Madrid offers a diverse culinary experience, featuring traditional Spanish dishes and vibrant street food. Highlights include tapas, paella, cocido madrileño, and jamón ibérico. Seafood like gambas al ajillo and zamburinas a la gallega are popular, while vegan and vegetarian options are also abundant. Top food spots include Mercado De San Miguel, La Taberna De El Pimiento Verde, and La Perejila. Madrid’s cuisine is a rich blend of historical influences, providing a delightful journey through Spain’s regional flavors.
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The Geography Of Spain And Its Food
Spain has many mountain ranges, very fertile farmlands and pastures which help Spain to produce plenty of fresh and delicious produce. With a population of just over 3 million, Madrid is a cosmopolitan city roughly in the centre of Spain. Madrid enjoys a dry continental climate of hot summers and cooler but still temperate winters.
Spain is known for its healthy Mediterranean diet as it has easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, grains and olive oil. There is an abundance of farms in Spain that grow everything from olives to vegetables and grapes for wine.
Let’s start with some facts about food in Madrid.
Facts About Food In Madrid
It’s possible to eat your way through all the Spanish regions without leaving Madrid.
Typical dishes in Madrid include:
- Some of Madrid’s best-known local specialities are cocido madrileño (a stew made with chickpeas, meat, and veggies and eaten by courses), oreja a la plancha (grilled pork ear) and callos a la madrileña (a stew made with tripe).
- A typical breakfast in Madrid often consists of pastries such as croissants, toasted bread with olive oil (often accompanied by cured ham or jamón), a potato omelette or tortilla followed by fruit juice and coffee.
- Seafood is plentiful in Madrid and gambas al ajillo (shrimp cooked in a garlic sauce) is a common item on menus in Madrid.
- Croquetas or crumbed potato cakes are another common food in Madrid and can be filled with anything savoury from mushrooms to ham or cheese.
- Come the cooler winter months, citizens of Madrid have been eating Callos a la Madrileña for centuries. It’s a robust stew made with tripe, chorizo and blood sausage and flavoured with tomato, paprika and garlic with lashings of good olive oil.
- Spain is the global top provider of Olive oil, they produce more than Italy and Greece.
- Tapas are everywhere in Madrid. The word originates from the ‘tapa’ which means ‘cover’. The word tapas stems from when Spaniards used to cover their glasses with a slice of ham or cheese. Tapas are small snacks and are usually shared by groups of people.
- Spanish cuisine has perfected the art of charcuterie or curing meats. Cured ham is called jamón and is loved by the Spaniards. Sausages, freshly made or cured like chorizo feature a lot in the best food in Madrid.
- The Spanish (not unlike the French, only start eating dinner around 9pm or even later in the summer months.
So what food is popular in Madrid and which traditional dishes should you try?
The Most Popular Food In Madrid
The seafood rice dish, Paella, is the jewel in the crown and many consider it the national dish. Or you could try the Valencian version which is rice, spiced with Spanish saffron and rosemary and topped with meats such as rabbit, sausage and chicken.
Vegans and vegetarians, don’t despair, these days vegan Paellas are available at most vegan eateries in Madrid.
But back to the meat again with jamón.
Cured ham or Jamón Iberico is very popular in Madrid, in fact, all over Spain. It has a long history having been made since the 1400s. Particular black Iberian pigs are raised, and the joints are then salted and air-dried before curing for around 36 months.
Jamón Iberico is one version, the Jamón Serrano is less expensive and considered not as high quality as the Iberico.
Chorizo is a pork sausage which is spicy, slightly sweet, smoked and dry-cured. Even a vegan version is made today.
Zamburinas A La Gallega (Galician scallops) are another speciality in Madrid.
Escalivada is one of the few meat-free options in fish and meat-loving Spain. It is a mix of grilled vegetables such as aubergines, onions and red peppers with a smoky flavour as it is grilled over a fire.
Gambas Al Ajillo is a delectable garlicky prawn or shrimp stew. Paired with good crusty bread, it is sublimely savoury.
The soup Salmorejo is a tomato-based soup with no skins and with bread added.The soup has a wonderfully creamy texture with the addition of olive oil and garlic.
Sometimes ham or tuna is added, so vegetarians should approach this with caution.
Last but not least, there are the small but mighty tapas. Tapas are small portions of bread, seafood, olives, mushrooms and other vegetables.
Best Food In Madrid
One of the best things about food in Madrid is that meals will not break the bank. A tapa and a drink can cost less than £5 and croquetas are even less.
Here are five top choices in Madrid:
Botín – is one of the oldest restaurants in the world and has been in operation since 1725. Roast lamb or pork is very good and very popular. The ambience is amazing.
Cheese Bar – Here is where you can get up close and personal with Spanish cheese. The staff are knowledgeable and said to be very enthusiastic.
En Estado Puro – A two-star chef, Paco Roncero, is behind this tapas bar. This is probably the best value-for-money food you will find in Madrid.
Los Galayos – is the place for a breakfast of delicious tortillas.
Gastrocroqueteria de Chema – offers the best coquettas in Madrid and good German beer is on tap. It only opens at 9pm and is usually very busy.
Now onto the best fast food in Madrid.
Best Fast Food In Madrid
La Puerta Amarilla offers steaks and burgers with an Argentinian twist.
La Puerta Amarilla offers fast food with a Hawaiian twist together with vegetarian options.
La Bistroteca is a good bet for fusion-style food, also with vegetarian options.
B13 Bar is probably one of the best choices for meatless fast food in Madrid.
Best Street Food In Madrid
As a modern European city, Madrid offers a wealth of mouth-watering good street food on just about every corner. If you’re craving something sweet after a night of clubbing, try the chocolate churros.
There are also the dishes such as Bocadillo de Calamares (Crumbed calamari), Callos a la Madrileña (pork and chickpea stew), Cocido Madrileño, Oreja a la Plancha 9roasted pig’s ear), Pincho de Tortilla (bite-sized savoury omelette) and Huevos Rotos (potatoes, bread, eggs and cured ham).
Vegan Food In Madrid
Madrid is known as one of the most vegan friendly cities in Europe. With its many vegan restaurants, breakfast nooks, doughnut shops and even a vegan market, Madrid is very vegan-friendly.
La Oveja Negra
In the heart of Madrid is a vegan queer bar geared towards welcoming all and spreading the vegan creed. Offerings include nachos, quesadillas, wraps, burgers, and more. Their veg patties are a delicious mixture of mushrooms and cheese.
Hakuna Matata Veggie
Here you can find traditional Spanish dishes which have been “veganised”.On the menu are croquettes, tortillas, paella, patatas bravas, burgers and pizza.
VEGA
Find globally-inspired vegan food here including curries, poke bowls, tacos and more. If you are gluten-sensitive or intolerant, this is the place for you.
Distrito Vegano
A vegan spot specialising in “junk food”, there are bacon cheese nachos, a good mac ‘n’ cheese and burgers, together with a very good array of vegan and gluten-free cheesecakes, brownies, and cakes.
Sanissimo Opera Vegan
If you want veggie power foods which are super healthy and marked for all allergens, head for Sanissimo. They serve fun salads, gluten-free burgers and very different and creative tapas.
Memorable Food In Madrid
For the most atmospheric and memorable eating experiences in Madrid, try these top five.
Mercado De San Miguel
This market may be full of tourists but it’s a must for making memories, not to mention Instagram-worthy. There’s a food court where you can enjoy food from different regions with ease. No arguing over menu choices here, you can see and taste everything.
La Taberna De El Pimiento Verde
Located near the Royal Palace, this tavern offers Basque-inspired food. The monkfish and artichokes are said to be sublime and they serve Txakoli, A Basque white wine which has to be poured from a certain height. Apparently, this boosts its nuances and flavours.
La Perejila
For pure ambience, its iconic decor and bright green doors, Le Perejila is a top choice in the La Latina neighbourhood.
They serve charming tapas inspired by Andalusia. Try their Cordoba-style salmorejo (that bready tomato-based soup), veal meatballs in sauce, black pudding with toasted garlic mayonnaise on toast and warm toast with grapes and almonds.
Consider yourself warned, it is tiny and jam-packed over weekends so try and visit during the week when it’s quieter.
Madrid is a charming but busy city and should be on everyone’s bucket list. It also serves some of the best food you will ever taste.
Penny is a sought-after wedding and party planner, known primarily for her exquisite culinary knowledge, sharp palette and inventive pairings of wine and drink.
She has traveled the world hunting for the best food and drink to share with her clients on their special day.