The Ultimate Planning Guide to Madrid: A Complete List of the BEST Places to Eat, Drink, See
Note: This is a continuation of my A First Timer’s Guide to Madrid. If you have yet to read it, you can find it here. If you just want my list of recommendations, then you have come to the right spot!
I have divided my list by what type of activity (where to visit, what to do, where to eat/drink and find the best food). I have also included what Metro Stop to get off on!
The Ultimate Planning Guide to Madrid: A Complete List of the BEST Places to Eat, Drink, See
Places to Eat
Celebrating Simone’s 21st at the oldest restaurant in the world!
Sobrino de Botin (Metro Stop: La Latina)
Calle Cuchilleros, 17, 28005 Madrid
This is the Oldest Restaurant in the world—definitely a must visit during your time in Madrid
Tip: I suggest calling and making a reservation ahead of time, it gets full!
Brunch
Carmencita (Metro Stop: Noviciado)
Calle de San Vicente Ferrer, 15, 28015 Madrid
It’s not super common to find eggs for breakfast in Madrid or “American brunch food” for that matter, so this was a gem for the days when I missed the food from home a bit. My friends and I frequented this place so much we became regulars. Carmencita has delicious local takes on Eggs Benedict as well as mimosas (bottomless, if you so choose!) and other brunch cocktails.
My typical order at Carmencita’s
Cheap Eats
*These cheap eats are everywhere so I did not include the addresses (except the last two)!
100 Montaditos
These are literally everywhere! Wednesday and Sunday everything on the menu is 1€ including drinks—Tinto de Verano & Beer
La Surena
This is a well established tapas + bar around the city. Cheap eats and perfect for bar hopping!
La Sanabresa
Super cheap menu del día!
Restaurante Kintaro (Metro Stop: Gregorio Marañon)
Calle de Fernandez de la Hoz, 70, 28003, Madrid
Cheapest revolving sushi restaurant in Madrid— 9€ for lunch!
One of my favorite places to go to for lunch with friends—cheap, Japanese food! (Kintaro)
Zhou Yulong—MY BEST KEPT SECRET (Metro Stop: Plaza España)
Follow directions + picture below
Good chinese food is insanely hard to find in Madrid. For someone that eats A LOT of Asian food, this was the hardest adjustment I had to get used to living in Spain. There was barely any Asian food and when I did find it, it was barely subpar. This restaurant is Madrid’s best, most authentic Chinese restaurant and it is extremely hidden, but very cheap—everything is under 5€.
Note: No one calls this restaurant by its actual name, so don’t even bother asking for directions. Instead people call it el chino secreto (the secret chinese). It is located in an underground car parking lot!
How to get there: Follow the hidden staircase in Plaza España dow to a small corridor. Walk past the car park entrance. On the opposite side of the lift you will see the restaurant. Warning: There are no signs and no decorations. You will know it is the correct place because there is a menu sticky-taped to the window and there is a very long line.
Must Try Foods in Madrid
Paella
The places below are the most authentic places to find Paella—by local suggestions aka my Madrileño friends lol. Note: Paella dishes (authentic ones) are always made for 2 or more people!
Casa de Valencia (Metro Stop: Argüelles)
Paseo del Pintor Rosales, 58, 28008 Madrid
It is easy to miss this place it is wedged between the apartment looking buildings
Arroceria Daniela (Metro Stop: Tirso de Molina)
Calle de Atocha, 12, 28012 Madrid
Croquetas
La GastroCroqueteria (Metro Stop: Gran Via)
Calle del Barco, 7, 28004
This place is heaven on earth for croqueta lovers! There are more than 10 different types of croquetas, both traditional and creative!
Casa Julio (Metro Stop: Noviciado or Tribunal)
Calle de la Madera, 37
This restaurant has some of the most famous croquetas in Madrid. A lot of Madrileños say this is where you can find the best croquetas in the city.
Jamon Iberico/Pulpo a la Gallega
Triana (Metro Stop: Ibiza)
Calle Narváez, 48, 28009
This was right by apartment and one of my favorite places to get Jamon Iberico and Pulpo a la Gallega
Couzapin (Metro Stop: Ibiza)
Calle de Menorca, 33
Another good cheap spot! This was also conveniently located by me—ha.
Churros con Chocolate
Chocolatería de San Gines (Metro Stop: Sol)
Pasadizo San Ginés, 5
(Oldest churro place in Madrid)
This place is a little hidden it is right by Joy Eslava Nightclub but it is the only churro place open 24 hrs
Tip: The Porras here taste a lot better
Valor (my personal favorite!)
There are multiple locations throughout the city!
Note: Valor has a lot more options than San Gines and they have chocolates too!
Best Cafes
La Infinito (Metro Stop: Noviciado)
Calle de los Tres Peces, 22,
Best place for coffee, books and art all in one place!
La Bicicleta (Metro Stop: Noviciado or Tribunal)
Plaza de San Ildefonso, 9
Very cute and quaint cafe and has a bunch of good tea, brunch and breakfast menu options
I was a regular at Pez Baker—I mostly blame the red velvet cake
Pez Baker (Metro Stop: Noviciado)
Calle del Pez, 38
Best Red Velvet Cake in Madrid—hands down!
Hanso Café (Metro Stop: Noviciado)
Calle del Pez, 20
Best Latte Art you can find in Madrid—personally loved the Red Velvet and Matcha
Café del Jardin (Metro Stop: Alonso Martínez or Tribunal)
Calle San Mateo, 13
Outdoor Cafe in a garden—beautiful!
A regular spot to study and enjoy lattes and green tea cakes (Hanso Cafe)
Nightlife
Clubs
Teatro Kapital (Metro Stop: Atocha)
Calle de Atocha, 125
One of the most famous clubs in Europe as it is a 7 story Night Club—each floor plays different kind of music
Cost: 18€ includes entry and 2 drinks | Make sure to bring your ID, they are very strict about that here!
Copernico (Metro Stop: Atocha)
Calle de Fernández de los Ríos, 67, 28015
This is where most of the locals go, my personal favorite—they play a lot of Spanish bachata, reggaeton and salsa music as opposed to the other clubs that mostly play EDM and house music. Cost: 10€ includes entry and 2 drinks
Le Boutique (Metro Stop: Colón)
Calle Serrano, 45, 28001
Free Drinks till 1 AM—Say you’re on Scott’s list
Joy Eslava (Metro Stop: Sol)
Calle de Arenal, 11, 28013
A huge theater turned nightclub—very popular among tourists
Bars
Ojalá (Metro Stop: Noviciado or Tribunal)
Calle de San Andrés, 1, 28004 One of my favorite bars/lunch places because downstairs is a sandbar!
Ojalá Sandbar!
El Tigre
Multiple Locations
Free food with every drink you order—need I say more? Plus the drinks are HUGE
Vacaciones (Metro Stop: Noviciado or Tribunal)
Calle Espíritu Santo, 15, 28004
One of the best cocktail bars in Madrid!
Dubliners (Metro Stop: Sol)
Calle de Espoz y Mina, 7, 28012
One of the most popular pubs in Madrid—mostly popular among foreigners. They play American football on the TV here! Also 1 euro tequila shots.
Markets
The following are popular markets where you can go if you want to try bites of a bunch of different kinds of foods. They are especially busy on weekend nights.
Mercado de San Miguel (Metro Stop: Sol)
My personal favorite and the cheapest of the ones on the list
Mercado de San Anton (Metro Stop: Chueca)
Super lively here!
While you are there visit La Cocina de San Anton (Outdoor Dining with a view)
Calle de Augusto Figueroa, 24B
El Rastro (Metro Stop: La Latina)
(Sunday Flee Market in La Latina)
No exact location just walk out of La Latina metro and walk towards where all the people are
Mercado de Platea (Metro Stop: Colon or Serrano)
This market is a little pricier but well worth it!
Calle de Goya, 5-7
Mercado de Motores (Metro Stop: Delicias)
Museo de Ferrocarril, Paseo de las Delicias, 61, 28045
This market is open every 2nd weekend of the month and is an artisanal market both with handcrafted products and food (outside) in an old train station. The trains are still there!
Bakeries
Pastelería Mallorca (Metro Stop: Serrano)
Calle de Velázquez, 59
Macarons and rosé for 8€ during happy hour
La Mallorquina (Metro Stop: Sol)
Calle Mayor, 2
This is my favorite place to get pastries in the center of the city—there are so many options!
Note: There are so many bakeries all over Madrid, these were just the must visit ones but pretty much every corner has one and is worth it to stop by in the mornings (fresh bread everyday!)
Must Visit/Do
Sunday Picnics at Retiro are a common Madrileño thing to do!
Parque de Retiro (Metro Stop: Retiro)
This is the Madrid equivalent of Central Park and insanely beautiful. I was so lucky to have lived on the same street of one of the main entrances. This is where I went to journal a lot.
Try this while you’re here: Boat Rides for 45 minutes
Cost-3€ per person/6€ per boat
Palacio de Cristal
This is within Parque Retiro—you must visit this!
The following below are all in the same area and you can walk to them, I suggest starting at Palacio Real (which is in the same area as La Almudena and walking to Parque de Oeste from there)
This is the view when you are in this area
(Metro Stop: Opera)
-La Almudena
-Templo de Debod
-Teleferico
(View of Madrid from the outskirts, beautiful view and it is actually a cable car)
Cost—5€) -Parque de Oeste
Rose Garden
My favorite rooftop view of Madrid (Circulo de Bellas Artes)
Circulo de Bellas Artes (Metro Stop: Sevilla or Banco de España)
Calle de Alcalá, 42
This rooftop has the best view of the city
Cost-4€
Plaza de Cibeles (Metro Stop: Sevilla or Banco de España)
This is one of the most iconic Madrid landmarks—home to the iconic Cibeles fountain and the palace. It is one of the most beautiful Plazas in Madrid. Fun Fact: After Real Madrid wins a game everyone celebrates here!
Plaza Mayor (Metro Stop: Sol)
Another iconic Madrid landmark. There are a lot of restaurants and shops in this area. It is also a great place to just sit and people watch!
People watching in Plaza Mayor
Real Jardin Botanico (Metro Stop: Atocha)
Plaza de Murillo, 2
This is a beautiful indoor garden!
Museums
The Art Triangle in Madrid houses the 3 most famous art museums in Madrid. You can visit them all off of the metro stop Atocha.
Prado
(It is free 6-8pm Tuesday-Sunday or 5-8pm on Sunday's)
Paseo del Prado
Reina Sofia
(It is free 7-9pm on weekdays, 2:30-9pm on Saturday or 10 am-2:30pm on Sundays)
Calle de Santa Isabel, 52
Thyssen-Bornemisza
(It is free Mondays between noon and 4 pm)
Paseo del Prado, 8
El Palacio Real
The Royal Palace of Madrid and the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family
(It is free to enteron Wednesdays)
Anden 0
This is an old Chamberi metro station from the 60s—has a museum showing history of Madrid’s metro system.
(Free everyday, except Monday when it is closed)
Well there you have it! All my recommendations based off of my time living in Madrid. Enjoy! Madrid is a beautiful city ☺
Read some of my Madrid Blogs Posts here:
14 Things You Need to Know Before Traveling to Madrid
A First Timer’s Guide to Madrid.
Madrid, you make a girl want to speak Spanish
Hasta La Proxima Vez,