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A’NÓMALO
C/ Del Pinar, 15
Owners: José Gómez y Cayo Martínez
Created ‘ad hoc’ by the restaurant A’Barra to create a more rogue and original alternative, this is one of the most popular bars in Madrid, which in a matter of months managed to become the place to visit. The elliptical bar contains within it the life of its team and its cuisine, allowing the visitor to become part of the experience. Coming from the A’Barra team, the menu does not disappoint, as does the quality of its products.
ANGELITA
C/ Reina, 4
Owners: David y Mario Villalón
The Villalón brothers have become one of the greatest ambassadors of seasonal produce and honest gastronomy. Among the tradition and the bar game because there is always a dish of tripe or ratatouille with its egg yolk waiting. Not to mention their tomato, which they get from their own garden.
ARIMA
C/ Ponzano, 51
Owners: Nagore Irauzegi y Rodrigo García
This bar is the festival of the Basque cuisine interpreted by the binomial Nagore-Rodri. The good vibes make you stay glued to this wooden board for a long time. A must is their Gilda Joxefa, with blown bread with piparra mayonnaise, the grilled asparagus or the Stilton croquettes. If there is Ponzano, there is Arima.
BAR H EMBLEMÁTICO
C/ Castelló, 83
Owners: Ismael y Fernando Hevia
It was born last spring as a tribute to the traditional bars. That is why all its activity revolves around the bar, with uninterrupted opening hours from breakfast to dinner and an offer based on tradition, with quality products: rations and classic bar snacks coexist with more substantial dishes to savor on the tablecloth.
BODEGAS ROSELL
C/ General Lacy, 14
Owners: Manolo Rosell y hermanos
It is one of the many wineries that opened in the late nineteenth century in the capital to sell wine in bulk. Today, this Madrid tavern maintains the spirit of that time in its decoration. Here you can enjoy traditional home cooking (omelette, croquettes or potatoes) that tastes great accompanied by a well-drawn beer.
CASA REVUELTA
C/ Latoneros, 3
Owner: Revuelta family
And we move from one historic place to another, because the Revuelta bar is where the craving for battered cod has been satisfied since 1966. Just a few steps from the Plaza Mayor, this place has become one of the most popular among locals and visitors, and its cod has been prepared in the same way since the beginning so that it is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
CASTELADOS
C/ Antonio Acuña, 18
Owner: Jose Luis Román
It is the little brother of La Castela, which started rolling in 2016. The spirit is the same and the quality raw material is the undisputed protagonist. As they themselves state: “The street, the bar, the meeting, friends, family, our customs, enjoying around a table, experiences and memories in a space that lasts through the years and that the patina of time consolidates in a classic”, that is its essence.
CERVECERÍA SANTA BÁRBARA
C/ Santa Bárbara, 8
It was the favorite gathering place for labor lawyers, trade unionists and students, or for film and theater directors and actors. A patina that has left its bar impregnated with a special aura in which everyone meets. Always with great atmosphere, in the Cervecería Santa Bárbara the time has the faculty to pass flying between tapas of seafood, preserves or salted fish.
EL DOBLE
C/ Ponzano, 58 o C/ Abascal, 16
Owners: Jesús, Jorge y Paco Del Puerto
It is a place worth visiting, even once in a lifetime, because anything can happen here. Getting a seat is not easy, but once inside, it will be hard to say goodbye. There is always plenty of beer, fresh seafood, English fries, bar atmosphere and conversation, either with your companions or with whoever is next to you.
EL SEÑOR MARTIN
C/ General Castaños, 13
Owner: Javier Rodríguez Tur
For many it is the place to go to enjoy the finest fish in Madrid. Pieces carefully chosen daily with the fishermen, and that have in the mastery of their elaborations and in the embers their best ally. Sea and fire merge on the dishes that we can enjoy in a lively bar with direct line to the kitchen and the grill.
FIDE
C/ Bretón de los Herreros, 17 o C/ Ponzano, 8
El Fide is another must on Ponzano street, where the waiters have the energy of the bar running through their veins. You can start with a portion of oysters and another of prawn salad, follow with one of their preserves (mussels, cockles, wild tuna) to finish with a canapé of cod, sardines or ham, and an indescribable taste for the body.
LA BARRA DE SANTERRA
C/ General Pardiñas, 56
Owner: Grupo Santerra
With the kitchen headed by the young Miguel Carretero, this restaurant offers an informal space in which to enjoy the classic dishes of a Madrilenian bar, with the characteristic Santerra touch of the aforementioned chef. Seasonal products, traditional techniques, Madrid roots and gastronomic evolution are combined in an uninterrupted cuisine with a very interesting selection of wines by the glass, beers and two menus to enjoy the best gastronomy.
LA CASTELA
C/ Dr. Castelo, 22
Owner: José Luis Román
La Castela has been welcoming people to its bar since 1989. They are now in their third generation and do not abandon, not even for a second, the illusion that each person who enters their house leaves with a face of absolute happiness. Among its classics are the anchovy, anchovy and roasted bell pepper skewer, chickpeas with prawns or scrambled blood sausage and beans.
LA CATAPA
C/ de Menorca, 14
Owner: Miguel Ángel Jiménez
A place designed for the enjoyment of that activity that we like so much as it is to hurry the hours in good company while we enjoy some delicious snacks with the best wines. Its high tables and its bar create a pleasant and informal atmosphere, ideal for an entertaining pass time while we enjoy a menu that combines a selection of delicious meats and fish. The menu in the dining room is different, but both are equally promising.
LA DOLORES
Plaza Jesús, 4
Owner: Antonio López
Strolling through the neighborhood of Las Letras is to stop at La Dolores to regain strength. Its facade, with those white and blue tiles, is the heritage left by the bars of yesteryear. Inside, there is an impressive bar where pickles, banderillas and salted fish are dispensed left and right. These are the places that should never disappear.
LA GILDERÍA
C/ Calatrava, 17
Owners: Cristina Bonaga y Yahaira Malavé
Yahaira is from Burgos, a city with a strong culture of appetizers, gildas and vinagrillos; a tradition that inspired them to open La Gildería. The design of this place is completely different from anything else in the city and its bar is the meeting point for lovers of this snack pierced by a toothpick, either in its classic version, with anchovies, marriage, with cheese or vegetarian.
LA MINA
C/ General Álvarez de Castro, 8
Owner: Gonzalo Melendro
The traditional neighborhood of Chamberí is home to this reference point for appetizers, where at rush hour there is no room for a pin. Here everything is simple, but special; like its people, the atmosphere and the tapas, which go from the sea, with its salpicón, cooked seafood or clams in the marinera style, to the mountain, with the classic pincho moruno that they have been preparing since 1949.
LA MONTE
C/ Dr. Castelo, 9
Owner: Miguel Román
In a tremendously cozy space, the bar of La Monte is one of the essential stops when you go to Retiro. Here you will always find the classics of our cuisine, such as croquettes, rabas, gambas a la gabardina or cazón en adobo; but you can also be surprised with other more exotic dishes such as quinoa and mushroom ceviche, tripe risotto or kinilaw, the Filipino tuna ceviche.
LA MONTERÍA
C/ López de Rueda, 35
Owner: Miguel Román
And from La Monte to La Montería, both projects share a warm atmosphere and traditional cuisine, but with a push of creativity and playfulness. It is impossible to leave here without trying their great classic: mango slices, foie gras and crispy. Although this bar also speaks the language of sweets, as evidenced by its six desserts.
LA RETASCA
C/ Ibiza, 38
Owner: Grupo Bullbiza
If Juanjo López, from La Tasquita de Enfrente, is behind, everything will be fine. Here the bar is almost a table, due to its height, which, when seated, is at the same level. And that is the ideal place to see the bustle behind and in front, in a constant ‘march and pass’. At this bar you can find the rations of a tasca; a Capel omelette here, an oreja brava there or a mollete Don Pepe to finish the job.
LOS GATOS
C/ Jesús, 2
When the plan is at Los Gatos, the answer must be a resounding ‘yes’. Why? Well, because its charm is indisputable, with all that polished sterling silver (cane included), the wooden and marble bar, the pictures on the wall, the painted tiles and the canapés on display to whet your appetite.
MANERO
C/ Claudio Coello, 3
Owner: Grupo Gastro Portal
After the success of their mother restaurant in Alicante, they came to Madrid to replicate it. Here the bar and tapas “made in Spain” are practiced with a great staging inspired by the best European bars of the beginning of the century to recreate its spirit. If you want, you can go all out with cans of caviar, oysters or king crab.
QUINTÍN
C/ Jorge Juan, 17
Owner: Grupo Paraguas
It was one of the first restaurants of Grupo Paraguas, with Sandro Silva and Marta Seco at the helm, and since it opened its doors in 2015, it has not stopped welcoming its loyal clientele. They transformed an old-fashioned grocery store into a restaurant where you can feel at home and, in addition, eat very well. Its bar is open all day long to welcome both daytime and nighttime customers.
RAFA
C/ Narváez, 68
Owner: Familia Andrés
A classic that does not stop betting on a seasonal cuisine in which they give all the prominence to the product without artifice. Its fish and seafood, brought fresh from all the Spanish coasts, are the kings of the menu, although its stews also stand out. At the bar, classics such as the famous Russian salad, tuna tartar or sirloin steak.
TABERNA LAREDO
C/ del Doctor Castelo, 30
Owner: Hermanos Laredo
In spite of its contemporary decoration, which could make us doubt its de!nition as a “tavern”, the Laredo brothers -David in the kitchen, Miguel Ángel in the dining room and in the wine cellar-, have managed to maintain a loyal clientele thanks to the care with which they treat the best products, which they present according to the most recognizable tradition. Its ample bar does not admit reservations.
TERZIO
C/ General Pardiñas, 25
Owner: Saúl Sanz
In Terzio, the vibrant essence of Madrid merges with its renewed image. This space, as the younger brother of the celebrated Treze, renowned for its seasonal cuisine, stands out for its uniqueness and vitality. Its ambiance is designed for a relaxed bar experience, where good company and excellent food combine to offer an ideal setting.
TRAFALGAR
C/ Alburquerque, 14
Owners: David Yllera, Nacho Aparicio y Juan Tena
The first thing that catches your attention when you enter is the large oval bar. Then, all the light that comes through the large windows and the coziness of the space. Its creators have wanted to give life to a bar of always, but also of today. And that is why the classic dishes have been given a modern touch, such as the bravas “amilhojadas”, the smoked pork bikini or the sweetbreads with happy sauce. In addition, there is always good music.
UMIKO
C/ de los Madrazo, 6
Owner: Juan Alcaide y Pablo Álvaro
Juan and Pablo, owners and chefs of Umiko, are truly passionate about Japanese tradition, and this is reflected in this temple of Asian fusion cuisine, which has been in existence for 8 years. Their new restaurant has 800 square meters distributed in different atmospheres in which a spectacular bar with capacity for twelve people stands out in front of its kitchen, which allows to enjoy the work in it while tasting the remarkable results.
VARRA FINA
C/Hermosilla, 7
Owner: Jorge Velasco y Joaquín Serrano
Varra Fina is the most informal concept of Varra, the project led by chefs Joaquín Serrano and Jorge Velasco, which gives its “little brother” the second floor of the restaurant. Its menu is based on absolute respect for the product and seasonality, as well as the most traditional tavern tradition without renouncing contemporaneity.
VIAVÉLEZ
C/ General Perón, 10
Owner: Pablo Rodríguez
2023 was an exciting year for Paco Ron, who was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Gastronomic Academy of Madrid, while handing over the baton to Enrique Limón to captain the Viavélez kitchen. The commitment is important: to continue serving the pure essence of the Cantabrian Sea with Asturias always present. A true classic.
