Where to eat and drink in Las Letras
27 places in Las Letras, Madrid: what to order, when to go and local tips.
- 01
Teatro Kapital
A multi-floor nightclub in a former theatre by Atocha, with different rooms and a dress-conscious door.
OrderA cerveza at the bar, then explore the different dance floors.
- 02
Casa Alberto
A red-fronted 1827 taberna on the site of Cervantes's former home, with its own vermut de grifo.
OrderVermut de grifo, pincho de bacalao rebozado, then rabo estofado or callos a la madrileña.
- 03
La Venencia
Sherry, chalk tabs and a gloriously dusty bar: La Venencia keeps its own rules.
OrderManzanilla or fino to start, then amontillado or oloroso, with mojama, cecina or a plate of olives.
- 04
Taberna La Dolores
Tiled-façade 1908 bar near the Prado, where the cañas are cold and the montaditos fly off the counter.
OrderA caña, a gilda and a canapé de salmón; cold tapas are the point here.
- 05
Cervecería Alemana
Hemingway's old haunt on Plaza de Santa Ana: wood panelling, white-jacketed waiters, a terrace on the square.
OrderA caña or doble, boquerones en vinagre, jamón ibérico and a ración de tortilla.
- 06
Salmon Guru
Diego Cabrera's neon-lit cocktail playground, a regular on the World's 50 Best Bars list.
OrderA Mad Bunny cocktail and takoyaki de rabo de toro from the food menu.
- 07
Café Central Ateneo
Madrid jazz institution since 1982, now playing at the Ateneo after its 2026 move.
OrderA Gin Fizz or a classic daiquiri while you listen to the set.
- 08
Casa González
A 1931 ultramarinos turned wine bar: cheese and conservas counter at the front, wine tables at the back.
OrderA tabla de quesos, a tin of good conservas, and a glass of Spanish wine pulled from the shop shelves.
- 09
Chuka Ramen Bar
Ramen, baos and dumplings on Echegaray, with rich broths and a counter worth squeezing into.
OrderTokyo shoyu or Hakata tonkotsu ramen, plus gyoza de vaca madurada y ají amarillo.
- 10
La Sanabresa
Fluorescent-lit casa de comidas by Antón Martín with one of the cheapest honest menús in the centre.
OrderThe menú del día: look for garbanzos guisados or ternera guisada on that day's list; flan to finish.
- 11
Los Gatos
Typewriters, clocks and a Virgin watch over the tostas at this wonderfully cluttered vermut bar.
OrderTosta de salmón, gilda and vermut de grifo.
- 12
Los Gabrieles
A tiled 1907 tavern, revived in 2026, where a minutejo is reason enough to stop at the bar.
OrderMinutejo de oreja, bocatín de calamares 2.0 and pepito de buey madurado.
- 13
Cervecería Cervantes
Cañas and hefty raciones beside the Medinaceli basilica, with no ceremony required since 1983.
OrderCaña, pulpo a la gallega and huevos rotos con jamón.
- 14
Taberna La Trucha
Smoked-fish canapés and honeyed aubergines at a 1953 tavern revived by the Casa del Abuelo family.
OrderCroqueta de jamón, berenjenas rebozadas con miel de caña and canapé de trucha ahumada.
- 15
Taberna Maceiras
Pulpo, Galician wine and wooden benches on Huertas: bring an appetite and speak up.
OrderPulpo a la gallega, croquetas de queso de tetilla and albariño.
- 16
TriCiclo
Javier Goya’s bistro makes room for curiosity: many dishes come in halves or thirds, alongside a tasting menu.
OrderGamba, shiso y mango; tosta de atún rojo, aguacate y maíz; canelón de rabo, salsa de setas y pecorino.
- 17
Taberna de la Elisa
TriCiclo’s take on a 1907 tavern, where crispy oreja and battered morro give the old bar plenty of bite.
OrderOreja de cerdo crujiente con mojo, morro rebozado con salsa vizcaína and dado de bacalao crujiente.
- 18
Santos y Desamparados
Gothic ironwork, dark wood and rock music frame cocktails with rather more imagination than the usual late drink.
OrderBamboo Macho and Dragón Amarillo.
- 19
Tablao Flamenco 1911
Flamenco in the tiled former Villa Rosa, founded in 1911, with four evening shows and a drink included.
OrderJamón ibérico de bellota, queso manchego curado and tinto de verano.
- 20
Cardamomo
A small tablao with a changing weekly cast: come for an hour of flamenco, with tapas at your table.
OrderJamón ibérico de bellota, tortilla española con cebolla and queso manchego curado in the Show + Tapas menu.
- 21
La Huerta de Tudela
Navarre vegetables take centre stage at Ricardo Gil’s restaurant, with artichokes worth planning lunch around.
OrderTomate feo de Tudela, corona de alcachofas fritas con foie and torrija de vainilla Bourbon.
- 22
El Imperfecto
Mojitos, piña coladas and walls crammed with film posters: a cheerfully cluttered stop before a night out in Huertas.
OrderA mojito or a piña colada; these are the drinks people come back for.
- 23
Viva Madrid
An 1856 tiled tavern where Diego Cabrera pairs aperitivo classics with a proper cocktail list.
OrderMedia Combinación clásica, gilda Viva Madrid and croquetas de cocido madrileño con cecina.
- 24
Yugo The Bunker
Julián Mármol's Japanese, starred by Michelin since 2019: an izakaya upstairs and a wartime-bunker room below.
OrderClásicos del Bunker: nigiri de toro con crujiente de plancton and gyoza de rabo de vaca.
- 25
Acid Café
The original Acid café pairs bright filter coffee with the sort of cardamom bun that rearranges your breakfast plans.
OrderNudo de cardamomo and café de filtro.
- 26
Umami Specialty Coffee
Pistachio cheesecake and açaí bowls give this Alameda coffee stop two quite different answers to breakfast.
OrderTarta de queso de pistacho y chocolate blanco, bol de açaí and capuchino.
- 27
Calle 365
A Puerto Rico-themed cocktail party on Echegaray, built for a group that wants a loud night.
OrderBenito hijo de Benito, El Jíbaro and the tripleta La Mancha de Plátano.