Where to eat and drink in Salamanca
37 places in Salamanca, Madrid: what to order, when to go and local tips.
- 01
Juana la Loca
Pintxos bar with Madrid's most argued-about tortilla: barely set and sweet with slow-cooked onion.
OrderTortilla de patata with confit onion, then Hatzu Tuna, the panko-crusted tuna sandwich.
- 02
Casa Dani
Bar-restaurant inside Mercado de la Paz with a tortilla that keeps topping Madrid's best-of lists.
OrderA pincho of tortilla first, then the weekday menú del día from the chalkboard: starter, main, dessert, drink.
- 03
Taberna Pedraza
Carmen Carro and Santiago Pedraza's polished taberna near Puerta de Alcalá, built around Spanish classics.
OrderTortilla de Betanzos, callos de ternera and croquetas de jamón de bellota; ask about the day's guiso.
- 04
StreetXO
Dabiz Muñoz's loud, theatrical street-food bar, with Asian flavours and a front-row view of the kitchen.
OrderSándwich club al vapor, dumpling pekinés with crispy pig's ear, and nigiri croqueta de la Pedroche.
- 05
Jurucha
A Salamanca family bar since 1962, with a long counter of canapés and a much-loved tortilla.
OrderTortilla de patata, the Pajarito tuna-and-mayo sandwich, and the hot canapé of langostinos con alioli.
- 06
La Barra de la Tasquería
Javi Estévez and Adrián Collantes's casual bar in the original Tasquería room, with offal and plenty beyond it.
OrderCallos con pata y morro, croquetas de jamón and the bikini de lengua with Comté.
- 07
La Trainera
A Madrid seafood institution where salpicón and grilled sole do the talking.
OrderSalpicón de marisco and lenguado a la plancha; rodaballo a la Trainera if you are sharing.
- 08
La Giralda
An Andalusian bar for crisp fish, tortillitas and the occasional Friday that turns into flamenco.
OrderTortillitas de camarones, pescadito frito Giralda and salmorejo cordobés.
- 09
La Bien Aparecida
Cantabrian cooking dressed for Jorge Juan, with rabas that make a very persuasive opening argument.
OrderRabas fritas de calamar, croquetas de lacón y huevo cocido, and la purrusalda.
- 10
Taberna Los Gallos
An entire house off Jorge Juan for terrace lunches that can acquire a very late second act.
OrderChanquetes con huevo y pimientos asados, ensaladilla rusa delux and queso majorero con miel de palma.
- 11
Al-Mounia
A long-running Moroccan dining room where carved wood and a crisp pastela make dinner feel ceremonial.
OrderPastella farci, cuscús Fassi de cordero and té moruno a la menta.
- 12
Alfredo's Barbacoa
Madrid burger history with barbecue sauce on its chin, still going strong in its original Lagasca home.
OrderHamburguesa Alfredo's Classic, chile con carne and ensalada de col.
- 13
Moulin Chocolat
Ricardo Vélez turns a small pastry counter opposite the Retiro into a very good reason to abandon your walk.
OrderCroissant de mantequilla and éclair de chocolate.
- 14
Berria Wine Bar
A serious wine cellar with a Puerta de Alcalá view and enough by-the-glass choice to derail dinner plans.
OrderGilda con doble anchoa, pepito de solomillo and a copa de Saca Berria Fino Viejo.
- 15
El Pimiento Verde
The Lagasca address for those famous alcachofas and a whole monkfish worth splitting with someone hungry.
OrderFlores de alcachofa, rape sapito a la bilbaína and pantxineta casera.
- 16
Magasand
Sandwiches, design magazines and a picnic escape route into the Retiro, just off the expensive shopping streets.
OrderSándwich Hot Vegas and sándwich El Currito, with pollo al curry.
- 17
99 Sushi Bar
Polished Japanese cooking on Hermosilla, where the tiger-prawn tempura earns its place before the sushi.
OrderTempura de langostino tigre, gyozas de jabalí and gunkan 99 Sushi Bar.
- 18
El Paraguas
Asturian comfort food promoted to occasion dining, with verdinas and foie-filled morels doing the convincing.
OrderVerdinas con perdiz and colmenillas rellenas de foie.
- 19
La Maruca - Velázquez
Santander cooking on Velázquez, with rabas worth interrupting the shopping for.
OrderRabas de Santander, croquetas de carne de cocido and tarta de queso de Cañadío.
- 20
Black Ristretto
Specialty coffee with an Argentine sweet tooth: the alfajor makes sense beside a short ristretto.
OrderCafé ristretto and an alfajor; capuchino if you prefer milk.
- 21
Cazorla
An Andalusian caña-and-fried-fish stop on Castelló, with plenty of appetite for another round.
OrderFritura de pescadito de la casa, adobo con Padrón and a caña.
- 22
St. James
A longstanding rice house for the sort of lunch that needs a tablecloth and a second person.
OrderArroz a banda St. James and paellerita de arroz con leche.
- 23
Cilindro
Peruvian cooking with an Asturian accent, smoky pork and an excellent excuse for a pisco sour.
OrderCeviche a la crema de rocoto y aguacate, chancho al cilindro and pisco sour.
- 24
La Bistroteca
Charcoal burgers treated like a proper dinner, with La Palma bringing the mojo picón.
OrderHamburguesa La Palma, guacamole preparado en mesa and tarta tres leches.
- 25
La Leyenda del Agave
A Mexican neighbourhood veteran where cuitlacoche and tamarind margaritas deserve the table space.
OrderCochinita pibil, quesadillas de cuitlacoche and margarita de tamarindo.
- 26
Horchatería Alboraya
Horchata and fartons on Felipe II: a Valencian answer to Madrid's hot pavements.
OrderHorchata de chufa, fartons and leche merengada.
- 27
Taberna La Daniela
A dependable cocido address in Goya that also takes the freshly made tortilla seriously.
OrderCocido madrileño de tres vuelcos, or tortilla de patatas with croquetas de jamón for a lighter visit.
- 28
Norah Coffee & Brunch
All-day brunch on Pardiñas, where eggs on brioche and elaborate coffees turn breakfast into lunch.
OrderIbérico Benedict, shakshuka and café cortado.
- 29
Alcaravea
A useful Castelló regular for weekday menú and vegetables given the full cheese-and-sauce treatment.
OrderAlcachofas fritas con gorgonzola, puerro confitado con Idiazábal and tocinillo del cielo.
- 30
Formentor
A Mallorcan family bakery where an ensaimada is a perfectly good reason to cross town.
OrderEnsaimada lisa and ensaimada de crema tostada; compare them before choosing a whole one.
- 31
Casa Carola
Cocido in three vuelcos, served for second helpings and a very unambitious afternoon.
OrderCocido madrileño de tres vuelcos, with the welcome croqueta de cocido and copa de cava.
- 32
Verdejo Restaurante y Tabanco
Marian Reguera's house of escabeches, proper cooking and sherry worth paying attention to.
OrderAlbóndigas de cazón y sepia, codornices fritas and a copa de generoso.
- 33
Cañadío
Santander sends its rabas south, with a busy bar and a cheesecake worth keeping room for.
OrderRabas como en Santander, croquetas de lacón y huevo cocido, and tarta de queso.
- 34
El Fogón de Trifón
A small family dining room where callos and rabo de toro have earned a very loyal following.
OrderCallos a la madrileña, rabo de toro and sesos de cordero a la romana.
- 35
Colósimo
The tortilla gets you through the door; the Romero brothers’ slow cooking makes you stay.
OrderPincho de tortilla de patatas, canelón de carrillera y queso payoyo, and steak tartar.
- 36
Tandoori Station
A long-established Indian favourite where the tandoor and carefully spiced curries share the bill.
OrderPollo tikka masala, naan de ajo and lassi de mango.
- 37
Panadarío
Guindalera’s serious bread habit comes with buttery pastry and an apple tart on croissant dough.
OrderCroissant de almendra, tarta de manzana and pan de centeno con miso.