This is by no means a definitive guide on what to eat in Madrid but these are some of my favourite tried and tested places where I brought my mom while she visited. Most of these you have seen before but this is a food mecca and we always celebrate good and delicious.

Chocolatería 1902, calle de San Martín, 2, 28013

I am not a big breakfast person and I do not generally have a sweet tooth but churros are actually starting to grow on me! In Spain churros are a breakfast item but, to be honest, they are available throughout the day (you can also go to Chocolatería San Ginés where, I kid you not, they are available 24/7). This latter place is probably the most famous churrería in Madrid, it is certainly the oldest, opened in 1894. Since I only had churros in Chocolatería 1902, I cannot offer you a comparison but in my very limited and totally uneducated opinion, the ones we had at Chocolatería 1902 were decent enough.

Casa Amadeo los Caracoles, plaza de Cascorro, 18, 28005

If you read my little blog, you have seen these snails before. I have had them twice now and I stand by my evaluation: these snails are excellent. They come in a super flavoursome braising liquid that is full of rich aromas and creamy fat from chorizo and pork belly. The snails are tender and they taste GREAT. Do not let the fear stop you from trying. Also, ½ portion costs €8 – worst case you will have a ramekin full of delicious broth with chorizo and pork belly to dip your bread in.

Oreja adobada (€6) is a marinated pig’s ear that is braised with little pieces of pork and some spices (it tasted like a mix of rosemary/thyme/oregano). The pieces were well braised and were very soft. I loved the well-seasoned broth as it gave the ears additional level of flavour.

Morcilla de Burgos was yummy as well. Not too dry, not too crumbly but also not too wet in the middle. It had a pretty mild taste complimented by a variety of herbs and spices that was used in the making of it.

IMPORTANT! May I have your attention please! If you ever come to eat here, you MUST, and I do not say this lightly but you legitimately MUST order a full portion of bacalao rebozado (€9). Bacalao rebozado is fried battered salt cod and Casa Amadeo makes it DIVINE. Truly really THE BEST. I am still beating myself down for not taking a picture. The fish is incredibly moist and fluffy inside without any of that nasty goo that sometimes surrounds a badly deep fried fish. The batter is super light and crunchy without any oil residue. And… here I am thinking about it and drooling already.

Granted, my mom was not a big fan of the snails (she tried one) but she liked everything else, morcilla, orejas and bacalao included.

On my list to try here: manitas de cerdo, codillos de jamón, judías.

Casa Gerardo, calle de Calatrava, 21, 28005

We talked about Casa Gerardo before and true to my word I brought both of my visitors to eat this cheese platter (€17.90) already (I legit had it two days in a row and I am not complaining). In total we have been here three times (19:30, 20:00, 21:30) and I would say, come early because they get busy and the service gets i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-y slow. But if you want this platter of the most amazing cheese in Madrid, you have to suffer for it. We left the cheese selection up to the waiter (you can pick yours from around 36 cheeses on the menu) but I trust my waiter to know what is freshest, most interesting or in season to serve us.

We also had ½ portion of sobrasada (€5.30) for the first time which is a typical soft sausage from Balearic Islands (think Mallorca). It reminded us of chorizo a little but was much softer/mushier and had a little bit of an acidic tang. I would order it again!

Casa Alberto, calle de las Huertas, 18, 28012

Calamares andaluza or deep fried calamari (€15) were soft and tender, the breading light and crispy. It was perfect with a little bit of lemon juice to cut through some of the oil. Rabo estofado (½ portion €14.75) was excellent. So tender! And the sauce is rich and salty, perfect for using every last bit of your bread to wipe the plate clean.

Langostinos al ajillo or garlic shrimp in oil (€14) was absolutely delightful and maybe even better than at La Casa del Abuelo. The garlic verged on being fully confit, so it worked well as a spread on the bread. Basically, you smear garlic on your bread, soak that into the aromatic oil, put a shrimp on it and that is your perfect bite. That garlic oil is so good that we kept dipping the bread in it well after we were done with the shrimp.

Bonus

You already know the following places quite well but since my post on “quintessential tapas in Madrid” I have eaten there again and have more pictures and comments to share. Also, these two places are great and there will never be too many drool-worthy food pictures, am I right?

Juana La Loca, plaza de Puerta de Moros, 4, 28005

As I mentioned before, piparras (€9.80) are in season and I think it is a good idea to order as much seasonal stuff as possible. These were excellent the second time around and I will be sure to order them again if they are still in season when I come back to eat here (because I will). Huevo confitado (€7.90) crushed it again. It is still one of my favourite plates at Juana La Loca. Tortilla de papas (€4.50) was excellent as always. Truly one of the best tortillas españolas I have ever had. Sardina ahumada (€12.50) was super yummy too. The same goes for the alcachofas laminadas (€10.50) that are not pictured because I was too quick to stuff my face with it. I am serious, at Juana La Loca you can order anything and it will be delicious.

Casa Toni, calle de la Cruz, 14, 280012

As per usual, our order at Casa Toni always includes one of the following: orejas (½ portion €3.50), riñones (½ portion €3) or mollejas (½ portion €5.30). All of these are grilled to perfection and have a delicious char of that never-has-been-cleaned grill. Pig’s ears are both gelatinous and snappy. Kidneys are tender. Sweetbreads are incredibly juicy and soft.

You should not forget to eat your veggies, so order padrón peppers (½ portion €3) and setas or mushrooms (½ portion €4.50). Both were great but the true standout was that plate of grilled mushrooms. I cannot wait to go back and order it again. The mushrooms were meaty, juicy, salty and sour. A winning combo!

This is by far the cheapest tapas place we have ever been to. I am truly amazed at the quality-to-price ratio here. They manage to hold on to this truly unique combo: great food, very cheap, decent service, I want to know how do they achieve this holy trinity that is impossible to find anywhere else in its entirety?

Feel adventurous? Order: zarajos (fried lamb intestine) or callos (tripe stew).

Summary

This little entry barely scratches the surface of the Spanish tapas world and I might as well call this “part one of the meaty edition”. Because you might ask as I am asking myself here: what about the cold cuts?! what about the seafood?! what about the seasonal vegetables?! what about those preserved goodies that come from a can?! The subject of this entry still stands though. You can and you will eat well in any of the aforementioned places. I know I did and my mom concurs! Double seal of approval for you, folks!