Many times when people visit Madrid or they have friends over this fantastic city they always ask me for recommendations
Before I even come back to madrid I created a small list of tips for hotels, restaurants and places for drinks. Now I will probably update this one but let me start from the "classic" one:
Some ideas about restaurants
Luxury/ Romantic
CombarroCalle Reina Mercedes, 12 (+34 91 554 7784
The place maybe is too big for a really romantic dinner but it is very nice and the seafood takes another dimension here
This luxurious restaurant serves Galicia's best seafood, cooked according to traditional recipes. Try the octopus a feira (steamed with olive oil and paprika), empanadas (tuna-filled puff pastries), sea bass or bream. As you walk in, the first thing you will notice is a glass floor with an aquarium underneath that is full of live seafood in genuine Atlantic seawater. The restaurant is divided into several dining rooms decorated with antiques, wooden floors, ochre-coloured walls and costumbrista paintings. Valet parking.
A couple of other 2 nice seafood restaurants with maybe a bit more couzy atmosphere are
Gran Barril (Calle Goya) or
La Taberna del Puerto de Fernan Gonzalez (better downstairs for raciones that in the restaurant, in barrio Ibiza, calle Fernan Gonzalez)
Menta y CanelaIn Plaza Cuzco Now
Tfn: 91 359 11 94 y 91 359 69 33
Great food and you can get a very nice table in the garden (depending if the weather is good)
Good value and romanticLa Vaca VeronicaDirección: Moratín, 38.
Zona: Centro.
Metro: Banco de España.
Tfn: 91 429 78 27.
Small place with very nice service, this place is really romantic and has excellent food (pasta fresca (pasta con carabineros is excellent), good fish and excellent cakes)
Also near the Santa Ana and The Palace hotel area. You will need to reserve
Excellent meet cuarto y Mitad. Bolivia, 21 (fairly near Santiago Bernabeu)
Madrid
28016
This place is really easy going and it could look like you got to the wrong place but meat best meet in Madrid and you really need a reservation for this one
Specializing in grilled meats since it opened in 1986, the best thing on the menu here is the Galician beef. It is best accompanied by fried potatoes and peppers. For starters, you can choose from a selection of salads, egg dishes, pork, sausage, and cheeses. Wash it all down with a fine wine or champagne from the excellent cellar, and try a homemade dessert. You are surrounded by a simple, tasteful decor of white walls and checkered tablecloths. There are two floors with enough room to sit 180 people and a lovely outdoor terrace in summer. Valet parking.
Taqueria BirraDirección: Plaza Comendadoras, 2.
Zona: Centro.
Metro: Noviciado.
Tfn: 91 522 80 49.
Tipo de cocina: Mexicana.
The location is superb, in one of the most lovely squares in Madrid. The terrace is usually open since marhc and really good mexican (not tex mex but traditional). Really spicy if you want
TapasBest tapas is to go to
the area of the hotel Palace and in the back of this hotel there is 2 streets full of great bars with good beer and wine and excellent tapas
Also another great place for tapas in the other part of old Madrid (near Palacio Real) is
El Almendro (the tapas here are more Andulucian style, with eggs, jamon, salmorejo, and buen fino)
C/Almendro 13 (Metro La Latina)
Madrid,
Telephone: 913 65 42 52
is an institution in the Latin district that combines an historic Madrid feel with tasteful modernisation. A young and hip clientele mix with the seasoned veterans, favouring the crafty new wines to tired old beer. But the house sherry is still popular with both sets and the tapas is the best in town.
