what we were hoping for–in fact I would go as far as to call these circular bread sticks an abomination of nature.  This restaurant, which has since closed down, established the precedent low standard to which the ensuing specimens were held.

2) La Bicicleta Cafe — Plaza San Ildefonso, 9

This popular hipster cafe in Malasaña has a few bagel sandwiches under the display case by the bar. They’re a bit too dry (and expensive) for my liking. Served with arugula and jamon, this sandwich might as well be served on any other type of bread.

3) La Libre — Calle de Argumosa, 39

This cafe/bookshop in Lavapies offers a broad variety of tostadas, one of which is called “El Larson.” The bagels are imported from England and kept frozen, served to diners with cream cheese and lox and little bits of avocado. Due to its status as the bagel most accessible to me within my barrio, this is my default when the craving overwhelms me. Although not as crisp as I would like, it does the job adequately. The added sesame seeds are indeed a pleasant touch.

4) Mür — Plaza Cristino Martos, 2

A large and comfortable brunch spot, Mür offers an 8.50€ euro “American” breakfast entailing a toasted bagel sandwich with cream cheese & lox, steak fries, and a cup of coffee. This location earns points for its product’s toasty crispness and presentation but loses points for its small size. The first bite is accompanied by the familiar crunch sound.

5) J&Js Books and Coffee — Calle del Espíritu Santo, 47

This popular expat bar/English language bookstore swiftly cornered the market with their vast selection of homemade bagels. The only known establishment that manufactures bagels from scratch, it is apparent that they have a concise understanding of both the product and the expectations held by the consumer. Their offerings are flavorful, especially when served fresh during their weekend brunch. The pictures below document the process in which their bagels are produced.

Have I missed anything in my investigation? Feel free to share the details of any other Bagel providers in the comments section!

Also check out our series on Madrid’s best cafe-bookstores!

Round 1

Round 2

I routinely walk by Los Porfiados and have always been intrigued by what I could glimpse from the outside. I was thrilled when I finally had the opportunity to enter and scratch it off of my shortlist. An Argentine bistro situated on Calle Buenavista, this establishment radiates elegance and class. The decor and lighting are cozy and inspire diners with a sense of comfort. Reservations are necessary in order to be seated due to its popularity. I saw many people enter and then be turned away due to this spot being so trendy.

The staff all hail from Buenos Aires, sans one who is from Barcelona. I was told that the location is only a year and a half old,  swiftly ascending to local fame. Upon being seated, the attentive waiter relayed to me my options from their vast menu. It was difficult to choose from their selection–they offer Argentine empanadas and gourmet pizzas, fillets of meat and a many fresh salads. To start I had a smooth cream of broccoli soup, accompanied by a glass of vino tinto.

The main course was a solomillo de cerdo with sweet potato chips. Absolutely excellent, the meat was savory and cooked to perfection. After using eenie meanie minie mo to make a decision of which of their assortment of desserts to consume, I was presented with a delicious chocolate cake. The check was slightly steeper than most of the other locations I’ve written about, coming out to 19€. Keep in mind that this is a cash only business. I recommend this location to anyone who wants to be classy for a night, whether to impress a date or to celebrate a personal achievement, or to merely hone the skill of pretending to be classy.

Info

Other restaurants we love in Lavapiés:

Los Chuchis Bar, downright good food in Lavapiés

Tribuetxe, a Basque Pintxo bar in Lavapiés

Restaurante Badila — you need this restaurant in your life

My close friend Kameron “el ProfeSoul” Sterling has been an excellent resource to me in my mission to shed light on the endearing establishments hidden within our multi-cultural barrio of Lavapies. “It’s all about the fellas,” he said charismatically as he led me into Gibraltar, a charming Moroccan restaurant situated on C/ Casino by the Embajadores park. Entering this location was akin to leaving Europe and entering Morocco–the authenticity made visible by its lively crowd of Moroccan gentlemen who were sipping tea, bantering in French and casually shooting the shit.

Kameron was greeted warmly by the head server, who presented us with delicious mint tea. Kam is well acquainted with this establishment considering its essentially in his backyard. He recommended that I try the al harira, a thick, spicy soup containing chicken, tomatoes and ginger with other herbs.

This was followed up by our respective main courses: a Tajine of chicken with prunes, almonds, egg, and vegetables & a Tajine of Lamb, couscous and vegetables. Both of these Tajines were phenomenal, with their spectrum of fresh flavors dancing on our palates.

The staff of this establishment are extremely amicable and efficient. The head server, who was quite vocal to me about exactly how fond he is of Kam, was able to guess correctly based on my accent that I’m from New York. I felt very much accepted as an outsider.

Kam and I left this establishment incredibly full and pleased with ourselves—the check was 11€ each. I strongly recommend this establishment to any adventurous eaters who are searching for a colorful window into a completely different world.

Info

Also check out:

Baobab, an Authentic Senegalese Restaurant in Lavapiés

Tribuetxe, a Basque Pintxo Bar in Lavapiés

Lavapiés and its market: the real food emporium!

Badila — you need this restaurant in your life

Until quite recently, kebabs and falafels had the monopoly over nighttime snacks in Lavapies. My favorite new Tex-Mex hole in the wall is hidden due to its awkward branding.

Perdizione, a pizza franchise with another location in Legazpi, has partial ownership of this site—the sign above the door says “Perdizione Pizzeria” which causes passersby to be none the wiser that inside can be found hearty and filling burritos and other Mexican treats.

For 4 euros you can get an enormous burrito of cochinita, vegetables or chicken, and for an additional €1.50 you can add on nachos, guacamole and a beer. Tacos cost 1.50. I smiled when I saw that they offered Negra Modelo, my Dad’s favorite beer from his native city of Mexico D.F. The staff of this location have always been super majo.

Once I earned regular status I offered my council to the owner—this establishment needs to focus on its strengths and prioritize the burritos and its branding as a Mexican joint.

Info

For more on Mexican food in Madrid, check out: 

Madrid’s Best Mexican Joints

Also in Lavapiés: 

Baobab, an Authentic Senegalese Restaurant in Lavapiés

Tribuetxe, a Basque Pintxo Bar in Lavapiés

Cafelito, a trendy spot for coffee lovers in Lavapiés

Restaurante Badila is my number one. My favourite place to eat in Madrid. I’ve flirted with other restaurants during the years I’ve lived here but I keep coming back to this one, it’s just SO good. I’ve dragged pretty much all of my visitors here (some of them multiple times) and Badila never fails to disappoint. It’s really only taken me so long to write a post about it because I was wrestling with the idea of whether to share Madrid’s best-kept secret, but here we go. The secret is out.

This gem of a restaurant is tucked away behind Plaza Tirso de Molina, on the corner of Calle Cabeza with Calle San Pedro Mártir. Its interior is light and airy, with simple decor and a host of delicious wines on display. There’s only room to squeeze in about ten tables, so the atmosphere is informal and unpretentious, with lovely owner Miguel waiting on tables himself. But the real star of the show here is, of course, the food. Oh, the food.

The menu consists of updated versions of Spanish classics, with a smattering of international dishes, all based on the tried-and-tested formula: simple, home-cooked fare prepared with the freshest ingredients. Miguel shops around for the best stuff on offer each morning, so the menu changes from day to day and from season to season. It’s a menú del día format for both lunch and dinner, with around six or seven options for primeros and the same for segundos – far too much choice for someone as indecisive as me!

On our most recent visit, my boyfriend ordered the ensalada mixta con frambuesas y queso de cabra (mixed salad with goat’s cheese and raspberries) to start, whereas I opted for the salteado de espárragos con carabinero y crema de lechuga (a divine concoction of asparagus, red shrimp and lettuce – it needs to be tasted to be believed!).

For my second course, I went with my old favourite: escalopines al cabrales (pork fillet with cabrales cheese sauce). I must have ordered this dish over a dozen times at Badila but I can’t help myself, it’s just so damn tasty.

My boyfriend chose the redondo de ternera a la austriaca (stumped on how to translate this one, very tender veal in a delicious sauce?!) which he hadn’t tried before. Initially I told him off for ordering something fairly unphotogenic but quickly forgave him because it tasted absolutely amazing and I ended up stealing half of it.

Naturally, we managed to squeeze in dessert. I had a slice of wonderfully gooey chocolate cake and my boyfriend went for his favourite cuajada de queso (describing this as milk curd just doesn’t do it justice) which I didn’t even manage to get a photo of because he ate it so quickly.

The menú del día costs just under 14 euros per person and is worth every penny. The portions are very generous and everything is well thought-out and unbelievably tasty. Even the bread here is delicious, unlike in many Spanish restaurants. The price of the lunchtime menu goes up to just under 18 euros at weekends and the evening menu is slightly more expensive at around 20 euros.

Badila is open every day for lunch from 14:00 – 16:30 and on Friday and Saturday evenings for dinner from 21:00 – 00:00. They only take reservations for dinner, so if you go at lunchtime I’d recommend either going early or going late otherwise you might have to wait for a table. As you’d expect, a place this good does get pretty busy!

Info

• Facebook
• Address: Calle de la Cabeza 7
• Metro: Tirso de Molina
• Telephone: 914 29 76 51

In a barrio undergoing the gradual process of gentrification, chic cafes are a dime a dozen. Cafelito, situated on Calle Sombrerete near Mercado de San Fernando, quickly stood out amongst the crowd as my go-to spot for coffee and studious activity in the barrio. The owner, Julio, imports his coffee from locations such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Mexico.

During my first two years abroad I lamented the absence of iced-coffees, especially during the pinnacle of the Madrid summers. This past summer, when Cafelito opened, they boasted of offering homemade iced-coffee using cubes of frozen coffee as the ice. Since then, I have gone through 6 full punch chards and been rewarded for my loyalty with as many free drinks.

My favorite winter drink, which I typically take to go, is dirty chai. When I need to sit and be studious as I write assignments like this, I usually take a double espresso of whichever imported coffee is available that week.

Cafelito is now a hub for the writers amongst us in the barrio. The charms of the cafe are enhanced by the recycled furniture and open library. Coffee drinkers can borrow books–on the honor system–and leave books in the hope that they in turn will be borrowed.

They have cakes too.

Looking for other spots in Lavapiés? Check out:

Baobab, an authentic Senegalese restaurant

Tribuetxe, a Basque pintxo bar 

Mercado de San Fernando, the real food emporium 

Taberna Lamiak, another Basque pintxo bar with free wine tastings